Just finished The Queen's gambit on Netflix

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:We just saw episode one last night and it seemed clear that she is on the spectrum. Is it even possible she's not?

As she grows up this doesn’t seem as clear - maybe this is also something that can happen with autistic children, but by the end she seems more typical but quirky

Given the level of childhood trauma that she experienced, culminating with her mother trying to kill her and being drugged up at orphanage, there are a lot of possible explanations for her affect. She was basically a genius, too. It is possible that she was autistic, emotionally stunted, ahead of her time, or some combination thereof. I do think that her development towards the end indicates that her earlier affect and behavior was more a product of her trauma. When she matured and faced her demons, she seemed to relax and level off.

She was given and then voluntarily took tranquilizers and other drugs. That kills your affect.

At all times even when you're not under the influence?

They were heavily sedating the kids at the orphanage both day and night with high doses. And, she probably had depression and PTSD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:We just saw episode one last night and it seemed clear that she is on the spectrum. Is it even possible she's not?

As she grows up this doesn’t seem as clear - maybe this is also something that can happen with autistic children, but by the end she seems more typical but quirky

Given the level of childhood trauma that she experienced, culminating with her mother trying to kill her and being drugged up at orphanage, there are a lot of possible explanations for her affect. She was basically a genius, too. It is possible that she was autistic, emotionally stunted, ahead of her time, or some combination thereof. I do think that her development towards the end indicates that her earlier affect and behavior was more a product of her trauma. When she matured and faced her demons, she seemed to relax and level off.

She was given and then voluntarily took tranquilizers and other drugs. That kills your affect.

At all times even when you're not under the influence?

They were heavily sedating the kids at the orphanage both day and night with high doses. And, she probably had depression and PTSD.

Her voice always had the flat affect even when she left the orphanage to go live with the Wheatleys when she wasn't on the drugs, at first. But no doubt there were some psychological issues be it what you mentioned, spectrum, or other things. Her bio mother obviously has issues as well. I read that the character Beth was loosely based on Bobby Fisher who had mental health issues as well becoming a recluse late in life.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I think the ending was about her being “free”— free of expectations, free from her past, free from her fear of the Russians. Just herself. I think where she lives is kind of irrelevant. She is a free spirit now and ready to make whatever choice she wants.

And, what, just hours earlier she relapsed and was on a binge again but now she’s free from her past?

I think it was just a throwback to playing for the sake of playing.

When did she relapse? We just finished it, and I didn’t see it. In her last game, she was finally able to see her chessboard on the ceiling without substances. She had flushed her pills, the front desk wouldn’t get her more and Townes was there.

I didn't see the relapse either. Unless it was the fact that she tried to get pills at the front desk. Sort of an attempted relapse.

The night before she lost in Russia, she swore she wasn’t going out. She instead met the model, clearly got wastes, woke up in a tailspin and then had to play the final game after missing part of it. I’d call that a relapse after being sober and focusing on the game for a period of time before that. Before that final night before the tournament ended, she was clear headed and razor focused on replaying games and learning about mistakes and patterns - using her time wisely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:I think the ending was about her being “free”— free of expectations, free from her past, free from her fear of the Russians. Just herself. I think where she lives is kind of irrelevant. She is a free spirit now and ready to make whatever choice she wants.

And, what, just hours earlier she relapsed and was on a binge again but now she’s free from her past?

I think it was just a throwback to playing for the sake of playing.

When did she relapse? We just finished it, and I didn’t see it. In her last game, she was finally able to see her chessboard on the ceiling without substances. She had flushed her pills, the front desk wouldn’t get her more and Townes was there.

I didn't see the relapse either. Unless it was the fact that she tried to get pills at the front desk. Sort of an attempted relapse.

The night before she lost in Russia, she swore she wasn’t going out. She instead met the model, clearly got wastes, woke up in a tailspin and then had to play the final game after missing part of it. I’d call that a relapse after being sober and focusing on the game for a period of time before that. Before that final night before the tournament ended, she was clear headed and razor focused on replaying games and learning about mistakes and patterns - using her time wisely.

That was in Paris.

[Anonymous]

Spoilers


The parts of the final episode when her crush reporter who wrote for a KY newspaper showed up in Russia for her tournament and when all of her past loves/friends together called her with tips/encouragement, were too ridiculous and trite. Tie a bow on it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Spoilers


The parts of the final episode when her crush reporter who wrote for a KY newspaper showed up in Russia for her tournament and when all of her past loves/friends together called her with tips/encouragement, were too ridiculous and trite. Tie a bow on it!

I thought so, too. Overall, I really enjoyed it, but the way all the men rescued her at the end was a little silly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Spoilers


The parts of the final episode when her crush reporter who wrote for a KY newspaper showed up in Russia for her tournament and when all of her past loves/friends together called her with tips/encouragement, were too ridiculous and trite. Tie a bow on it!

