We've been with these characters for a while, so an episode like 'Forks' was overdue. Here we sit back and let these characters breath each other's air.
First of all, Harry Beltik is back! Harry Melling (Dudley) returns to coach Beth, who has this far been coasting on talent and dedication. It's menial study, but the same way Beth focuses on improving her game, the show spends its time improving these characters, or our understanding of them. I particularly enjoyed the time we spent with him, discovering his more romantic motives. Harry is a friend for Beth.
He cautions against her extreme lifestyle - the GM Morphy is set up as a cautionary tale of genius falling prey to madness. Using the Old Masters as thematic pieces is a terrific move by the story, and this episode does fantastic work tying Beth to the rich history and legacies of fellow chess masters.
Also, I've liked the score, but my god the Queen's Gambit has some scintillating soundtrack choices. One of my favourite moments of the series is Beth dancing to Peggy Lee's 'Fever'. It's freeing, fun and politely erotic all in one.
When Harry leaves, it's probably the best acted and written scene so far. Revelations emerge naturally; he gives her Morphy's book as a parting caution, and the pill bottle he's discovered. She earnestly tells him how much he's helped her, he tells her he's realised he can't love chess the way she does. I'm loving Anya Taylor-Joy's work.
The rest of the episode still has a smart emotional lens on. It's the little moments - when Benny humiliates Beth repeatedly by defeating her in blitz chess, she returns to bed and wraps herself up in her mother's old robe. And how the characters matter more than the chess. We don't even see Beth avenge her loss to Benny and win the US Open - we see them sitting in the bar after. A well put together episode.
First of all, Harry Beltik is back! Harry Melling (Dudley) returns to coach Beth, who has this far been coasting on talent and dedication. It's menial study, but the same way Beth focuses on improving her game, the show spends its time improving these characters, or our understanding of them. I particularly enjoyed the time we spent with him, discovering his more romantic motives. Harry is a friend for Beth.
He cautions against her extreme lifestyle - the GM Morphy is set up as a cautionary tale of genius falling prey to madness. Using the Old Masters as thematic pieces is a terrific move by the story, and this episode does fantastic work tying Beth to the rich history and legacies of fellow chess masters.
Also, I've liked the score, but my god the Queen's Gambit has some scintillating soundtrack choices. One of my favourite moments of the series is Beth dancing to Peggy Lee's 'Fever'. It's freeing, fun and politely erotic all in one.
When Harry leaves, it's probably the best acted and written scene so far. Revelations emerge naturally; he gives her Morphy's book as a parting caution, and the pill bottle he's discovered. She earnestly tells him how much he's helped her, he tells her he's realised he can't love chess the way she does. I'm loving Anya Taylor-Joy's work.
The rest of the episode still has a smart emotional lens on. It's the little moments - when Benny humiliates Beth repeatedly by defeating her in blitz chess, she returns to bed and wraps herself up in her mother's old robe. And how the characters matter more than the chess. We don't even see Beth avenge her loss to Benny and win the US Open - we see them sitting in the bar after. A well put together episode.
