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The entire episode was awkward as hell and I don't know how many times i cringed in confusion. And the chess games getting reptitive.

It is hard to review each individual episode as queens gambit is more like an extended film than a series. This is another incredible part of the show where the story brings back an opponent in a clever way. He gives advise while we see how they have changed since facing beth. Then then leaving before overstaying their welcome. Like all the others, the music, acting directing etc is all excellent. A very enjoyable episode of an enjoyable show

Never relying on any cliché TV tropes, this series is consistently surprising me with its unexpected previous episode tie ins and dialogue. You see a scene in the second episode and wonder why it wasn't resolved fully.. You would be pleasantly surprised after a few episodes. And HARRY freakin' MELLING mann!!! The best acting performance in this episode. There comes a brilliant acting performance from an actor once in a while in a television series or a movie that moves you, count this as one! Watch out for this one bcs he's gonna be a prolific actooor!

Yep, same thing again. Good acting, production design, and decent directing, but I still don't care about anything happening.

It's still utterly predictable and nothing interesting is happening, because more or less the entire episode is just Beth training for her rematch against Mr. Cowboy that I don't care about, and deciding she wants to get off with Dudley from Harry Potter. Yeah, that's the same actor, fun fact.

Probably more fun than this episode as well.

The one specific thing I'll mention about this episode is that I did really like how the montage of the Ohio championship was directed and edited, that was a really clever idea.

But still...I'm bored. Just two left to go.

This show started fantastic - fresh, uncertain with some unexpected twists and turns. But as we go along our heroine remains the same as she was in first episode. She doesn't listen to anyone, every advice is ignored, every plea falls on deaf ears. Beth Harmon has only 3 faces - the smug I'm-the-best smirk, "Stupid!" angry face of loss and slightly sad mug when things don't go as planned - time for some vitamins! Here and there she acknowledges there is more to life than chess. And that alternative life is completely empty and pointless. Maybe that's what they were going for but black and white main character really makes the whole series kinda flat and dare I say a bit boring. So far it's a solid 6 - entertaining at moments but feels like a documentary. In place of psychological drama and lunge into madness or greatness we are left with silent young woman moving around with head filled with only chess board, pieces and strategies. You wait for something to happen. Two more episodes to go, I want to see it through the end and I'm slightly hopeful that the ending will make up for this washed out second half.