This show is the perfect vehicle for Americans to gloat over it because it's extremely pretentious. We all would love to decide whether or not something is a masterpiece but in reality only time can bestow that honor. Most times, films and shows that were labeled with such a glowing compliment in their day have not aged well at all. I feel that this will be one of those, hands down. She may have beautifully big eyes but I felt that Anya Taylor-Joy's performance had about as much truthful life as a roomba. It was very robotic, inconsistent and rather unfeeling. If she had any inner life, it was only implied and cerebral, never making a true appearance. There is no visceral dramatic action whatsoever. None. Most scenes are expository and want you to admire how lovely and detailed they are. They're like Gilded Age shots: yes, I see how golden they are, but they are almost always empty emotionally, only implied but never complicit. And that makes a great formula for poor entertainment but ideal self-appreciation. Film and TV is a visual medium. I'm of the mindset that if the sound is off, I should still have a pretty exact idea of what is happening. I dare you to turn the sound off and watch some of these scenes and watch how quick you get bored because there are minimal visual cues that actually help tell the true deep emotional stories of the characters rather than the surfac-y story about chess. I honestly didn't think chess could get any more boring.