Move aside, Scarlet Witch. See you later, Doctor Strange. The MCU has a new strongest superhero. And his name is Sentry. 5t346v

Following Steven Yeun’s surprise exit, Lewis Pullman has signed up to the cast of Thunderbolts as the aforementioned walking atom bomb of a character. Although he’s often called Marvel’s answer to Superman, in truth he’s closer to the godlike Doctor Manhattan from Watchmen, only with Thor’s luscious blond locks and without the indecent exposure. The potential for him in this franchise is virtually limitless, and maybe he could help rehabilitate another powerhouse hero who’s in need of some rescuing.

Namely, Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel. But why is Sentry the one to pair her up with next? Don’t tell, Disney Plus, but Apple TV Plus holds the answer…

Lessons in Chemistry could teach Marvel a thing or two about pairing up Captain Marvel and Sentry 4grp

The curious thing about Lewis Pullman’s casting — apart from the fact he’s one of half a dozen Top Gun: Maverick actors to appear in the Marvel multiverse — is that he’s only just shared the screen with an established MCU icon. Pullman appeared opposite Larson in Lessons in Chemistry, the period drama miniseries, in which the pair play scientists who embark on a complex and tragic romance.

If you haven’t seen the show yet, do yourself a favor and fix that ASAP as Larson and Pullman each turn in one of the finest performances of their career and they enjoy a scintillating, well, chemistry of their own. It’s honestly enough to make you want to see the duo reunite in the MCU. Especially as Captain Marvel and Sentry coming together would make them Earth-616’s ultimate power couple.

Sentry’s whole deal is that he struggles to get a handle on his immense abilities — which is refreshing as that tends to be a flaw reserved for Marvel’s female characters (see Jean Grey, Scarlet Witch, etc). In The Marvels, Carol Danvers went on an important journey of learning to accept the responsibility she bears and also to reach out to others instead of closing herself off. She would be the perfect person to help the Sentry heal and grow as a hero.

In another sense, pairing Captain Marvel with Sentry would be a smart way to revitalize the heroine given that the failure of The Marvels means we’re unlikely to have her team up with Monica Rambeau and Kamala Khan again. I’m not saying they have to make Carol and Robert Reynolds a romantic couple — we all know she belongs with Valkyrie — but some kind of unlikely partnership between the Avengers’ two biggest assets could cause a chemical reaction that might just reinvigorate the MCU.

Here endeth the lesson.

Spoiler Warning: This article contains spoilers for the novel version of Lessons in Chemistry and possibly spoilers for Apple TV Plus’ limited series. 

If you’ve been on BookTok (a TikTok sub-community dedicated to book lovers) at all between 2022 and 2023, then you’ve heard about Lessons in Chemistry. 

The debut novel written by Bonnie Garmus became an overnight sensation and an instant New York Times Bestselling upon publication in April 2022. It spent 56 weeks on the NYT Bestselling list, was named one of NYT’s notable books of the year, and was chosen as Good Morning America’s book club pick.

It was also read and enjoyed by over three-quarters of a million readers on Goodreads, was named the platform’s Best Debut Novel of 2022, and was adapted into a limited series on Apple TV Plus. 

What you need to know going in 5r1p40

Trading her Marvel superhero costume for a lab coat, Brie Larson stars as Elizabeth Zott, a brilliant and unrelenting chemist at Hastings Research Institute navigating the 1950s patriarchy. Although her contributions to abiogenesis (the theory that life rose from non-life forms billions of years ago) blow that of her male counterparts out of the water, Elizabeth’s credibility is questioned at every corner. 

Along the way, Elizabeth meets and falls in love with Calvin Evans (played by Lewis Pullman in the limited series), a famous and renowned scientist with whom she works at Hastings. Because of her male-dominated field, Elizabeth dodges accusations that she’s “sleeping her way to the top.”

In reality, Calvin sees Elizabeth for the intelligent, funny, and opinionated chemist she is, and eventually, they have a daughter together, Madeleine Zott, or Mad Zott for short. 

Unfortunately, Elizabeth and Calvin never marry, so Mad being born out of wedlock becomes the crux upon which Hastings Research Institute hinders their decision to fire Elizabeth. Eventually, she is approached by Walter Pine, a television producer at KCTV who offers her a job as host of a daytime cooking show called Supper at Six.

Elizabeth accepts because she needs the income to her family. She loves to cook, after all, and she’s great at it. She proceeds headfirst into the venture, but her adamant demand that she be able to incorporate chemistry into the gig goes overlooked by Walter until the cameras start rolling and it’s too late to stop her.  

Before long, Supper at Six becomes a national sensation, and Elizabeth is its unsuspecting star. All the while, Elizabeth works overtime to continue her chemistry career, even remodeling her home kitchen into a science lab. Supper at Six is fine and dandy, but chemistry is her ion.

She belongs in the lab, not the kitchen, and she will do anything in her power to get back to Hastings Research Institute, or any science lab for that matter. 

