Lessons in Chemistry Show Review

 

Director: Sarah Adina Smith

Genre: Drama, Science, Feminism, Cooking Show (but make it science-y)

My Feelings About the Show:
This show had me in a chokehold. I laughed, I cried, I Googled “Can I become a chemist in my late 20s?”—all in the span of one episode. Lessons in Chemistry is what happens when you mix feminism, science, and 1950s misogyny into a volatile beaker and just pray it doesn’t explode in your face.

The star of the show? Elizabeth Zott. A genius. A queen. The kind of woman who looks at a man who dares to underestimate her and just silently judges him with a level of precision only a chemist could muster. But the real MVP? Maddie Zott. That little girl carried the weight of an entire scientific revolution on her tiny, brilliant shoulders. Every time she opened her mouth, I was like, This child is smarter than me, and I accept that.

A Long Story Short:
Elizabeth Zott is a scientist in the 1950s, which is basically like being a fish trying to ride a bicycle—society just wasn’t having it. She falls in love with Calvin Evans, another scientist who, thankfully, respects her brain (bare minimum, but in the ‘50s, this was revolutionary). Tragedy strikes (we’ll get to that sigh), and Elizabeth ends up becoming the host of a cooking show. Except, plot twist! It’s not just a cooking show; it’s a science show disguised as a cooking show. Suddenly, housewives across America are questioning their existence and realizing they deserve better than a man who only communicates through grunts.

Best Moments:

• Every single time Elizabeth served a plate of feminist rage alongside a soufflé.

• Harriet Sloane being the best neighbor/friend anyone could ask for.

• Six-Thirty, the dog, narrating his thoughts? Give that pup an honorary PhD.

• Maddie schooling adults on basic scientific principles and societal injustices like she was born to lead a revolution.

• That final scene where everything clicks and you realize just how far Elizabeth has come.

Worst Moments:

• His death. You know who. You know who. It was sudden, it was heartbreaking, and I had to pause the show to process my emotions.

• Every time some crusty old man at the lab tried to tell Elizabeth she wasn’t smart enough to be there. (Sir, do you even know what a Bunsen burner is?)

• The fact that I now want to take up chemistry, but my last interaction with the periodic table was a traumatic high school experience.

Favorite Quotes:

• “Chemistry is change, and change is the core of your belief system.” — Elizabeth Zott, basically telling us all to level up.

• “Just because something isn’t done doesn’t mean it can’t be.” — A direct call-out to every person who has ever doubted a woman in a male-dominated field.

• “She’s not cooking. She’s teaching.” — That moment when everyone realized Elizabeth was singlehandedly dismantling 1950s housewife culture on national television. Iconic.

Final Verdict:
This show? 10/10. No notes. It had science, it had heart, it had a dog smarter than half the men in the show. Lessons in Chemistry gave me emotions I was not prepared for, made me laugh at the absurdity of 1950s gender norms, and reminded me that women, always and forever, will find a way. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go stare wistfully out of a window and contemplate my life choices.