I had the pleasure of watching The Queen’s Gambit over Thanksgiving break with my family. It was a very interesting and engaging show that seems very unique in comparison to other Netflix originals released around the same time. Watching the show definitely inspired me to pick up the hobby of playing chess, which I had not done in a very long time. Despite the entertaining and sometimes frustrating chess matches, this show deals with other important topics regarding family dynamics, gender roles, and substance abuse. Being able to rewatch this first episode during this week’s Friday Film allowed me to pay attention to the smaller details that I was not able to catch the first time around. I was also able to understand the importance of the portrayal of Beth’s childhood for the development of her character later on, especially her relationship with chess, drug consumption, and independence.