Still, there’s no denying Elizabeth’s magnetism. Women all around the world tune into Supper at Six religiously, keen to absorb any bits of advice Elizabeth imparts, which nine times out of ten contain a chemistry flair. Meanwhile, KCTV’s executive producer Phil Lebensmal loathes everything about Elizabeth’s unruly nature.

All he wants her to do is stick to the teleprompters, promote their sponsors, and smile. But Elizabeth marches to the beat of her own drum.

How does Lessons in Chemistry end? 5m1v2o

By the time we near the third act of Lessons in Chemistry, an entire subplot has been co-existing alongside the nationwide uproar about Elizabeth’s tenure on Supper at Six. Mad, Elizabeth’s genius daughter, is on the hunt to learn more about her father, Calvin Evans. 

Now, one thing we didn’t state earlier that must be said now is that Calvin is accidentally killed early on in the book. We’re burying this detail in case the average reader wishes to experience that bombshell on their own. Nevertheless, his death creates ripples throughout both Elizabeth’s and Mad’s life. 

Determined to learn about her father, Mad buries herself in research at the library where she eventually crosses paths with Reverend Wakey, who, it just so happens, was once pen pals with her father. Mad is drip-fed various facts about Calvin from Wakey, her neighbor-slash-family-friend Harriet, and research of her own finding.

Over time, she learns that Calvin was an orphan at All Saints Home for Boys in Sioux City. His love for science took root after a mysterious man associated with a foundation began donating science books to the orphanage. 

Meanwhile, Supper at Six experiences a massive surge in ratings after Walter Pine takes over for Lebensmal as executive producer of KCTV. This came after Lebensmal’s attempt to physically and sexually assault Elizabeth for disobeying orders (an occurrence Elizabeth is unfortunately all too familiar with). As a result of Supper at Six’s uptick in popularity, Elizabeth is approached by Franklin Roth, an award-winning journalist, looking to conduct an exclusive interview for Life Magazine.

Elizabeth is accustomed to turning down these kinds of interviews because usually, all they want is an inside scoop into her relationship with Calvin Evans. This time, however, she’s reassured that the article will focus solely on her professional career. 

It does. The article is immaculate and peels back the curtain into Elizabeth’s career triumphs and tribulations. Unfortunately, that’s not the article Roth’s editor at Life wants to publish, so what goes out into the world is a superficial cover that glosses over any and all of Elizabeth’s accomplishments. Just like that, she is tossed back into the box society demands she live inside and her chemistry career is ruined. 

Elizabeth plunges into a deep depression that spans several months. Then, out of the blue, her former colleague at Hastings, Miss. Frask — who once co-conspired to get her fired —  reveals that she was so incensed by Life’s article that she wrote to complain.

As it turns out, the Parker Foundation — the foundation that funds research at Hastings — got hold of this letter and conducted an investigation into the unethical behavior at Hastings and its head honcho, Dr. Donatti. Frask now works as head of personnel and she wants Elizbeth to her as head of chemistry. 

It’s all too good to be true, though. Elizabeth soon discovers that Avery Parker, the woman behind the Parker Foundation is actually Calvin’s biological mother. Knowing the turmoil Calvin endured at All Saints orphanage, Elizabeth is reluctant to pay Avery any mind, let alone accept the job as head chemist. However, Avery quickly explains the whole story.

It turns out that, like Elizabeth, Avery got pregnant and gave birth to Calvin before she was married. Worse, she was a teenager, and because of that, she was forced to give Calvin up for adoption. When she was old enough to seek Calvin out, she sent her lawyer Mr. Wilson to inquire after Calvin at All Saints. In the hope of squeezing some pity money from Mr. Wilson, the bishop at All Saints lied and said Calvin had died.

The bishop’s plan backfired, however, because the Parker Foundation traded money in favor of science book donations in Calvin’s honor. 

When Calvin eventually became famous for his contributions to science, Avery tried tirelessly to him. Under the assumption that she was a random lady seeking his money, though, Calvin ignored her. By the time she tried to seek him out in person, it was too late. 

Now, Avery is hoping to become a part of Elizabeth and Mad’s life, both professionally as the private funder of research at Hastings and personally as Mad’s grandmother.

No longer constrained by the obligations of the cooking show or prejudice in the workplace, Elizabeth resumes her abiogenesis research at Hastings, and the novel ends with her inviting Avery into her home for — you guessed it — supper. 

There was a time when shows like Lessons in Chemistry wouldn’t be a cause for any concern.

Back in the day, movies and television tended to avoid rubbing out their dog characters. A generation of Baby Boomer filmmakers were too scarred by the events of Old Yeller to even consider ing that trauma on to children. But the world got mean, and I Am Legend came out, and it wasn’t long before movies like A Dog’s Purpose were killing dogs once, maybe twice per act. 

