The Queen's Gambit

I have a thing for retro vibes, so the creators scored points with me from the very beginning. I didn't mind that it wasn't a Cold War spy action game, because I thoroughly enjoyed all the matches taking place on the sixty-four squares, and I was sure I would be a really satisfied viewer. But I just didn’t buy the finale. I was disappointed by the naive depiction of the situation in the USSR. Too bad, five stars would have really suited this series otherwise. (18/12/2020)

My usual starting point for rating a series is three stars. This time, however, the show's creativity pushed me to add an extra star. Judging from the pilot episode, it seems this won't be a series for fans of action-packed scenes. But hey, as long as it's not about fishing, I'm on board. (15/12/2020)

Strangely enough, that chess tournament had me more engaged and thrilled than the current Formula 1 races. Sad but True (borrowing a line from Metallica). But it's not solely because the races have become a ludicrous spectacle; it's largely due to the series creators turning what could have been an hour of dullness into an atmospheric affair. (15/12/2020)

This is exactly the type of series that drives me to think about wasted youth. All it took was for my parents to care for me with the same love as the stepmother does for the main character, and by the age of twenty-five, my liver would have been just as well-trained. Well, it's too late to cry over spilt milk. (15/12/2020)

With each new episode, the series becomes more inspiring; now, I've gleaned that I could circumvent death from cirrhosis of the liver with a decent overdose. (17/12/2020)

With chess effectively woven into the storyline, I see no grounds for lowering the rating (and I'm hardly a chess enthusiast). The central character effortlessly withstands attempts to humanize her, so I'm concerned the Soviets might come off as likable fellows here. (18/12/2020)

Despite the smooth moves of the pieces on the chessboard, I deducted a star. The heavy reliance on clichés left me disappointed. It felt like I was watching a tired formula that's been recycled in countless movies starring JCVD. You know the drill — our hero takes a beating, seemingly down for the count, only to miraculously rise from the dead, clinching victory in the end. But I hope I'm wrong about that... (18/12/2020)

I didn't anticipate the heavy-handed lecture on BLM, the unnecessary drama, and the strange portrayal of Moscow at all. Amidst the cheering crowd, it felt like the only thing missing were dancing bears and singing KGB officers. Marcin Dorociński's performance was top-notch as always, but apart from that, the final episode was a major letdown. (18/12/2020)