What a strong opening.
Loved the visuals, loved the story telling. Loved her shattering 12 teenage boys at once.
The only minor detail I got hung up on (because I do do that) was how her as a child just grabs two pills and swallows them without water like she's a pro. It took me ages to get used to swallowing pills that size. Without water, longer.
So we're starting right at the end of the season/story and then jump to "how it began" and work our way toward it?
"Openings" is an intriguing start from Scott and Alan Frank's "The Queen's Gambit". After losing her mother, Beth is sent to an orphanage where she discovers her knack for chess. But her superpowers come at a cost: if she does not take the recently outlawed pills, she cannot perform.
This episode gives good character development, as we learn about what I assume will be Beth's core problem: her drug addiction. Just as they give her strength—her chess abilities—they pull her down since, without them, she cannot function and hungers for more.
Although I was always engaged and found it never dragged or wasted time, I wish they split this episode in half. Personally, I don't like sitting through hour-long episodes. I think this is an issue with my consumption as I prefer episodes to be 20-40 minutes long, so maybe this critique is invalid.
Anyway, "Openings" is a solid start and I'm intrigued to see more.
SCORE: 7/10
A mesmerising way of storytelling. A gifted girl already on the wrong path. Since we saw her take the same pills at the start before her match we can assume she hasn't shaken that reliance!
Finally gave this a try after hearing so many good things about this show / getting it recommended by friends. It started boring but got better towards the end. Unfortunately it seems pretty dark (for my taste, it could be much worse) and old fashioned so I'm not sure if this is something for me.
Edit: Oof, all other reviews are much better :o I wonder if it's just me or if only people interested in this type of show wrote comments. I don't think there's anything wrong with this show, it's just not my taste (at least so far, let's see).
I'm liking it, what counts, how it counts and the performances, we will continue to see.
wow! I regret sleeping on this show.
Fantastic first episode! I’m hooked!
This was a fantastic way to start! Kept me interested all throughout and that ending combined with the music was absolutely fucking incredible! Goosebumps for real!
I was real leary of this show do to the absurdity of a female chess progidy, however, this first episode was fantastic! It is very difficult to make chess appear exciting in TV or Movies, but they have done an excellent job!
Pretty engrossing stuff.
I love the basement guy who plays chess.
There could be a whole tv show about that guy playing chess in the basement!
I don’t ever recall there being too many woman chess grandmasters.
Is this fiction? I don’t know. I don’t think I want to know.
Let’s see where this ends up. Will research on it after watching the whole series.
Well, now I see why this show is being talked about. Amazing start.
Amazing start, now I know why people talk about this
Utter perfection. Oddly engrossing! Anja Taylor-Joy is quickly becoming a cinematic force to be reckoned with!
The surprise, sleeper hit of the year, for me, so far.
I'm wondering if anyone notice this or is just my mind but in the scene when Mr. Shaibel was explaining some movements the piano sounds like Lana Del Rey's song "When The World Was At War We Kept Dancing".
At times it felt too long (watching people play chess is boring!)but by the end I was invested in the story.
Also, wait until the people that lost their sh*t over Cuties see the CS explanation scene, lol.
this show is sick dude! I am directly watching the 2. one!
I wonder why I can't stop tearing!
Just wanted to say I love the expression of the girl in the poster gif. Not the main one but the one temporarily appearing on my profile but not my history. It's a blend of very bold and very shy.
The show is visually beautiful and meditative, but also tense and suspenseful, I was really worried about Beth that the orphanage authorities would forbid her to play chess after finding out that she plays with the caretaker as it was considered an improper thing for young ladies. The orphanage does not seem like a supportive place for her chess passions. After she stole the pills I fear all her chess playing privileges would be revoked by the headmistress?
Shout by Lightning13BlockedParent2020-12-17T11:57:06Z
Finally a good live action of sport anime we deserve