And so it bears asking: Does Six-Thirty, the quasi-anachronistic goldendoodle in Lessons in Chemistry, buy the farm? Maybe in a lab accident, or an unfortunate kitchen mixup involving a particularly large roast?

First, the good news: The dog doesn’t die in Lessons in Chemistry. The bad news? He befalls a much more terrible fate. He becomes B.J. Novak.

The unenviable destiny of Six-Thirty 5c2949

Six-Thirty is an emotional cornerstone of the story of Lessons in Chemistry. He’s the military dog washout welcomed into the Zott household when he’s found at precisely 6:30. He’s also the reason that his beloved new owner, Calvin Evans, gets fully squished by a bus. It’s a startling sequence of events involving a fussy pup, a distractible chemist, and a deeply disappointing transit system. 

In the wake of Calvin’s death, Six-Thirty gets a whole episode — “Living Dead Things” — full of a dog-specific side story, suddenly and singularly voiced by The Office star B.J. Novak. He expresses remorse for his part in the death of his owner and offers viewers a dog’s point of view on the days that followed. 

And that’s about it. Six-Thirty doesn’t speak again on the show. Despite Lessons in Chemistry’s often bleak outlook on life, the show avoids dramatic, cheap-shot dog death narratives, even after a seven-year time jump. To the best of anyone’s ability to ascertain, 70 years later, Six-Thirty is still alive and kicking, moving from household to household like a furry Mary Poppins, pulling people in front of buses to this day. Wouldn’t that be nice?

On a side note, there’s an argument to be made that the loveable, manslaughtering pooch was just a figment of Elizabeth Zott’s imagination. He is, as we mentioned, a Goldendoodle, a designer breed that didn’t start bounding through American households with any kind of regularity until the 1990s. Maybe Zott conjured the creature in her mind’s eye through her vivid understanding of genetics, placing her own subconscious, irrational guilt at the death of the man she loved on an imaginary creature. Maybe it was all a dream. Or maybe there’s an immortal killer dog with allergy-friendly fur, pushing California families into the public transit lane across the decades. Either way, he’s fine.

To know Lessons in Chemistry is to love its most beloved character, Six-Thirty.

Apple TV Plus had its work cut out for itself in finding actors to bring to life the characters Bonnie Garmus so vividly crafted in her New York Times bestselling hit novel. How accurately the studio cast Elizabeth Zott, Calvin Evans, and the rest of the ensemble could make or break the show (thankfully, it did a good job), but how well they brought Six-Thirty to the screen could make or break fans’ hearts.

Both on the page and the screen, Six-Thirty is a vital member of the Evans/Zott household. Starting as the grungy stray Elizabeth finds scrounging through a trashcan, he becomes more of a guardian angel over time than simply a dog. With a vocabulary to rival some tiny humans, certain sections of the book are often preluded with Six-Thirty’s inner monologue, granting us readers insight into the situation as effectively as an omnipotent narrator.

Obviously, that would require a bit of finesse in the adaptation process, as Six-Thirty’s thoughts are the only bit of magical realism in an otherwise grounded literary novel. Like the book, the show opted to bring Six-Thirty’s voice to life, but to prevent it from becoming amateurish, it would require a talented actor to lend his voice to the role.

The actor who voices Six-Thirty in Lessons in Chemistry 681a4j

Looking at B.J. Novak’s career, you probably wouldn’t think he’d eventually voice the character of a dog in a 1950s feminist drama about chemistry and cooking. Best known for playing Ryan Howard in The Office, Novak — whose full name is Benjamin Joseph Manaly Novak — has earned a reputation for his comedy, which he’s flexed quite prolifically in shows such as Community, The Mindy Project, and Knocked Up.

But if you stop to look at his filmography, you’ll see that Novak also has a history of lending his voice to animated projects, including Arthur, The Smurfs, and now Lessons in Chemistry. Beyond that, he’s cushioned his comedy with plenty of drama roles like The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Saving Mr. Banks, and most recently, Vengence, which he also directed.

All that to say, Novak found a way to bring the precise combination of levity and heart to Six-Thirty. His voice isn’t as deep as the dog Shadow in Homeward Bound, voiced by the legend Don Ameche, but it carries a similar honeysuckle smoothness that dogs tend to possess in movies. It’s the kind of voice that can immediately make you cry if played over an emotional scene with the right music.

Six-Thirty isn’t the star of Lessons in Chemistry, but he is the heart, and like the character, BJ Novak managed to steal every scene he’s in.

Despite being an Academy Award-winning actress, Brie Larson always seems to find herself lumped into conversations that rarely have anything to do with her acting, and unfortunately, her performance in Lessons in Chemistry is no exception. 

Larson, who won an Oscar for her performance in the family drama Room, has borne the brunt of misogynistic hate and negative press ever since she gained worldwide stardom in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Captain Marvel in 2019. Anyone familiar with the plot of Apple TV Plus’ Lessons in Chemistry will recognize the irony at first glance, as Larson’s character, Elizabeth Zott, similarly spends the better part of her time dodging baleful stares and condescending comments from the men around her.  

