The Queen’s Gambit: Where to Watch, Episodes, Cast & Reviews
Immerse yourself in the riveting world of competitive chess with The Queen’s Gambit, Netflix’s award-winning miniseries that captivated viewers worldwide. Featuring stylish visuals, brilliant performances, and a compelling storyline about ambition and addiction, this show remains a modern classic. Here’s your essential guide to episodes, cast, reviews, and streaming options.
How Many Seasons and Episodes Does The Queen’s Gambit Have?
The Queen’s Gambit is a limited series with one season comprised of 7 episodes. Each episode is roughly 46–67 minutes in length, making it highly bingeable in a single weekend. First released on Netflix in October 2020, the miniseries tells a complete, self-contained story with no additional seasons planned.
What Is the Plot/Storyline of The Queen’s Gambit?
Set largely in the 1950s and 1960s, The Queen’s Gambit chronicles the tumultuous coming-of-age of chess prodigy Beth Harmon. Orphaned at a young age after a tragic car accident, Beth grows up in a Kentucky orphanage. There, she is introduced to chess by the facility’s custodian, Mr. Shaibel, who recognizes the young girl’s remarkable intellect and latent tactical genius.
Chess becomes both Beth’s passion and emotional anchor amid the loneliness and strict routines of orphanage life. However, she is soon introduced to tranquilizers—administered to all orphans at the time—beginning a lifelong struggle with substance abuse that parallels her chess journey.
When Beth is adopted as a teenager by Alma and Allston Wheatley, she faces a turbulent home life. Despite personal setbacks, she quickly dominates the male-dominated world of competitive chess, winning local, state, and ultimately international tournaments. Along the way, Beth forms complicated relationships with several figures in the chess world: former Kentucky champion Harry Beltik, cocky U.S. champion Benny Watts, and Russian grandmaster Vasily Borgov.
Beth’s journey is not just about chess, but the price of genius, the stigma women face in intellectual arenas, and the haunting effects of trauma and addiction. Her meteoric rise brings isolation and self-doubt, with addiction threatening to derail her career and her life. Yet, she forges ahead—driven by her passion for the game, her memory of Mr. Shaibel, and support from unlikely friends.
The climax of the series takes place at the Moscow Invitational, where Beth must confront her greatest fears and adversaries without relying on drugs or alcohol. Through sheer willpower and her own brilliance, she faces the indomitable Borgov, ultimately orchestrating her most brilliant play—the Queen’s Gambit—and earning not just international recognition but personal redemption.
The Queen’s Gambit masterfully blends gripping psychological drama and coming-of-age storytelling with the high-stakes world of chess. Its rich period detail, tightly woven narrative, and nuanced exploration of addiction, feminism, friendship, and competition have made it a milestone in contemporary television.
What Are the Casts of The Queen’s Gambit?
The Queen’s Gambit features a talented ensemble cast, including:
- Anya Taylor-Joy as Beth Harmon
- Bill Camp as Mr. Shaibel
- Marielle Heller as Alma Wheatley
- Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Benny Watts
- Harry Melling as Harry Beltik
- Moses Ingram as Jolene
- Chloe Pirrie as Alice Harmon (Beth’s mother)
- Marcin Dorociński as Vasily Borgov
- Jacob Fortune-Lloyd as D.L. Townes
- Christiane Seidel as Helen Deardorff
Anya Taylor-Joy’s mesmerizing performance as Beth Harmon earned widespread acclaim and numerous awards, anchoring the series’ emotional depth and intensity.
What Are the Reviews of The Queen’s Gambit?
Reddit Reviews
Reddit users hail The Queen’s Gambit as one of Netflix’s best originals, frequently praising its storytelling, visual style, and character development. Anya Taylor-Joy’s performance is called “electrifying” and “magnetic.” Many fans admit to newfound interest in chess after watching, while others debate its portrayal of addiction, gender dynamics, and the accuracy of chess gameplay. Criticism centers mostly on the series’ pacing (some felt it was a touch slow in the middle episodes), but the overall reception is overwhelmingly positive.
Douban Reviews
On China’s premier review site Douban, The Queen’s Gambit boasts a remarkable 9.0/10 rating. Chinese viewers praise the lead actress, 1960s costume design, atmosphere, and the uplifting message of self-reinvention. Chess scenes are described as both authentic and cinematic, and many reviews highlight the show’s critique of gender inequality and triumph over trauma. It is routinely listed among the best foreign dramas of the decade.
IMDb Reviews
IMDB rates The Queen’s Gambit at an excellent 8.5/10 (over 460,000 ratings). Top user reviews highlight the “powerful acting,” “tight script,” and “addictive viewing”—with many noting they couldn’t stop binge-watching. The show won 11 Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Limited Series, and is repeatedly praised for bringing chess to life as high drama.
Rotten Tomatoes Reviews
The Queen’s Gambit holds a “Certified Fresh” status with 96% critics rating and 94% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics call it “smart, stylish, and addictive,” lauding its “captivating performances” and “lush period detail.” The show often appears in “Best of the Decade” lists and is credited with sparking a global chess renaissance.
Where to Watch The Queen’s Gambit?
All seven episodes of The Queen’s Gambit are available exclusively on Netflix worldwide, including Hong Kong and most other regions. The series is included in standard, HD, and ad-supported Netflix plans—with multiple languages and subtitles. There are currently no free legal streaming alternatives. Episodes can also be purchased on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Google Play in certain countries, but Netflix remains the definitive streaming home.
Fall under the spell of The Queen’s Gambit—an intoxicating blend of drama, intellect, and style—ready whenever you are on Netflix.
