'Lessons in Chemistry' Premiere Review: An Adaptation as Loveable as its Source Material

“Lessons in Chemistry,” the page-turning novel by Bonnie Garmus that took booklovers by storm, has hit the small screen. Apple TV+ has adapted the 2022 book into a streaming miniseries starring Brie Larson and Lewis Pullman. The new release, delightfully book-accurate and reveling in its 1950s aesthetic, is set to make a new audience fall in love with Garmus’s well-regarded story.

“Lessons in Chemistry” follows Elizabeth Zott, a chemist battling sexist attitudes at her job as a lab assistant. Calvin Evans, a renowned researcher and exercise addict, notices her overlooked genius in abiogenesis and brings her into his chemistry research. As the two begin to share their scientific focuses, they start to connect in other ways as well. It is a love story at its core, but also tackles heavy subject matter such as gender-based discrimination and sexual assault in the workplace.

The show begins with a flash-forward to the novel’s middle, where Zott has her own cooking show, hinting at how sexism will eventually lead to a career change for her. The ’50s aesthetic is cleverly established as Zott’s cooking lesson transforms from a high quality picture to the grainy black and white of old-school television. Throughout the premiere, the setting is meticulously built up, with accurate costuming and well-detailed sets. For example, the lunchroom in Zott’s workplace has period-accurate vending machines and a convincing layout that cements the show in the past. This attention to detail is striking but does not idealize the past. The wonderful set design is presented alongside the sexist views of Zott’s coworkers, tempering the nostalgia one might feel for the show’s beautiful ’50s aesthetic.

After establishing where Zott will end up, the show’s narrative refocuses on the beginning of her story. Working at Hastings Research Institute as a lab tech instead of a full-fledged researcher, Zott is constantly reminded of the limitations forced upon her due to her gender. A flashback scene where she has an intense reaction to a locked tour also alludes to a traumatic moment in her past that affects her current comfort level in the lab. It is not until she displays her intellectual curiosity in a conversation with Evans, who at first mistakes her for a secretary, that Elizabeth begins to be taken seriously and relax in her workplace.

The stand-out part of the “Lessons in Chemistry” premiere is the acting. Larson brings Zott to life, perfectly landing her serious and focused personality. She is steadfastly awkward amongst her coworkers in a way that is book-accurate but could look frustrating when executed poorly. Similarly, Pullman brings a lot of energy to the beloved Dr. Calvin Evans. Pullman nails the genius yet clueless scientist character; as Zott explains that sex discrimination is keeping her back, he delivers a hopelessly confused “What?” that aligns with Garmus’s characterization of Evans as well-meaning but sometimes socially clueless. As Evans and Zott get closer, there is a wonderful montage of him devouring the food that she cooks as they discuss scientific theories, signifying that he has been starving both for literal nourishment and food for thought with another like-minded person. Their contrasting personalities combine well to create an endearing dynamic. The well-orchestrated “chemistry” built between Larson and Pullman is sure to entice viewers into finding out how their relationship develops.

The premiere also contains a lot of details that will delight readers of “Lesson in Chemistry.” The episode contains masterful foreshadowing of a plot point that will affect the story later on — a little girl crosses the street as her mother yells to watch for cars, and Calvin has a close encounter with a bus as he runs in the first minutes of the show. While a few plot details are changed to make the show run smoothly — for example, a beauty pageant that Zott is forced to join brings her and Evans together instead of a beaker mix-up — the show mostly sticks to its source material. This faithfulness is sure to please existing fans of “Lessons in Chemistry.”

“Lessons in Chemistry” is an adaptation that appears just as loveable as its source material. Larson and Pullman make their characters shine, and the show design displays a knowledge and care for the 1950s setting. The premiere is a promising look into a show that will hopefully ensnare just as many delighted fans as Garmus’s popular novel.

—Staff writer Hannah E. Gadway can be reached at hannah.gadway@thecrimson.com.