Lessons in Chemistry (2023)

*Premise spoilers.*

My mom read this book when it came out and really liked it, so after the miniseries adaptation was released, she asked me to watch it with her, care of my Apple TV subscription. We wound up getting to it later rather than sooner, but I liked it a lot!

Lessons in Chemistry follows the unexpected trajectory of the life of Elizabeth Zott, a dedicated chemist in the 1950s forced to work far below her talents as a lab tech in a university. She’s used to her unfair lot in life, and while it angers her, she keeps her head down during the day and conducts her own experiments by night. This routine is first disrupted by an encounter with Calvin Evans, an award-winning chemist at the university who’s equally known for his brilliance and his eccentricities. But meeting Calvin is just the beginning of many changes in Elizabeth’s life—it starts her down a path that will lead variously to a boathouse, a DIY lab in her kitchen, a boys’ home in Missoula, and a successful cooking show.

This story is full of massive changes—as Elizabeth says, it’s what we’re “chemically designed to do”—which can make the show feel like quite the ride. It also makes it difficult to talk about without getting into spoilers. The state of Elizabeth’s life in episode 1 is almost entirely different than episode 3, or 6, or 8. As such, I won’t get too deep into the plot here; I’ll try avoid spoilery specifics while still discussing what I like about this show.

It’s an intentionally feminist story, and Elizabeth’s world is full of rampant sexism, casual sexual harassment, and unwritten social rules she’s expected to follow. Her reaction to this is interesting. She’s well aware of the double standards around and has no desire to take them lying down, but her approach to that evolves quite a bit over the course of the show. She shifts from stealing moments for herself within the existing rules to trying to figure out how to create new ones herself and those around her. She’s a terrific character, a woman with plenty to be resentful about but who proves to be incredibly resilient in the face of all that’s thrown at her.

I love watching her and Calvin together once they cross paths, and it certainly doesn’t hurt that both characters are autistic AF (more on that another day!) Elizabeth is someone who’s kept her head down and kept to herself for a long time, but once she starts letting people in, it’s wonderful to see how each new relationship changes her and how she changes the other person in turn. Meanwhile, Calvin is a temperamental genius whose fame has given him leeway to be as odd or abrasive as he wants, but it’s clear that, until Elizabeth comes along, no one around actually knows or understands him.

This is also a story about the life you plan for and the life you actually get. These unexpected turns can be more than you ever could’ve hoped for, they can bring everything crashing down at a moment’s notice, and they can take you places you never could’ve expected. As I went on this journey with Elizabeth, the narrative kept me guessing, waiting to find out where it was bringing her next.

Brie Larson is fantastic as Elizabeth, brilliant and quietly resolute, often even-keeled but holding a lot of feelings below the surface. Her performance feels so genuine and effortless—whether she’s rattling off scientific jargon or showing us our heroine in her most hopeless moments, Larson never misses. Lewis Pullman brings an awkward, eccentric charm to Calvin, and when the two actors are onscreen together, the scenes positively sing. Aja Naomi King is equal parts poised and down-to-earth as Calvin’s determined neighbor Harriet, while Patrick Walker is all warmth and understanding as a caring reverend. The miniseries also features Marc Evan Jackson (Shaun from The Good Place!), Kevin Sussman, Rainn Wilson, and a brief but significant appearance from Beau Bridges.

Warnings

Strong thematic elements, violence (included attempted rape,) language, sexual references, and drinking/smoking.