The Queens Gambit

[Destinysdaughter]

Has anyone seen this? It was a brilliant piece of filmmaking and had me in bits at the end. But, what was striking about it for me was firstly, there was no sexual abuse in it. So, the scenes where she played chess in the basement, I expected the old janitor to have sexual designs on her. But he didn't. And then, when she was adopted, I expected the husband to be sexually abusive towards her, but he wasn't.

And then, when she kept on winning against men after men, she experienced no misogyny, just respect and support

And although that was so lovely and refreshing to see, part of me thought, no that would never happen in the real world!

Maybe I've just become too cynical and too expectant of sexism and misogyny but I found it a bit idealistic in terms of what a young, attractive woman would have experienced in that world?

Isn't it OP. I was expecting the same as you in the first couple of episode. So nice to be proved wrong on this occasion.

Agreed, same here!

I've only watched to episodes so far, and spent the entire time thinking that she was about to be abused.

I loved it! And yes, really refreshing storyline and directing. None of the usual sexually violent plot devices.

Yes we thought that too. Very good show.

I loved it too but yes, you're right. I was thinking that the adoptive father was going to be an abuser. Are we conditioned to expect this in TV/films now? It was a refreshing change.

Storyline aside, I felt like it was like watching constantly changing art. It was visually stunning.

I loved it!

Yeah, I totally understand what you are saying. The part when the janitor got his friend from the high school to come over and he gave her a doll I was like...here it comes. Then...nothing. I was really pleased.

I confess I too was expecting her to experience abuse at various points

How refreshing to not have abuse as the cornerstone of a drama

I thought the same. It’s sad that sexual abuse is so common we were all waiting to see it happen at every turn in the story.

Agreed OP. And yes - it was visually and musically stunning. I've had the soundtrack on Spotify all week .

She did experience some sexism. When she went to the high school to play the simultaneous matches, most of the players and spectators were male and dismissive (not the teacher, though). Same again at her first match. The refreshing thing was that once the men and boys saw how talented she was their attitude changed. I've no idea how realistic that was, but years ago when my son played in a few chess matches while he was at school there were some very talented girls and I didn't have the impression anybody was treating them differently from the boys.

loved it. I found the journey of her connection with the janitor really moving. I was in bits over it

Thanks for your replies, it's so sad that we are conditioned to see a series about a woman ( especially one that becomes a drug addict) being a victim of abuse, and that feels weird when that doesn't happen! How sad is that....?

And yes I loved it too, not criticising the show at all, but it's shocking that I was shocked that the usual crap that women go through didn't happen here. Apart from the very first tournament where it was assumed that she was a beginner, but even then, those young men became big fans of hers,if only it was like that in real life!

Something else that has bothered me is that I read an article about a real female chess player and she is the women’s uk chess champion. Made me wonder why women compete separately when there is no physical advantage for men.

I thought it was amazing, was gutted when it finished (binge watched it). I too thought there would be sexual abuse, as that is usually rolled out as an explanation (in tv/media) for later poor behaviour/choices. I might watch it again!!

I agree OP, the lack of sexual abuse throughout struck me too. It was so unusual for a drama and so refreshing. All the men in it were quite nice to her! (Except her adopted Father but he was just surly rather than abusive).

That's because you've watched too much Netflix OP!

Similarly I was pleasantly surprised by both the other girl at the first chess tournament and her mother turning out to both be very nice. They built the plot through character rather than through conflict which was a nice change.

You're right. It really struck me too.

As well as when she was a child with the janitor, and then when she was adopted, I was on pins several times waiting for her to be assaulted - when Townes invited her to his hotel room just the two of them, and at several points with Benny or Harry, after it was made clear they both fancied her, I kept thinking "here we go, they've got her alone" or "she's off her face drunk, this is where she gets raped".

It's pretty sad that I was more surprised that there wasn't any thing like that, than I would have been if there was.

Totally loved it. Like everyone else kept waiting for the abuse. Instead I got a story which really gripped me and which I binge watched. Now my dil and son are both watching and enjoying it after I encouraged, ok bullied, them into watching it too.

Same here. Loved it, but watched the whole thing in constant expectation of some form of sexual exploitation being used as a plot driver.

I thought exactly the same as you! I nearly didn’t watch past the first episode as I kept having an ‘impending sense of doom’ with the janitor and then the adoptive father...but I kept going and was so glad I did.

It was so refreshing that I googled the book it was based upon and read a bit about it which added to my enjoyment of the series - it was written in the 1980’s and was an example ‘Bildungsroman’ which is a coming of age tale - one that focuses on the psychological and moral growth of the protagonist. And I thought you could really see that TV series - she grew/transformed so much - as a chess player, in overcoming her addiction, her isolation. Chess helped her transform and the transformation helped her become a better player.

And "The Long-Legged Fly" by William Butler Yeats is the book’s epigraph. It looks at the inner workings of genius and the quiet space genius requires to succeed which I thought was so interesting.

I’ve ordered the book to read.