Queen's Gambit on Netflix describes the void where solution-oriented self-care methods belong in public education

A review

Queen's Gambit on Netflix describes the void where solution-oriented self-care methods belong in public education. Specifically it describes how and why young people become their own worst enemy, end up isolated, depressed, act out (booze, drugs); then, fall into despair.

This couldn’t be more timely in 2025. The Netflix Beth Herman is a more extreme version of what a large fraction of average consumers are going thru right now: extreme inner loneliness. Queen's Gambit is probably the most timely, on-target TV series since LOST (2004-2010 on Netflix again in Feb. 2025). In LOST 'how people lose their way in life' thru their choices and decisions is described from a dozen angles.

In the 2020 Netflix TV series, Beth Herman is her own worst enemy. As one reviewer said, she's both the heroine and the villain.

She's portrayed as being on the autism spectrum; specifically, as a person with Asperger's syndrome, a mild version of autism. I have no idea if the source novel portrays Beth as Asperger's. Perhaps not! Nevertheless, this is how Anya Taylor-Joy portrays Beth Herman. Her body language and un-read-missed verbal cues are far closer to the behavior of Asperger’s persons than either neuro-typical or more seriously disturbed persons. Comments invited.

Where is prevention-focussed education and healthcare?

In the US, in healthcare, our mainstream healthcare system is not prevention-focussed. Mainly we see a pathology-focussed healthcare, focussed on stamping out unwanted symptoms with no attention given to nutritional, mental, emotional deficits.

Similarly, the US mainstream K-12 education system has little to no curricula for preventing later mental-emotional illness. The exceptions are a few public and private Waldorf-methods schools; where--starting in kindergarten—self-care and emotional intelligence is taught age-appropriately. In middle school, in the classroom, the best Waldorf schools practice methods of interpersonal conflict resolution. In mainstream, factory-style education, the focus is on bureaucratic continuity; and, generating graduates who contribute to the school's endowment.

Many readers will understand in the area of diet, the average consumer misses connections between their eating habits and the chronic diseases they have. In the same way, in the area of self-care, people feeling lonely, isolated, depressed—are taught no method to process their own unresolved mental-emotional upsets. Netflix’s Beth Heman character articulates the void where solution-oriented psychology should have been in her middle and high school education.

In episodes 1-6 of Queen's Gambit, Beth's neutral-to-socially-off-putting Ice Queen persona gains more and more weight. Allow me to characterize the series for you. Wonderful and unusual about these episodes are the negatives:

- Not primarily a story about chess,

- Not a typical TV series soap opera,

- No telly-novella tropes or plotlines.

In the positive, Queen's Gambit describes an aspect of human nature better than any movie or TV series I can think of (A Beautiful Mind (2001) is the only comparison I know of).

Queen's Gambit describes Beth's descent down into inner loneliness, leading to acting out (alcohol, drugs) and to self-destructive behavior, over and over again. Why? The series portrays the implosion of lives shaped by poor choices; and willingness to live in denial of their own pain, avoiding the inner work of unburdening our own internal parts. Why? Because no one is taught any method at all for personal processing. Without effective processing of unresolved internal positions there can be no “Aha!,” no authentic transformation.

From a personal growth point of view, what's missing is obvious. Especially when in crisis, people lack any methods, any tools to process their own upsets, hurts, and lack of self-connection.

Q: Which methods, for example?

A: Which of the following is most workable for you or your school is highly individual. For those interested, here’s a list to explore. The top two have been demonstrated to be successful with middle and high school learners:

- Compassionate (Nonviolent) Communication (NVC),

- William Glasser’s Choice Theory.

These are more for individual adults looking for better methods of self-care:

- Solution-Focused Brief Therapy,

- Internal Family System (IFS)

Postscript: What prevents Queen's Gambit on Netflix from being great

It’s well known the novel, Queen’s Gambit, wasn’t optioned to film for 30 years. Why? It has a basic flaw every script-reader would notice. It’s third act-conclusion does not match the theme pursued prior to the conclusion.

Judging only from the TV series, up thru the end of episode six, the theme is what a large fraction of average consumers are going thru right now: extreme inner loneliness. How especially, special needs youth can lose their way in life, fall into addictions and mere acting out.

In contrast episode seven, the third act, is an upbeat happy ending: With a little help from her friends, the "ice queen" learns to value ordinary people and relationships. Barely mentioned is how Beth learns—for the first time--to visualize a chessboard on the ceiling without drugs or booze.

One way to compose a third act more consistent with the theme of episodes 1-6 is Beth learning and mastering her method of visualizing a chessboard on the ceiling without drugs or booze as a method of self-connection for the pesonal problems in her life, giving her a way to safely connect with her demons and work with them. A less commercial ending for sure, I understand.

Comments invited.