Through it all, Larson has remained a consummate professional. Her filmography proves that she doesn’t just sit around soaking up all of the online negativity; she’s too busy working. Still, whether out of innocent curiosity, reverence for her devotion to the craft, or something a little less savory, viewers of Lessons in Chemistry are wondering if Larson intentionally lost weight for the limited series.

Did Brie set out to shed pounds for Lessons in Chemistry? 3bbg

The short answer is no, not that Larson has confirmed. Nevertheless, it takes only a swift glance at her on-screen physique to see that she has, indeed, shed more than a few pounds in the years since her Captain Marvel performance.

The series finds Larson’s characteristically strong jaw is held up by more noticeably prominent cheekbones and her face sporting noticeably less puffiness, for lack of a better word (not that that should matter). Instead of being the result of intentional weight loss, however, the explanation can likely be linked to Larson’s rigorous work schedule around the time of filming (August 2022) and the physical demands of the roles she was playing.

You’re probably wondering what makes Lessons in Chemistry — a show about a chemist turned host of a cooking show — physically demanding. The answer is that Larson’s character is a part-time rower, and anyone familiar with rowing knows how grueling and physically demanding the sport can be. Larson, always willing to put her best foot forward in her work, did not opt for a stunt double; she trained for rowing as if she intended to compete right alongside her character, according to the show’s director Sara Adina Smith in an interview with The Wrap. That alone would cause a few pounds to fall off.

What’s more, around the same time that Lessons in Chemistry was being filmed, Larson was shooting scenes for Fast X, which involved heavily choreographed fight scenes. Less than a year before that, she was working on The Marvels, which also required fight sequences and even more stunt work. Some days found her hooked up to a harness for hours, dangling mid-air, which would be enough to make anyone’s abs sore.

Sure, Larson might look thinner in Lessons in Chemistry than she did in Captain Marvel, but it has nothing to do with her succumbing to the harsh demands of public perception. Even if it did, that shouldn’t take away from her standout performance in the show.

Oh, she also does yoga, but it tends to feel like her haters need that more than she does.

Ever since it was published in 2022, Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus has taken up real estate on the tips of our tongues as the most talked-about book in the publishing industry.

Thanks to Apple TV Plus, the NYT bestselling novel is experiencing renewed life as an eight-episode limited series. Although we could hardly imagine anyone doing Elizabeth Zott justice, Marvel’s Brie Larson has encapsulated to immaculate precision the nuances of the brilliant, slightly socially awkward chemist-turned-cooking-show-host known for the No. 2 pencil in her hair.

You don’t need me to tell you that book hangovers are real or how desolate a feeling it can be when you’re at a loss over what to read next, especially when you know how you want to feel, just not what to read to help you feel it.

As someone who devoured Lessons in Chemistry and delighted in every second of it, here are 10 personalized recommendations to see you through your reading slump. One of them just so happens to be my favorite book of all time.

Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid 3t2h5i

Carrie Soto Is Back isn’t set in the 1950s, it isn’t about chemistry, and it’s not about cooking. So, why then am I recommending it? If you loved Lessons in Chemistry for its resilient female character whose talents are unparalleled and who is unapologetic about it, then you will love Carrie Soto. She’s ittedly less humble than Elizabeth (not that Elizabeth is humble, per se), and sometimes she can even be unlikeable, but underneath that hard exterior is the soft wings of a hummingbird trying simply to stay above water.

Carrie and Elizabeth work in two complete fields — Carrie is a professional tennis player making a major comeback while Elizabeth is, well, Elizabeth — but I think you’ll find Carrie Soto just as vibrant and larger-than-life.

The Invisible Life of Euridice Gusmao by Martha Batalha 4n4s20

If one of your favorite aspects of Lessons in Chemistry was Elizabeth’s pursuit to get out from under the oppressive thumb of the patriarchy, then here’s a book won’t want to up on. In The Invisible Life of Euridice Gusmao, Euridice Gusmao is living in 1940s Brazil during a time when her purpose, according to men, is to be at the beck and call of her husband, which nine times out of 10 takes place in the kitchen. Euridice is every bit as talented as Elizabeth, but she lacks the belief that can actually become the writer, dressmaker, or culinary mavin she might have otherwise been in another life. She settles for daydreaming about it instead. That is, until one day, her sister shows up from the wreckage of a failed engagement with stories that plant seeds in Euridice’s heart and kick-start a chain of ruinous events.

Her Hidden Genius by Marie Benedict 14s2z

Her Hidden Genius by Marie Benedict is a no-brainer if for no other reason than it takes place in the late 1940s and follows the brilliant, science-loving Rosalind Franklin as she works to unearth the secrets of DNA amidst the constant complaints of her male counterparts who can’t seem to fathom that she might possess greater skill than them. Sound familiar? If you’re not quite ready to leave the world of academia and science yet, or the mid-1900s or a strong-willed female main character determined to let her work speak for itself, her Hidden Genius is the perfect follow-up to Lessons in Chemistry.

