Lessons in Chemistry
| Lessons in Chemistry | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Period drama |
| Based on | Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus |
| Developed by | Lee Eisenberg |
| Starring |
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| Theme music composer | Carlos Rafael Rivera[1] |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of episodes | 8 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Cinematography |
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| Editors |
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| Running time | 41–50 minutes |
| Production companies |
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| Original release | |
| Network | Apple TV+ |
| Release | October 13 – November 22, 2023 |
Lessons in Chemistry is a 2023 American period drama television miniseries developed by Lee Eisenberg, based on the novel of the same name by Bonnie Garmus. It stars Brie Larson as chemist Elizabeth Zott who begins hosting her own feminist cooking show in 1960s America.
The series began streaming on Apple TV+ on October 13, 2023.[2] It received positive reviews from critics, and received nominations for two Golden Globe Awards, Best Limited or Anthology Series and Best Actress – Miniseries for Larson.[3]
Premise
After being fired from her job as a lab tech, chemist Elizabeth Zott uses her new job hosting a 1960s television cooking show titled Supper at Six to educate housewives on scientific topics.
Cast
Main
- Brie Larson as Elizabeth Zott
- Lewis Pullman as Calvin Evans
- Aja Naomi King as Harriet Sloane
- Stephanie Koenig as Fran Frask
- Patrick Walker as Reverend Curtis Wakely
Recurring
- Derek Cecil as Dr. Robert Donatti
- Thomas Mann as Boryweitz
- Andy Daly as Dr. Richard Price
- Alice Halsey as Madeline Zott
- Amentii Sledge as Linda Sloane
- Yasir Hashim Lafond as James "Junior" Sloane
- Joshua Hoover as Anthony Powers
- Kevin Sussman as Walter Pine
- Marc Evan Jackson as Dr. Leland Mason
- Paul James as Charlie Sloane
- Rainn Wilson as Phil Lebensmal
Guest
- Adam Bartley
- Tate Ellington as Dr. Ellington
- B. J. Novak as the voice of Six-Thirty
- Beau Bridges as Harry Wilson
- Jake Short as Ralph Bailey
- Ashley Monique Clark as Martha Wakely
- Rosemarie DeWitt as Avery Parker
Episodes
| No. | Title | Directed by | Teleplay by | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Little Miss Hastings" | Sarah Adina Smith | Lee Eisenberg | October 13, 2023 | |
| Elizabeth Zott, a lab technician at the Hastings Research Institute, is disallowed by her superiors from developing her own research projects due to her gender and lack of a PhD. Elizabeth also applies her passion for chemistry to her cooking. After being forced to enter a workplace beauty pageant, she befriends Dr. Calvin Evans, the institute's star researcher. He agrees to transfer her to his laboratory so she can conduct her abiogenesis research independently, but she shuns him when he inadvertently reminds her of a past assault. Seven years later, Elizabeth has become the famous host of a chemistry-based cooking show, Supper at Six. | |||||
| 2 | "Her and Him" | Sarah Adina Smith | Elissa Karasik | October 13, 2023 | |
| Flashbacks reveal that Elizabeth's thesis adviser had raped her during her doctoral candidacy exams. Elizabeth adopts a dog and names him Six Thirty. Their supervisor, Dr. Donatti, threatens Elizabeth with layoffs if Calvin's research does not qualify for a prestigious grant. Calvin's neighbor Harriet invites him to a meeting to try and stop the Santa Monica Freeway from being built through Sugar Hill. However, Calvin is distracted by his reconciliation, research progress, and developing romance with Elizabeth, who agrees to move in with him. Though the Hastings higher-ups (who believe amino acids, not DNA, are the foundations of life) reject their grant proposal, Calvin and Elizabeth decide to submit on their own. While on a run with Six Thirty, Calvin is fatally hit by a bus. | |||||
| 3 | "Living Dead Things" | Bert & Bertie | Lee Eisenberg & Emily Fox | October 20, 2023 | |
| Six Thirty's narration reveals his past as a former military dog and his guilt at Calvin's death. At the funeral, a grief-stricken Elizabeth is questioned by a journalist for the LA Times. Elizabeth returns to Hastings to find their lab emptied and their research in storage; Donatti attempts to recreate Calvin and Elizabeth's experiments and claim the research as his. To the dog's delight, Elizabeth realizes she is pregnant. Intending to continue her research, she begins to build a laboratory in her kitchen. Elizabeth also befriends Harriet over their shared grief at Calvin's death. Harriet fails to change the posthumous smear piece on Calvin, but the Times runs a story about her activism against the freeway. Donatti attempts to fire Elizabeth for being unwed and pregnant. | |||||
| 4 | "Primitive Instinct" | Bert & Bertie | Elissa Karasik | October 27, 2023 | |
| Elizabeth gives birth to a daughter, whom she names Mad. Still struggling with the loss of Calvin, she eventually finds emotional support in Harriet. For income, Elizabeth secretly serves as a consultant for fellow chemists facing research difficulties. She learns of Boryweitz and Donatti's theft of her and Calvin's research. She procures equipment for her kitchen-laboratory by impersonating Fran. Harriet's husband Charlie returns from the Korean War. She expresses her desire to continue her law career. Elizabeth is invited to row with Dr. Mason's group. Seven years later, Elizabeth learns that Amanda, an ostracized student, has been eating Madeline's lunches. The girls have been tasked with creating a family tree. Elizabeth confronts Amanda's father Walter, a television producer who offers Elizabeth a show of her own. | |||||
| 5 | "CH3COOH" | Millicent Shelton | Lee Eisenberg & Emily Fox | November 3, 2023 | |
