Oscar winner Brie Larson (Room) whips up tasty meals on TV after being forced out of work as a scientist in Apple TV+’s Lessons in Chemistry. Set in the 1960s, Larson stars as Elizabeth Zott, a brilliant scientist who was born in the wrong era. The male-dominated lab where she’s employed stifles Elizabeth’s talent, holding firm to the belief women are only capable of handling subservient positions and are far too fragile and delicate to undertake any actual scientific endeavors.
A chance encounter leads to Elizabeth putting her chemistry skills to use in front of the camera and teaching women not just how to be brave in the kitchen but also in all aspects of their lives.
Lessons in Chemistry is based on Bonnie Garmus’ bestselling novel, published in April 2022. In a March 2022 interview with Penguin Books, Garmus discussed the book’s setting.
“I could remember these housewives having to do so much work and take care of so many kids, and it was never recognized as work,” said Garmus. “It occurred to me that my daughters weren’t going to have the same job opportunities or be paid the same as men. And they would always, always have to walk home looking over their shoulder. And that’s still true in every corner of the world today.”
Apple TV+’s limited series premieres on October 13, 2023 with the release of the first two episodes. New episodes of the eight-episode season follow on Fridays, leading up to the November 24 finale.
The Lessons in Chemistry Cast and Plot:
Brie Larson is front and center as Elizabeth Zott, and Lewis Pullman (Top Gun: Maverick) plays introverted scientist Calvin. Aja Naomi King (How to Get Away with Murder) stars as Harriet Sloane, Stephanie Koenig (The Flight Attendant) is Fran Frask, Kevin Sussman (The Dropout) is Walter, Patrick Walker (The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey) is Wakely, and Thomas Mann (Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty) is Boryweitz.
The limited series is executive produced by showrunner Lee Eisenberg, a seven-time Emmy nominee for The Office and Jury Duty. Susannah Grant, Louise Shore, Piece of Work Entertainment’s Natalie Sandy, and Aggregate Films’ Michael Costigan and Jason Bateman also serve as executive producers. Executive producer Sarah Adina Smith directs episodes one and two.
“Set in the early 1950s, Lessons in Chemistry follows Elizabeth Zott, whose dream of being a scientist is put on hold in a patriarchal society,” reads Apple TV+’s official synopsis. “When Elizabeth finds herself fired from her lab, she accepts a job as a host on a TV cooking show, and sets out to teach a nation of overlooked housewives — and the men who are suddenly listening — a lot more than recipes.”