The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan 2i274g

Set in the early WWII era, The Kitchen Front involves not one but four women, and it will curb your appetite for culinary adventures all the same. The Kitchen Front is titled after the real-life BBC program of the same name, but in Jennifer Ryan’s novel, we see four women compete in a cooking contest that, if won, will see them become the next co-host of The Kitchen Front. Each woman’s desire for winning stems from their own specific life, and each will have you rooting for the next. Will the competition bring the community together, or will it tear it apart?

The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert 5565g

If a period piece about a woman ahead of her time is what you want, then that is what you’ll get with The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert. In this exquisitely written novel, we meet Alma Whittaker on the day of her birth as she “slid[es] into our world on the fifth of January, 1800.” We stay with her for the entirety of her days, all the while witnessing her utter brilliance in the field of botany. Specifically the study of moss.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. A book set in the early 1800s about a big-boned, arguably unattractive botanist on the precipice of a life-changing scientific discovery is not exactly riveting reading. But it is! The Signature of All Things will satiate your appetite for an empowering story about a seemingly ordinary woman doing extraordinary things while on a quest to uncover to mysteries of evolution. Flecked with tinges of spirituality, The Signature of All Things also has a love story at its core, one which forces Alma to reconcile the possibility that science, divinity, spirituality, and magic can coexist in the same world.

P.S. This is my favorite book of all time, so do with that piece of information what you will.

The Butterfly Effect by Rachel Mans McKenny 6d4u18

Elizabeth Zott isn’t the most socially well-behaved woman in town, let’s just be honest. That’s not for a lack of morals, it’s just the way she operates. If you loved that aspect of Lessons in Chemistry, then The Butterfly Effect will scratch that itch. In the novel, Greto Oto prefers the company of insects to humans, but after a misfortunate personal obstacle forces her to abandon her research and return home to the middle of nowhere in America, she’s faced with the insurmountable challenge of… socializing. She thrust into a journey of self-discovery, one that completely clashes with her preference for the neat and orderly.

The Theory of (Not Quite) Everything by Kara Gnodde 5633r

Seeing Elizabeth Zott use numbers and equations to describe emotions, relay recipes, and even brew coffee is downright enjoyable. In that very same vein, you’ll love reading about brother and sister duo Mimi and Art Brotherton in The Theory of (Not Quite) Everything; try to use math to find love. When love finally does show up, however, it will cause an irreparable rip in the tight-knit bond between them and challenge what they know about mathematics and the human experience.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin 6j4h56

This one is a bit of a stretch in of plot, but hear me out. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow follows Sam and Sadie, best friends who emerge on the other side of a childhood falling out to become lifelong friends, and in the process, pursue their dreams to build a video game empire. If you opened Lessons in Chemistry without having a predilection for science and yet found yourself yearning for more, then Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow will have you feeling the same way about gaming. Plus, Sadie and Elizabeth Zott share the twin hurdles of making a go at it in an industry overflowing with men. I can’t guarantee you’ll love this book since we all have our preferences, but I want so badly to guarantee you’ll love this book. I finished it feeling buoyed by hope and weightless with joy. I think you will too.

Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn 2k5jd

Part of what made Elizabeth such a feminist baddie was her ability to defy conventional norms at every turn, sometimes without even realizing she was doing so. If you loved that about her, then you’ll appreciate Killers of a Certain Age, which revolves around a group of four female assassins (known as the Sphinxes) who are forced into retirement. Unbeknownst to those who ushered them away, they return, this time aided by the invisibility of their old age and the ruthless hunger to enact vengeance. Also, it’s utterly hilarious. If Betty White were still with us, she’d be perfect for an adaptation.

Fifteen Dogs by André Alexis 3m96b

I’m assuming you don’t need me to elaborate on why this book about dogs is on a list of Lessons in Chemistry recommendations. If Six-Thirty’s human consciousness was the glue that bound you to the page, then Fifteen Dogs will do that and then some. A bet between gods Apollo and Hermes results in fifteen dogs overnighting at a vet­erinary clinic being embued with human consciousness. Although some are reluctant to alter their typical dog lifestyle, others take to the change seamlessly; some become poets, others forge relationships, but all of them will move you in some shape or form.

The biggest complaint I see against Brie Larson’s latest limited series Lessons in Chemistry is that it’s too feminist for its own good.

The Apple TV Plus adaptation of Bonnie Garmus’ New York Times bestselling novel has been d as “feminist comfort food” by The Hollywood Reporter and other outlets, yet the complaints against it are of the mind that it needs to tone it down. Lighten up. Don’t be so serious. You know, smile a bit.

