I'm normally weary of shows that are overly preachy, and this show is very overtly about feminism.
She's a chemist in a version of the 1950s so extremely misogynistic, that it comes across as extreme. In fact, her male chemists are so extreme in their outdated proclamations that she MUST be brainless because she's female, that they almost come off as strawmen.
For her part, Brie's character of Elizabeth Zott enters the series as a standoffish character who seems a little calculated. As time goes on, the layers unpeel to show a woman who's the product of trauma and stunted ambition.
Her heart gradually opens up to a quirky colleague who's a bit of an outcast himself (Lewis Pullman). The two fall in love in a very organic and satisfying relationship.
There are definitely a lot of swerving plot points in this 8-episode run, including the aforementioned fate of the relationship, and she transitions from chemistry to hosting a TV show about cooking (a development that is revealed midway through the series, but it is a big part of the show's advertising).
Like many TV shows on TV, this is about watching a genius tick. Zott is possibly neurodivergent and suffers from trauma. Her skills aren't dealing with people, but her mind ticks in a certain way that's at the heart of the show.
Elizabeth Zott is a character worth rooting for.
She's a chemist in a version of the 1950s so extremely misogynistic, that it comes across as extreme. In fact, her male chemists are so extreme in their outdated proclamations that she MUST be brainless because she's female, that they almost come off as strawmen.
For her part, Brie's character of Elizabeth Zott enters the series as a standoffish character who seems a little calculated. As time goes on, the layers unpeel to show a woman who's the product of trauma and stunted ambition.
Her heart gradually opens up to a quirky colleague who's a bit of an outcast himself (Lewis Pullman). The two fall in love in a very organic and satisfying relationship.
There are definitely a lot of swerving plot points in this 8-episode run, including the aforementioned fate of the relationship, and she transitions from chemistry to hosting a TV show about cooking (a development that is revealed midway through the series, but it is a big part of the show's advertising).
Like many TV shows on TV, this is about watching a genius tick. Zott is possibly neurodivergent and suffers from trauma. Her skills aren't dealing with people, but her mind ticks in a certain way that's at the heart of the show.
Elizabeth Zott is a character worth rooting for.