Brie Larson's Apple Lessons in Chemistry' Makes Headway, Highlights 1950s TV Homemakers and Challenges Gender Expectations

New Apple TV+ Show, Starring Oscar-Winning Brie Larson as a Scientist Turned Cooking Show Host, Takes Inspiration from Real-Life 1950s TV Personalities to Address Themes of Feminism, Racial Inequity, and Class Differences.

• The Apple TV+ series 'Lessons in Chemistry' stars Brie Larson as Elizabeth Zott, a brilliant chemist turned TV cooking show host in the 1950s. The series draws inspiration from real-life TV personalities of the era to explore themes of feminism, racial inequity, and class differences.
• 'Lessons in Chemistry' is based on Bonnie Garmus's 2022 novel, and it displays the shift of the protagonist from a male-dominated scientific institute to a local television station, replicating another gender-stereotyped environment.
• The series makes societal critiques by integrating context on the racial disparities of the era through a character named Harriet, a Black attorney, and mother who questions if Elizabeth's advocacy includes her demographic group.
• The portrayal of Elizabeth Zott in the series was inspired by TV chefs like Julia Child and Dione Lucas, who used the cooking show format to subvert gender expectations. They were often filmed on sets designed to mimic home kitchens and were confined to nurturing, domestic roles.
• The series, which became a hit after its release on October 13, 2023, is an eight-episode miniseries, with new episodes released every Friday. It has received an 81% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

2 Articles

Women's Health UPI