Lessons in Chemistry (TV Mini Series) Introduction to Chemistry (2023) User Reviews

Either read the book or watch the series. Not both.

[PNWgal1 · 7/10 · 28 December 2023]

I've always been hesitant to watch a TV series/movie that has come from a book because it's very rare that they can capture the complete story and this one is no exception.

There were several storylines that were completely omitted, which were important to the development of the characters and the plot and likewise, new storylines were added which made zero sense but I understand the reasoning for added them (dramatic effect, make the show "relevant" for today's environment.) While I enjoyed Brie Larson and Lewis Pullman, I felt it was quite rushed and many of the relationships between characters weren't developed. Harriet and Elizabeth, Harriet and Mad, Wakely and Calvin and even Six Thirty. He was so prominent in the book and here he's basically treated like a pet. (They don't even get into the storyline about his intelligence and ability to understand words.)

In my opinion, if you've read the book, I would probably stay away from the show. Is it entertaining? Of course, it's TV. But if you're like me, you'll spend the entire show saying "that's not what happened."

mixed bag

[nerrdrage · 7/10 · 27 December 2023]

This is a review for the whole season, not just one episode. Each of the episodes are pretty equivalent to the others: good enough to keep watching, not great.

Brie Larson is a good lead character and talented actor but the story overall is too mawkish and "pat." The overall theme is, the 1950s were misogynistic and racist, and the good, noble characters fight the good fight against the bad characters, who have no depth and are simply cardboard representatives of the patriarchy, whose role is to stand there, sputter a bit, and then be defeated, by a puzzling deus ex machina as it turns out.

The production design is very good, reminiscent of Mad Men, a series that tackled all the ugly aspects of the era without turning it into a hectoring soap opera.

The way it ends doesn't really set up a season 2, so maybe this is one and done, although who knows. Apple could make a season 2 if they felt like it. I doubt I'll bother to watch.