The various instances of injustice against Larson’s character Elizabeth Zott are enough to make anybody’s blood boil, and indeed they are steeped in sexist tropes we’ve come to view as outdated or stereotypical. Elizabeth is repeatedly urged to smile more, ordered to make coffee for her male colleagues, told she isn’t smart enough, talked over, shunned, and sexually assaulted; just about every awful sexist thing that can happen in a woman’s life happens to Elizabeth, and because it’s condensed into an eight-episode limited series, it’s been deemed unbelievable by some. “It’s unrealistic,” detractors say. “It doesn’t happen like that.”

These rebuttals, while not necessarily false (fiction is an exaggerated form of fact, after all) seem to forget that Laron’s history in front of the public eye bears such a striking resemblance to Elizabeth Zott’s that one would be forgiven for assuming the Academy Award-winning actress took the role as a response to her very own sexist hate.

For anyone who’s conveniently forgotten, Larson was dragged through the mud before, during, and after starring as Carol Danvers in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s record-breaking film Captain Marvel. The year was 2019, not 1950, but like Elizabeth, Larson was told — among many other condescending things — to smile more.

She was accused of hating men, told she came across as arrogant on (and off) camera, and deemed generally unlikeable, as if every actress needs to be demur and have the comforting agreeableness that simplifies their personalities into acceptable boxes.

Larson has taken every bit of unjustified flack on the chin, soldiered on, and on Nov. 10 will continue her legacy in the Captain Marvel sequel The Marvels. Like before, Larson is expected to receive heat, but unlike last time she will have two additional weeks of Lessons in Chemistry to clap back at her haters the best way possible: through her work. Lessons in Chemistry will air its series finale on Nov. 24.

In case you haven’t noticed, there’s a fair few Marvel Cinematic Universe ers out there who don’t find Brie Larson to be a particularly likable or engaging presence onscreen, which is of course a sentiment that isn’t shared by everyone.

Ironically, her new TV series Lessons in Chemistry features the Academy Award-winning star playing a character that repeatedly finds herself being told that she isn’t all that likeable or engaging, lent an even more delicious twist by the acclaim being pointed towards her performance.

In an interview with Collider, creator Lee Eisenberg and director Sarah Adina Smith were posed the question as to how Larson made such a figure as compelling and endearing as she did, with the former placing the credit squarely on the shoulders of the leading lady.

“She has a world view, and the world view might not be your world view, but it’s incredibly logical. The delivery, particularly the way that Brie did it, is so matter of fact, and she has an answer for everything. She’s a character that’s whip smart, in any situation. We all contend with bullies and with people that don’t see the best in us, and Elizabeth is indomitable and unwavering in her belief system. It’s not that she’s unwilling to evolve or lacks the ability to evolve.

She has a very strong moral com of what’s right and wrong. And then, as we get into the second half of the season, she really is able to allow her audience to rise up. She does see the best in everyone and she believes that you can be the best version of yourself. I think there’s something incredibly inspiring about seeing someone, without it being treacly.”

Of course, that hasn’t stopped The Marvels from becoming the MCU’s most-disliked trailer ever that’s currently projected for what could turn out to be a crushingly disappointing debut at the box office, but it might just cause a few heads to explode that an actress cruelly dubbed as “Captain Useless” by her naysayers has done the unthinkable – in their eyes at least – by making an “unlikable” protagonist an endearing and full-realized creation.

Some of the most iconic characters in fiction have a specific physical trait that sets them apart from everyone else. For Harry Potter, it is his lightning bolt scar. For Superman, it is his hair curl. For Indiana Jones, it is his classic fedora. And for Elizabeth Zott in Lessons in Chemistry, it is the No. 2 pencil in her hair. 

The fictional chemist turned cooking show host is brought to life by Academy Award-winning actress Brie Larson in Apple TV Plus’ adaptation of the popular New York Times bestselling novel by Bonnie Garmus. When we meet Elizabeth for the first time, she is preparing to go live for Supper at Six, the cooking show that doubles as a chemistry class for rapt viewers around the world. We don’t see Elizabeth’s face until the producer on set shouts  “We’re live in five, four, three…” at which point Elizabeth stabs a pencil into her pulled-back bun, turns around, and delivers her recognizable intro: 

“Welcome viewers, my name is Elizabeth Zott, and this is Supper at Six.”  

Throughout the limited series’ first and second episodes, we see the No. 2 pencil in Elizabeth’s hair in some way or another. Sometimes it’s tucked behind her ear, but most of the time jabbed into her pulled-back bun. 

While this may seem like an idle detail, a few ominous flashbacks in episode 1 indicate otherwise. These flashbacks occur any time someone enters a room with Elizabeth and closes the door behind them. Elizabeth doesn’t like closed doors, made evident by the death grip she maintains on her pencil anytime it happens. When Calvin Evans (Lewis Pullman) unknowingly does this at the end of episode 1, Elizabeth flies out of the room and proceeds to terminate any and all with him. 

The real reason Elizabeth Zott keeps a pencil in her hair at all times 6e232f

The following section contains spoilers for episodes 1 and 2 of Lessons in Chemistry as well as mentions of sexual assault. 

