Summary
- Lessons in Chemistry explores the obstacles Elizabeth Zott faces as a woman working in chemistry in the 1950s, highlighting the pervasive sexism and limited options for women in the field.
- The production design of the show authentically captures the 1950s era, enhancing the performances of Brie Larson and the rest of the cast.
- Elizabeth refuses to conform to societal expectations and challenges the traditional roles imposed on women, determined to pursue her passion for chemistry despite the barriers she faces.
The time period of Lessons in Chemistry plays an important part in the plot of the Apple TV+ drama. Based on the novel of the same name by Bonnie Garmus, the 2023 series stars Brie Larson as chemist Elizabeth Zott. Lessons in Chemistry finds Larson's character pregnant and out of her job at a chemistry lab. With her options limited, Elizabeth accepts the role as host of a cooking TV show geared toward housewives. However, her true passion explored in each of Lessons in Chemistry's episodes remains chemistry.
Lessons in Chemistry makes it clear that Elizabeth Zott's journey back to working full-time in chemistry is filled with obstacles dictated by its setting. For someone used to relying on logic and reason, Elizabeth is forced to deal with elements beyond her control as social norms and stereotypes of the era attempt to keep her boxed in. Brie Larson's return to television offers a new way to explore the challenges women in science have faced for decades by going back in time several years to when Lessons in Chemistry takes place.
Apple TV's Lessons In Chemistry Is Set In The Early 1950s
According to Apple TV, Lessons in Chemistry takes place in the early 1950s. The series does move through different timelines, which is not one of the bigger Lessons in Chemistry book changes. The premiere episode introduces Brie Larson as Elizabeth Zott both as a gifted lab technician at the start of her career and later as the successful host of the Supper at Six cooking show. Lessons in Chemistry establishes that Elizabeth began working at the Hastings lab seven years prior to her television career.
The production and design of Lessons in Chemistry help sell the show's time period. Beyond how the characters behave and speak, their wardrobe and environment create a level of authenticity that enhances the performances of Brie Larson and her fellow Lessons in Chemistry cast members. Director Sarah Adina Smith sets the tone in the first two episodes by immersing audiences in Elizabeth's world without leaning on stereotypes of the 1950s featured in other shows or movies.
How Lesson In Chemistry's Time Period Connects To Its Story
Like any good period piece, Lessons in Chemistry uses the era to tell its story. The drama shows that options for women in chemistry are severely limited, regardless of ability. Elizabeth Zott is clearly an intelligent chemistry and more talented than her male colleagues. Regardless, she faces overt sexism and misogyny as the male chemists underestimate and dismiss her contributions. Elizabeth's only choice is to endure this toxic work environment in order to maintain a career in chemistry. That includes having her research stalled and being forced to participate in the lab's beauty pageant.
The Apple TV+ drama continues to weave social stereotypes and examples of sexism into its story as Elizabeth transitions from chemistry to television. She encounters television executives who prove this industry is no different. Elizabeth is expected to speak and behave in a way dictated by men of the 1950s. But as Lessons in Chemistry shows, Elizabeth is unwilling to give up her true calling and follow a formula written for her.