What could be more thrilling than a coming-of-age drama that follows a red-haired force of nature chasing greatness?

A miniseries released in 2020 and set in the Cold War, The Queen’s Gambit is a timeless production that portrays an array of social struggles. Throughout the seven episodes, Beth Harmon reveals her human complexity in a fascinating way.

The protagonist grows up in an orphanage, where chess becomes the only outlet for her tenacious nature. The janitor acts as her mentor, preparing her for the checkered battlefield. One thing he cannot and does not prepare her for though is the battlefield that life is.

While placing a chess piece on the right square is first nature to her, placing herself socially is far from it, and the struggle of finding common ground with her peers is ongoing.

At a young age she develops an addiction to tranquilisers, a manifestation of all the emotions she has to deal with head-on. Her substance abuse recklessly evolves and remains a persisting theme throughout the show.

Beth escapes the stifling environment at the orphanage when she gets adopted by a married couple. However, she is ultimately left alone with her mother, Alma, struggling to stay afloat financially and socially.

But when genius meets an unyielding obsession, the outcome could not be anything short of success.

With Alma supporting Beth’s chess career, enticed by its financial prospects, their lives take a turn as they leave their hometown and travel around the world attending tournaments.

Beth matures; death and romance enter the scene. Nevertheless, her eyes remain set on the chess pieces until the last episode, where she finds herself in Russia, sitting opposite the World Champion, with just a chessboard between them.

The Queen’s Gambit is a story about a girl whose determination is far stronger than any external forces. Life offers her a very narrow and limited path, but she surpasses all boundaries, forging that path and making it her own.

This series is for all the Whiplash and Black Swan fans fascinated by ‘the obsessed artist’ archetype and can be watched on Netflix.