At first, it comes across as a stylistic choice, perhaps something Lessons in Chemistry’s showrunner Lee Eisenberg chose to do to elevate Elizabeth’s intelligence in the eyes of at-home viewers. As we get to know Elizabeth, though, it reads more like a character trait, a practical method for keeping track of her endless stream of brilliance. However, as we progress through Elizabeth’s backstory, we understand this is more complex than just practicality. Elizabeth’s No. 2 pencil is a security blanket.

Lessons in Chemistry episode 2 opens with a flashback of Elizabeth when she was a student at UCLA in 1950 studying for her PhD. Similarly to the present day, Elizabeth’s unapologetic intelligence intimates the men around her. When the board at her qualifying exam asks her specific questions which she answers in exquisite detail, they grow silent and uncomfortable. Except for Dr. Bates, who smiles to himself similarly to the way Calvin Evans smiled to himself at the sight of Elizabeth’s unabashed intellect in the present day. 

Moments later, Elizabeth is back in her office when Dr. Bates comes to congratulate her. His intentions seem pure at first but then he kisses her unprovoked, which Elizabeth rejects. That’s when he turns around and locks the door and proceeds to sexually assault her. Elizbeth fights off her attacker, eventually yanking the No. 2 pencil out of her hair and stabbing him in the abdomen. 

Later she is reprimanded by a UCLA and told the only way to continue her PhD is by submitting a “formal statement of regret.” This differs slightly from the book, in which Elizabeth’s story is not taken seriously by the cops who arrive on the scene, but either way, it’s just as infuriating and disheartening. 

Elizabeth refuses to apologize in either scenario. Instead, she tells the UCLA the only “regret” she has is “not having more pencils.”

Present-day Elizabeth is still grappling with the traumatic event. Not only does that explain why she experiences a form of PTSD if someone enters a room behind her and closes the door but also why she maintains a tight grip on her pencil in moments of high anxiety. In a world that refuses to keep her safe, she must contend with protecting herself.

It’s been proven countless times over that Brie Larson doesn’t even have to do anything to become the subject of attention covering the positive and negative ends of the spectrum, with her two most recent starring roles further proof of the bizarre online phenomenon.

Next month’s The Marvels has been a target ever since it was first announced, and would you believe it, the movie that boasts the single most-disliked trailer in Marvel Cinematic Universe history isn’t expected to shift as many tickets as its predecessor, with the bottom end of its box office projections putting it in genuine danger of landing one of the franchise’s worst-ever opening weekends.

The Academy Award winner’s Apple TV series Lessons in Chemistry is also streaming as of today, but it’s already beginning to look as though a subtle review-bombing campaign is underway. At the time of writing, the literary adaptation may have a decent enough IMDb rating of 7.4/10, but that doesn’t tell the whole story.

For one thing, that’s the weighted average, with the site noting that some scores aren’t reflective of the actual votes cast to “help keep it reliable.” The unweighted score is 7.1/10, but again, that doesn’t quite paint the entire picture. Full marks is currently Lessons in Chemistry‘s preferred measurement, with over 35 percent of all s designating it as a perfect 10/10.

However, the second most popular rating handed out to the show is… you guessed it, 1/10, with upwards of 15 percent tallying Lessons in Chemistry as only being worthy as a solitary point. Of course, it only premiered a matter of hours ago, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth keeping an eye on over the next few days to see if there are any more suspicious developments.

No one can say for certain why Brie Larson experienced a campaign of hate after starring in the MCU’s Captain Marvel.

Both before and after Captain Marvel hit theaters — subsequently shattering box office expectations by earning over $1 billion, one might add — Larson endured what can only be described as a witch hunt. In the film, she was accused of not smiling enough and appearing aloof and overly confident. In real life, she was accused of hating white men, in particular, over comments about equal opportunity and representation in media. She didn’t, in other words, be who anyone wanted her to be. And by “anyone,” I mean the man-children whose authority felt threatened by hers because that’s what dislike comes down to, doesn’t it? Feeling threatened by something that scares you?

Tomorrow, Oct. 13, Larson will debut her limited series Lessons in Chemistry on Apple TV Plus, an adaptation of the popular novel of the same name by Bonnie Garmus. Larson’s character, Elizabeth Zott, is a chemist turned cooking show host who sends the nation into an uproar with her progressive ideologies. Those ideologies bear a striking resemblance to Larson’s, and it doesn’t take X-ray vision to see the through line between both women’s story arcs in the public eye.

For starters, Elizabeth doesn’t conform to the limited expectations bestowed upon her; she doesn’t shrink herself to make room for the men around her; she doesn’t apologize for her opinions; she doesn’t mask her intelligence for the sake of keeping the peace; she doesn’t, in any way, let a man’s belief of what she can and cannot do be the gavel with which her actions are guided. She is an unapologetically brilliant chemist, just as Larson is an unapologetically gifted Academy Award-winning actress.

