I must start with what is good about Queen's Gambit, chess is something new on television at least on mainstream television. The period set and costume is also exemplary. The background music gives very good mood to the series.

But everything else is "Formulaic" . Typical, predictable- Surviving difficulties, deaths, things going bad , alcoholic, addict. Outcome of every match is known. Victory at every stage. If the same story line was made with in a modern setting, it wouldnt have worked out. It is the period and the game that is different for this very formulaic " underdog becomes genius" story