Television Review | The series about a laboratory technician who grows up to become the star of a cooking show draws an accurate picture of the times and reminds of Mad Men

Chemistry the master’s degree fills out the grant form. He has to erase the default “Mr.” from the application and replace it with the word “Miss”.

AppleTV+ original series Lessons in Chemistry starts from the 1950s. Its protagonist, Elizabeth Zott (Brie Larson) works at a Californian university as a laboratory technician and devotes himself to his work, especially to his research, which he does secretly while the rest of the lab staff are whispering.

At home, Zott cooks with the same scientific precision with which he conducts his experiments. Chemistry between people doesn’t interest him, but when star researcher Calvin Evans (Lewis Pullman) offers his help, unexpected reactions arise between the two.

In the eyes of the viewer, the duo’s reactions are as expected. That doesn’t mean two socially awkward individuals fighting isn’t meaningful to watch.

by Bonnie Garmus has created a series based on the novel of the same name Lee Eisenberg. He is best known together By Gene Stupinsky from the comedic production he created with: films Bad Teacher (2011) and Good Boys (2019) and from the recent series Jury Duty (2023).

Lessons in Chemistry is Eisenberg’s solo project and closer to drama than the aforementioned. The series, which follows the life of its main character and his loved ones for more than a decade, contains traumas, a sad orphan story, civil rights struggle and losses. The series is based on by Bonnie Garmus It’s all chemistry to the book (2022, Finnish Mari Hallivuori).

However, the surface is nostalgic-idyllic. The careful integrity of the timeline is reminiscent of a movie Hidden Figures (2016) and the TV series Mad Men (2007–2015). The costumes are taken straight from the pack, the environments are harmonious and the authority of the man in the white suit is strong.

Larson’s fine overacting helps ensure that the emotions are conveyed, but not hit too hard. Joys and sorrows are ground into the magic dust of television.

An essential character in Elizabeth’s life is also the stray dog ​​Six-thirty. Picture: Michael Becker

Eight part the series takes its main character from a laboratory technician to the star of a cooking show that promotes women’s issues and chemistry knowledge. The inevitability of change becomes the main theme.

The series relies on the theme even at the expense of unity. The arc of the story is broken: the romance changes to a description of the friendship between women, and sometimes we switch to following a kind of detective project.

Along the way, Elizabeth Zott changes herself. Lessons in Chemistry tells the growth story of its main character, where following patterns has to give way to chance.

The series itself, on the other hand, is satisfied with a moderate variation of familiar TV formulas. However, the whole provides valid material at least for empowerment exercises and tissue absorbency tests.

Lessons in Chemistry, AppleTV+. (K16)

Specification 25.10. at 10:25: Added information that the series is based on the book Everything is Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus.