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The past decade has seen a significant shift in book adaptations being brought to life on television as opposed to film. In a time when the smaller screen medium is evolving with streaming platforms, the TV format has been embraced for its episodic length which caters much better to the chapter configuration of any book. The longer screen time yields more details and development of the story and characters. Additionally, the myriad of streaming platforms presents more opportunities for bolder and unique stories to be recognized and receive the adaptation treatment as either television shows or movies. Even then, both mediums share their own pros and cons when it comes to making a successful adaptation, but the audience can always be grateful for the chance to see their favorite book grace their TV or cinema screens.
The Apple TV+ platform has already farmed its own selection of book-adapted shows with another new series joining the fold later this year called Lessons in Chemistry. The historical fiction novel was the debut of American writer Bonnie Garmus and hit bookshelves on March 29, 2022. In the lead-up to the book's release, its TV adaptation was already greenlit in January 2021 with a straight-to-series order. Get your lab coats or aprons ready and make sure to read the following helpful guide carefully to learn about everything we know so far on Lessons in Chemistry.
Editor's Note: This article was updated on September 17.
When Can You Watch 'Lessons in Chemistry'?
Currently, the designated release date is set for Fall later this year, with a two-episode premiere on October 13, 2023.
Where Can You Watch 'Lessons in Chemistry'?
The period drama will be streaming exclusively on Apple TV+. The show will have a total of 8 episodes, each with a general runtime of 60 minutes, which will be released weekly. Here's the link to the show's landing page on the service:
Watch the Trailer for 'Lessons in Chemistry'
Apple TV released a first-look trailer on April 20, 2023. The short teaser introduces Elizabeth Zott, a young woman working in a male-dominated research lab. At her workplace, she meets a fellow researcher, Calvin, and works closely with him. After adopting a friendly dog off the street, Elizabeth is shown making a big move from the lab to the television studio where she hosts a TV show called "Supper at Six". This new show serves as a pivotal position setting her up for popularity among her audience which consists of housewives and young children. Apart from the teaser, we also have some new images from Lessons in Chemistry that were released via Vanity Fair.
We received our first full trailer from Apple on September 14. The nearly three-minute trailer is offers us a fresh perspective on the series and shows Brie Laron's incredible performance.
What Is 'Lessons in Chemistry' About?
Based on the 2022 novel written by Bonnie Garmus, Lessons in Chemistry is a feminist underdog story set in the 1950s that centers around Elizabeth Zott. She's a witty, young woman challenging the era's societal norms with her career aspirations as a research scientist until she is wrongfully sacked and relegated to her domestic duties due to falling pregnant. However, Elizabeth's ambition only grows as she takes advantage of hosting a new cooking TV show. The new job serves as the perfect platform for her to educate her audience on chemistry and women's true worth under the guise of traditional cooking. The official synopsis from Apple TV reads as follows:
Set in the early 1950s, “Lessons in Chemistry” follows Elizabeth Zott (played by Larson), whose dream of being a scientist is put on hold in a society deeming that women belong in the domestic sphere, not the professional one. When Elizabeth finds herself pregnant, alone and fired from her lab, she musters the ingenuity only a single mother has. 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 … all the while craving a return to her true love: science.
The novel takes strides in encouraging women in the STEM industries and addresses the entrenched frameworks of misogyny and sexism that still challenge women in society and the workforce today. The struggle catalyzes Elizabeth to rise above the system and pave her own path as a scientist. Garmus shared this message in a February 2023 interview with The Guardian:
There are so few of us who haven’t been put down, pushed aside, maligned, passed over, rejected, ripped off, lied to or treated badly simply because we’re women, people of colour, gender-diverse, neuro-diverse, too fat, too thin, too short, too tall – you name it. But Elizabeth is a rationalist; she doesn’t confuse societal prejudice with facts, nor does she accept direction from those who do.
Who Is Starring in 'Lessons in Chemistry'?
Brie Larson will lead the series as the aspiring scientist Elizabeth Zott. The Oscar-winning actress has starred in a wide range of projects following her acclaimed turn in Room including Kong: Skull Island, Just Mercy, and her directorial debut Unicorn Store. She's recently been busy with her MCU role as Carol Danvers following her debut in Captain Marvel. She next appears as the character in The Marvels which will be released in theaters in November. Larson will next be seen on screen in Fast X, the tenth entry in the Fast and Furious franchise. She will also reprise her role as Envy Adams in the upcoming Scott Pilgrim anime series.
Joining her in the series is Lewis Pullman (Top Gun: Maverick) who will play Calvin, a fellow research chemist at the Hastings Research Institute and the love interest of Elizabeth. Aja Naomi King (How to Get Away with Murder) will play Harriet Sloane, Elizabeth's neighbor and friend while Stephanie Koenig (The Flight Attendant) will play Fran Frask, a secretary who works at Hastings. Patrick Walker (Gaslit) and Thomas Mann (Me and Earl and the Dying Girl) will play Reverend Wakely and Dr. Boryweitz respectively. Finally, Kevin Sussman (The Big Bang Theory) and Beau Bridges (Masters of Sex) will star as Walter and Wilson.
Who Is Making 'Lessons in Chemistry'?
Lee Eisenberg takes the reins as the showrunner and executive producer of the series. This show marks his third Apple TV project following WeCrashed and Little America. Joining him as executive producers are Brie Larson, Michael Costigan (A Teacher), Jason Bateman (Ozark), Louise Shore (American Crime Story), Susannah Grant (Unbelievable), and Natalie Sandy (Little America). Sarah Adina Smith (Buster's Mal Heart) will also serve as co-executive producer and director for the first two episodes. The book author Bonnie Garmus also joins the series as a co-executive producer.
When and Where Did 'Lessons in Chemistry' Film?
Filming for Lessons in Chemistry kicked off in August 2022, in Los Angeles, California.