Elizabeth Zott, like Larson, marches to the beat of her own drum, and when looking at the two narratives side by side, it’s nearly impossible not to view one as the response to the other. So, did Larson choose Lessons in Chemistry to respond to her Captain Marvel haters? Only she knows. But one thing is certain — Larson is putting her words into action and letting those actions speak for themselves.

Lessons in Chemistry debuts its first two episodes on Friday, Oct. 13, on Apple TV Plus. New episodes will air weekly until the season finale on Nov. 24, two weeks after Larson’s highly-anticipated Captain Marvel sequel, The Marvels, hits theaters on Nov. 10.

Canine companions playing pivotal roles in movies and books is nothing new, but Six-Thirty from Lessons in Chemistry is not your average dog.

Those who watch the Apple TV Plus limited series starring Brie Larson will get a chance to witness the live-action version of the fan-favorite character from Bonnie Garmus’ New York Times bestselling novel. Like any good four-legged boy, Six-Thirty steals the show as much on the screen as he does on the page.

In the book, Six-Thirty is a stray dog named after the time of day Elizabeth (Brie Larson) and Calvin Evans (Lewis Pullman) adopt him. He’s described as a “mangy, smelly dog, hidden in the shadows of the alley” who follows Elizabeth home after she makes a quick stop at the local deli. Through a bit of magical realism (the only bit of magical realism in the book) we find out, via Six-Thirty’s thoughts, that he’s an abandoned bomb-detection dog with an awful fear of loud, exploding noises. 

Intelligent beyond belief and buoyed by a sense of devotion to his family, Six-Thirty regularly occupies the role of the silent, wise sage. Unlike most dogs, his vocabulary rivals that of a small human. Thanks to Elizabeth, who reads to him the way she reads to her daughter, Madeline ⏤ which is to say extensively and without prejudice ⏤ Six-Thirty knows upward of 1,000 words. Novels, textbooks, essays, you name it ⏤ Six-Thirty knows it.

As is the case with all adaptations, the Six-Thirty in Apple TV Plus’ Lessons in Chemistry is slightly different from the one Bonie Garmus created in her book. “He’s not quite the dog I’d envisioned in the book,” Garmus told Dogster. “But he’s definitely a presence.” Such a presence, one might add, that the dog who brings Six-Thirty to life has become a bona fide star in the process.

Meet Gus, the Goldendoodle who plays Six-Thirty in Lessons in Chemistry 1hn5r

In Lessons in Chemistry, we never quite find out what kind of breed Six-Thirty is, and in the book it’s assumed that he’s a mixture of breeds. However, the dog who plays Six-Thirty in the Apple TV Plus series is a Goldendoodle named Gus. 

Gus the good boy, as he shall forever be known, had a casting process not dissimilar to some actors, although it was far less rigorous and didn’t involve actual auditions. The show’s dog trainer, Steve Berens, submitted Gus’ photo to determine whether he had the right look, which is how Gus eventually got the part.

“I thought a Goldendoodle or goldendoodle would fit and was a dog I always wanted. So I started searching for a dog that could play the part of Six-Thirty,” Berens told People. “Gus was a private party dog looking for a new home. Once I spent a little time with him, I felt he would be a great dog to work with. I submitted his picture, and they loved his look.”

On-set days are filled with constant creative activity, says Berens. “Typical prep days start with a walk. The day progresses with several short-duration training sessions. There are potty breaks, ball breaks, and play breaks in between. The dogs love the attention and creative learning techniques.” 

The chemistry you see on screen between Gus and his fellow human colleagues can be attributed to the rehearsals Berens was adamant about incorporating. “Usually, I will use other trainers as stand-ins for the actors, and we will act out the scenes. I always like to try to get rehearsals with the actual actors. It helps the dog to build a rapport with the actors. I feel that both the actor’s performance and the dog’s performance benefit from rehearsal time together.”

Lessons in Chemistry showrunner Lee Eisenberg even chimed in on the levity Gus’ presence provided on set, saying, “Shooting with a dog is always a challenge, but Gus is incredibly lovable in person. And I think that there’s a buoyancy that comes to a set when there’s a dog.”

Brie Larson’s on-screen love interest, Lewis Pullman, even took his character Calvin Evans’ traits to the next level by going running with Gus on their own ⏤ which, for those who know what comes of Calvin, is actually quite terrifying. “Louis [sic], in particular, was so comfortable with dogs,” said Eisenberg. “The two of them would go out on runs for the show, and they just immediately connected.”

Just to show how good of a boy Gus really is, Berens literally welcomed him into his own family. “I adopted him from someone who was rehoming him,” Berens said. “He lives with me.” So, let it be known that Lessons in Chemistry was the role that gave him a new home and launched Gus’ acting career, which is surely just beginning. Someone get this pooch an Oscar.

Lessons in Chemistry premieres its first two episodes on Friday, Oct. 13 on Apple TV Plus.