I thought so, too. Overall, I really enjoyed it, but the way all the men rescued her at the end was a little silly.

I don't think it was about the men rescuing her. Benny longed for the camaraderie the Russians had, and he hypothesized that the teamwork was the reason for their success. In Russia, Beth observed the Russians prepping Bagrov before the game with her and felt alone. It turned out her guys + Jocelyn were her tribe who showed up for her, just like they thought Russians did for each other.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought she defected in the end...her state department minder had warned her of anyone trying to make contact, hand her things...and then later obviously he warned her she would miss her flight back to the US.

The crowds outside the Moscow hotel which she obviously enjoyed, I thought were a ploy to get her to warm to Russia.

And finally when Borgov handed her the chess piece.

But I googled immediately after finishing and there was a story where the actress addressed this and said she didn’t think that was what happened.

I don’t think she stayed in Russia. I think she just wanted a little more time to connect with her pure love of the game, with others who loved it just as much. She wanted that moment to herself before heading back to the US and all the ceremonies and celebrity that awaited her.

[Anonymous]

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SPOILER DO NOT READ if you haven't seen the show! - how did her mom die? was it hepatitis? Is it related to her alcoholism? Yes

She said she was in love with Townes? Is that the reporter? Why didn't she pursue that? Because Townes was gay

Who was the man her real mom Alice was talking to before she died? What were they saying? He was her father. He had a new family and wanted her to leave. He had already tried to reach out to her before and warned her that he wouldn't be there for her again in the future (not that this makes it okay)



I thought her mom died in the car wreck? Wasn't exactly an accident, looked more like suicide to me. Her mom's last words to her were "Close your eyes." The mom was trying to kill them both. That's why she said that to Beth. Chilling.

Well...yes. When the got in the car she told Beth when asked what was going on her mom said 'trying to find what to do with you'. Birth dad turned mom away and then they drove off...mom told her to close her eyes---YES. OBVIOUS suicide and wanting to kill her daughter with her.

It was hard to tell if it was Dad or grandparents.

It was her dad. He and his new wife had a baby.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Was Beth adopted just so Mr. Wheatley could leave Alma and she wouldn't be alone? Both said it was the other's idea. It was actually a relief to me when he left because when they were all first in the headmistress's office, I thought for sure he was a pedophile.

Interesting. I thought for sure it was going to be her bio dad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought she defected in the end...her state department minder had warned her of anyone trying to make contact, hand her things...and then later obviously he warned her she would miss her flight back to the US.

The crowds outside the Moscow hotel which she obviously enjoyed, I thought were a ploy to get her to warm to Russia.

And finally when Borgov handed her the chess piece.

But I googled immediately after finishing and there was a story where the actress addressed this and said she didn’t think that was what happened.

This was kind of unbelievable to me. Her "State Department" :cough, cough: minder did a pretty crappy job in Moscow, but to just leave her after about 5 seconds to go wander around unaccompanied after her newfound fame? No way. She's way too much of a live wire to just...dump off on a street corner to fend for herself.

[Anonymous]

The ending was a little unbelievable. I don’t think she defected. She just wanted to walk around. But I don’t think they would’ve let her do that in 1968.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The ending was a little unbelievable. I don’t think she defected. She just wanted to walk around. But I don’t think they would’ve let her do that in 1968.

Ha, great minds think alike. I just posted above you that it is pretty unbelievable that in 1968 with all of his intelligence concerns her minder would just let her go and speed off to the airport to catch his flight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The ending was a little unbelievable. I don’t think she defected. She just wanted to walk around. But I don’t think they would’ve let her do that in 1968.

Ha, great minds think alike. I just posted above you that it is pretty unbelievable that in 1968 with all of his intelligence concerns her minder would just let her go and speed off to the airport to catch his flight.

Haha! Just saw your post

I loved the series but that part fell flat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:[SPOILER sort of]


So do we think she stayed in Russia? Or was that last scene meant to just hearken back to her games with the janitor in the basement?

She does not stay. It’s just her playing for the joy of playing with other people who live the game. It’s supposed to recall the basement games.

I think that too. These old guys are like Mr Shaibel who just love the game without the drama and pomp of an international tournament. She would rather receive accolades from these guys who are real fans of the game. Going back to the US to the Georgetown reception would be taking part in a propaganda exercise, not celebrating chess.

The current world champion jumps into online chess as Dr Drunkenstein. Seems similar to going to play the street chess guys.

https://slate.com/culture/2020/02/magnus-carlsen-speed-chess-drdrunkenstein-pseudonyms-twitch-youtube.html