Lessons In Chemistry Review: An Intriguing Experiment That Lacks A Few Key Elements
- Brie Larson and Lewis Pullman are magnetic
- Great feminist narrative
- The dialogue for scientists is a little like a textbook threw up
- Unnecessary mystery box that takes away from the central storyline
Based on a novel by the same name by Bonnie Garmus, "Lessons in Chemistry" details the trials and tribulations of a female scientist in the 1950s who is undermined and discriminated against at every turn, but fights tooth and nail to carve out a life for herself that she can be proud of. Like the many culinary concoctions that Elizabeth Zott (Brie Larson) makes on the show, the success of "Lessons in Chemistry" relies on how well it blends together all of its ingredients. But although it's a pleasant and likable watch, there's something unbalanced about the final product, some key flavors that are out of proportion with one another. It contains an extremely charming romance, but also has a tendency to get bogged down in meandering subplots that add little to the show.
Elizabeth Zott is a woman who doesn't seem to fit in wherever she goes. She's a talented chemist, but she doesn't have a PhD, so her career prospects in academia are limited. Everyone seems to want to lump her in with the secretaries, a fact that she not-so-quietly resents — she couldn't care less about the office social events they are constantly put in charge of running. She's at Hastings Laboratories to do a job, to conduct her research, to redefine our understanding of the origins of humanity. And she can't for the life of her understand why no one will leave her alone and let her get down to it. It's only when she meets Calvin Evans (Lewis Pullman), the shining star of Hastings, that she finds a collaborator worthy of her towering intellect.
Together, they hope to change the trajectory of science, and maybe even forge a romantic connection with each other. But we have something neither of them does: A glimpse into the future, where Elizabeth isn't working in a lab, but hosting the popular cooking show "Supper at Six." So what happens in the interim, and what does that mean for Calvin and Elizabeth?
The chemistry of Calvin and Elizabeth
"Lessons in Chemistry" is at its best when Brie Larson and Lewis Pullman are given space to just do their own thing. They have great, ahem, chemistry together, and their burgeoning romance is charmingly unique (even if the writers have very little understanding of how scientists actually talk to one another). Larson is abrasive yet vulnerable, a wall of steel built up to keep her safe. Calvin is kinder and softer, but prone to outbursts and emotionally distant in his own way. They're both proven as talented actors, and they bring emotional depth to the proceedings. When they're together, the show feels tonally right, light-hearted as two damaged and reserved people learn how to open up to one another.
It's when the show shifts gears to take on darker material that things get a little bit murky. There are some questionable choices in "Lessons in Chemistry," most of them undoubtedly lingering relics from the original novel. The show doesn't benefit, for example, by having their pet dog Six Thirty randomly have voiceover narration for a few episodes, and then never again. There's also a preternaturally precocious child during the show's back half — she's sweet, but both her dialogue and general temperament stretch believability. "Lessons in Chemistry" is doggedly committed to unraveling the mystery box of Calvin's upbringing, something that takes too long, involves way too many random coincidences, and adds too little to the overall story to make it worth the wait.
It's Elizabeth's world — we're just living in it
Because at the end of the day, this is Elizabeth's journey. She is the one who has had to blowtorch a path through the male-dominated world of science, fight against sexual discrimination and harassment, and deal with the demoralizing blow of failing to accomplish her goals. The way that she uses her platform to uplift women is inspiring, but what's especially interesting is that "Lessons in Chemistry" takes pains to call her out when her approach isn't intersectional. Elizabeth's closest friend is a Black woman named Harriet (Aja Naomi King), a lawyer determined to prevent a new California freeway from being built through their predominantly Black community. While Elizabeth makes waves by wearing pants on her show, Harriet is watching Martin Luther King being arrested on television, debating with her husband whether their children should be allowed to watch. Elizabeth is a good friend and eventually sticks her neck out to support Harriet, but there's no ignoring the fact that the problems they face are from different worlds.
"Lessons in Chemistry" has a lot going for it, most of all the impressive lead performance from Brie Larson, who once again proves why she's such a star. The writing of the show could come across as leaden and cliched in less capable hands, but Larson breathes life into every scientific tangent her character goes on. It's great to watch Lewis Pullman be given a role that highlights his talents, and the two brighten up the screen whenever they're together. It's just a shame that it's not more consistent, and that there are so many divergences that take away from the show's impact.
"Lessons in Chemistry" premieres on Apple TV+ on October 13.