Disney+ drops its ‘gripping' answer to The Queen's Gambit
Don't let this captivating series based on an unbelievable true story fly under the radar
Disney+ is now streaming a six-part series that's absolutely essential for any fans of Netflix 's hit drama The Queen's Gambit.
The series starring Anya Taylor-Joy as chess prodigy Beth Harmon captivated millions of viewers during the pandemic and spurred a huge boom in the classic game's popularity.
Now, the rival streamer has acquired a new drama that originally aired in France last year about an equally gripping chess tournament. The biggest difference? This one's based on a true story.
Starring Christian Cooke as Russian grandmaster Garry Kasparov, this addictive miniseries follows his historic rematch against the first computer to win a game of chess, IBM's groundbreaking Deep Blue.
Speaking to Express Online about his approach to playing Kasparov, British star Cooke teased the intensity of this incredible true story.
'I equated it to boxing,' he explained. 'It really is the same in that it's one person against another opponent and that's the kind of mindset.
'With each move you're kind of sussing your opponent out and trying to lure them in and then jabbing and jabbing and then you go for the kill.
'That was helpful for me, in terms of how he thinks about his opponents and how he might stare them down over the board. Or after a game, you shake hands like boxers who embrace afterwards.'
Elaborating on the challenge on portraying the real life Russian chess pro, Cooke added: 'I didn't want to imitate Garry in any way but I wanted to capture who he was, which is this very focused person with a healthy amount of aggression to succeed and win.
'Or maybe unhealthy, occasionally, but that's just what it takes to be the top of any discipline, on the top of the tree. You do have to sacrifice a lot and you have to be slightly cutthroat and apologetic and driven, and that's how he was.'
Disney+ is streaming the series from today (Wednesday, 21st May), but it's already scored rave reviews from fans who caught the initial release in France last year.
A five-star review on Google read: 'Absolutely amazing. Gripping and exciting until the very last second.'
Another raved: 'Captivating. I watched all 6 episodes in one go.'
Someone else gave an ecstatic reaction: 'It's amazing whether you like chess or not, we're 200% into it.'
An enthusiastic IMDb reviewer called Rematch a 'masterpiece', claiming: 'this is [a] high class series.
'Have fun watching it is breathtaking all along the 6 episodes. Interesting high class.
'Worth a 9/10 and up for those who like or don't like chess you will appreciate it. I watched the 6 [episodes] in a row!!!'
For fans of The Queen's Gambit - which is pretty much everyone with a Netflix subscription - adding Rematch to the top of your watchlist is an absolute no-brainer.
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Scottish Sun
30 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Rod Stewart spotted in beloved Celtic gear hours after cancelling gigs amid doctor's health warning
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The Herald Scotland
31 minutes ago
- The Herald Scotland
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Metro
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Even with the recent influx of PC handheld gaming devices there's really nothing like the hybrid nature of the Switch, which is simultaneously a home console, a portable, and something in-between. The detachable Joy-Cons have been a revelation, ensuring instant access to two controllers at all times, while the modestly powered console has long been punching above its weight class – in terms of the variety and complexity of the games it's been able to host. One obvious reason why a review of the Switch 2 isn't terribly useful is that everything about it has been understood and explained for weeks now. There was still a lot about Mario Kart World that only became clear after playing it, but getting hands on with a real Switch 2 is pretty much everything you'd expect, based on previous announcements. It's bigger than the original, which means a larger screen and controllers that are easier to handle and feel weightier and less fiddly in your hand. The new Joy-Cons can also be used as mice, which works very well, although the rarely used infrared sensor from the original has been removed. The stand at the back of the screen is also more flexible and the speakers are much clearer and louder. Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. This is the most difficult thing to determine at the moment. Technical specifications for consoles rarely give a reliable view of what the hardware is actually capable of. There're plenty of games, like The Witcher 3 and Doom, that should never have been possible on the original Switch, but they got released anyway and worked very well – and it's likely to be the same for the Switch 2 playing current gen games. Although we've got pretty far into the review process for Mario Kart World, at face value the graphics aren't much better than anything on the Switch 1; although rendering an open world of that size, with that much going on in it, is very difficult. Because of how late Nintendo sent out review units we've barely had a chance to look at any third party games so far, but they should give a clearer idea of what the Switch 2 can do, as we examine them next week. Cyberpunk 2077, which infamously performed very poorly on PlayStation 4, is looking like an early benchmark, while post-launch games like Nintendo's Donkey Kong Bananza and Ubisoft's Star Wars Outlaws will also be important indicators. The short answer though is that the Switch 2 is roughly equivalent to a PS4 Pro, in terms of output if not raw power. But it's likely it'll be pushed even further than that in the months and years to come. Yes, although that's something we also need to test further. There's a small number of games that have issues and some that don't work at all (mostly because they need the original Joy-Cons) but Nintendo has already drawn up a list of incompatible games. Switch 1 games aren't improved automatically by being on Switch 2 but many of the more prominent titles do have free upgrades that do things like bump up the frame rate, which has particularly helped with titles like Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. There're also some paid-for upgrades, for games like Zelda: Breath Of The Wild, that are referred to as Switch 2 Editions and are essentially remasters. So, the short answer to this question is yes, most Switch 1 games will work on the Switch 2. Naturally, Switch 2 games do not work on Switch 1 consoles, but some future games will be released on both formats, such as this year's Pokémon Legends: Z-A and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. Yes. Although it's too small to use an SSD, the Switch 2 has noticeably faster load times. As with other consoles the difference is very mild unless a specific patch is released for the game, but titles made with the Switch 2 in mind, such as Mario Kart World, are very quick. Things like fast travelling to a different location in the open world are almost instantaneous, which is very impressive. As for the eShop, Nintendo has listened to criticism and given it a complete overhaul in terms of its interface and how it promotes games. Whether these changes will last is something only time will tell but the eShop loads quicker and the menus are currently much faster to use, with very little lag. GameChat is one of the big new features of the Switch 2 and even has its own button on the Joy-Cons and the Pro Controller. It requires a camera (either one of the two Nintendo sells or another compatible webcam) and allows you to see and hear other people while you play, including a view of their gameplay screen. 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Some may find it too big – 'handheld' is a bit of a stretch when describing it – but for others that will be a positive. We found that the transfer system, for bringing your Switch 1 content over to the Switch 2 didn't work, but that's easily circumvented. Beyond that, we have nothing negative to say about it at all yet. Other than that the launch line-up is weaker than one might have expected, given Nintendo had eight years to get ready and there was no ticking clock for when they had to release it. Mario Kart World is the only major first party game at launch and the only other ones for the rest of the year (Pokémon Legends and Metroid Prime 4) are both cross-gen Switch 1 games. More Trending There are some smaller titles, such as the new Hyrule Warriors game, but it's a surprisingly slow start for the console's exclusive line-up, given what an amazing first year the Switch 1 had. This question might as well be how much spare cash have you got. Mario Kart World is great, and given the pedigree of the Switch 1, and Nintendo in general, it suggests the Switch 2 will have a long and fruitful life, with many high quality exclusive games. The cost of the console (essentially £396) is generally considered good value, given it all it does, and while there's great concern at the physical version of Mario Kart World costing £75 it's cheaper digitally and none of the other games are that much. Plus, you can get it essentially half price if you buy the £430 hardware bundle. Judged on its own merits the Switch 2 is a great system. All the changes from the Switch 1 are definite improvements, including the larger controllers, and the potential is there for another classic system. It's not cheap, and many of the games are more expensive than expected, but unfortunately that's just the direction the games industry is going in at the moment. Email gamecentral@ leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader's Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. MORE: Nintendo issues warning over Switch 2 screen protector MORE: Nintendo Switch 2 internal storage – how much space is there for your games? MORE: Nintendo Switch 2 sales: an overnight success as UK stock shortages loom