| Mad begins work on her family tree, while Elizabeth works towards a job offer at another laboratory. Mad's teacher advises Elizabeth to move Mad to an advanced private school, and the cost leads Elizabeth to accept Walter's offer. Elizabeth and Walter butt heads with the sexist station owner, Phil, as she tries to make the show her own; ultimately, Supper at Six is a hit with the female audience. Mad, upset with the new status quo, starts looking into Calvin's past with the assistance of Reverend Wakely. | |||||
| 6 | "Poirot" | Millicent Shelton | Bonnie Garmus, Lee Eisenberg, Elissa Karasik | November 10, 2023 | |
| Flashbacks reveal that Elizabeth's father was a preacher who faked miracles; his abuse and homophobia eventually drove her gay brother John to suicide. Mad continues looking for information on Calvin. Elizabeth invites Fran to a taping and hires her as chief of staff. Inspired by the burgeoning civil rights movement, Harriet organizes a protest along the freeway. Elizabeth initially caves to Phil's attempts at product placement after he leverages the pay of her crew, but after a talk with Harriet, Elizabeth invites her audience to the protest and pays the crew over the course of the suspension out of her own pocket. At the protest, the police brutalize protesters and arrest Harriet. Elizabeth finally discusses John and Calvin with Mad. | |||||
| 7 | "Book of Calvin" | Tara Miele | Elissa Karasik | November 17, 2023 | |
| In flashbacks, a young Calvin honed his chemistry skills producing prayer candles and moonshine for the St. Luke's boys' home, and the bishop prevented his adoption. Calvin was consistently uncomfortable with people claiming to be related to him after he became famous. He also became pen pals with Wakely after the latter attended a guest lecture and discussed science, religion, and eventually his relationship with Elizabeth with him. When Mad and Elizabeth visit St. Luke's, the bishop feigns ignorance of Calvin, but they find a library card with his name on it. The book was donated by the head of the Remsen Foundation. | |||||
| 8 | "Introduction to Chemistry" | Tara Miele | Lee Eisenberg | November 22, 2023 | |
| Elizabeth is tasked with finding a replacement sponsor for Supper at Six. She meets with Avery Parker, Calvin's biological mother, who explains that she was forced to give Calvin away at birth. She had unsuccessfully tried to adopt him and resorted to supporting him through the Remsen Foundation. Mad tells Elizabeth to continue doing science. Elizabeth selects Tampax as a sponsor, discussing menstruation on air, and quits the show on live TV. To Harriet's despair, the motion to build the freeway passes. Three years later, Elizabeth teaches an Introduction to Chemistry class as she pursues her PhD. | |||||
Production
It was announced in January 2021 that Apple TV+ had issued a straight-to-series order for the show, with Brie Larson set to star and executive produce.[4] The series began production by August 2022, with Lewis Pullman, Aja Naomi King, Stephanie Koenig, Patrick Walker, Thomas Mann, Kevin Sussman and Beau Bridges added to the cast.[5]
Reception
Critical response
The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 84% approval rating with an average rating of 7.4/10, based on 63 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "Touching on several hot button issues while benefitting immensely from a perfect pinch of Brie Larson, Lessons in Chemistry's ambitious ingredients add up to satisfying entertainment."[6] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 68 out of 100 based on 30 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[7]
Accolades
References
- ^ "Carlos Rafael Rivera Scoring AMC's 'Monsieur Spade' & Apple TV+'s 'Lessons in Chemistry'". Retrieved September 17, 2023.
- ^ Petski, Denise (May 31, 2023). "'Lessons In Chemistry': Brie Larson's Apple TV+ Series Gets Premiere Date". Deadline. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
- ^ Hipes, Patrick (December 11, 2023). "Golden Globe Nominations: 'Barbie', 'Oppenheimer' Top Movie List; 'Succession' Leads Way In TV". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (January 22, 2021). "Brie Larson To Star In Lessons In Chemistry Apple TV+ Series From Susannah Grant & Aggregate Films". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
- ^ Petski, Denise (August 12, 2022). "Lessons In Chemistry: Brie Larson's Apple Series Adds Seven To Cast Including Lewis Pullman, Beau Bridges, Ana Naomi King, Kevin Sussman". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
- ^ "Lessons in Chemistry: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
- ^ "Lessons in Chemistry: Season 1". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
- ^ Anderson, Erik (December 18, 2023). "Women Film Critics Circle (WFCC): 'Barbie,' 'Nyad,' 'Killers of the Flower Moon,' 'Past Lives' Win Big". AwardsWatch. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
- ^ Pedersen, Erik (December 5, 2023). "The Morning Show & Succession Lead Critics Choice Awards TV Nominations". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
- ^ Lang, Brent; Shanfeld, Ethan (December 11, 2023). "Golden Globes 2024: Full Nominations List". Variety. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
- ^ Nordyke, Kimberly (December 5, 2023). "Film Independent Spirit Awards: Full List of Nominees". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
- ^ "Nominations Announced for the 2024 Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild Awards". PR Newswire. January 2, 2024. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
- ^ "IPA Reveals Nominations for the 28th Satellite™ Awards". The International Press Academy. December 18, 2023. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
- ^ "Nominees Announced for 5th Annual SCL Awards". The Society of Composers & Lyricists. December 21, 2023. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
