Lessons in Chemistry has arrived on Apple TV+ as the limited series based on Bonnie Garmus’ book of the same name. While the first two episodes were available for Apple TV+ subscribers as soon as the show debuted in the 2023 TV schedule, viewers will have to wait for episodes to release weekly moving forward. That means that anybody who wants to binge-watch from start to finish won’t have the option until late November, but creator and showrunner Lee Eisenberg explained to CinemaBlend why watching a new episode each week is the better way to approach Lessons in Chemistry.
Brie Larson leads the Lessons in Chemistry cast as chemist Elizabeth Zott, whose attempt to build her scientific career in a field dominated by men in the 1950s hits obstacle after obstacle. She uses her skills to perfect recipes and become host of her own TV show, which gives her the platform to reach other women of her generation who could use help beyond the stovetop. I spoke with showrunner Lee Eisenberg as part of Apple TV+’s press junket for Lessons in Chemistry, and he shared his thoughts on the limited series releasing weekly instead of via the binge model:
I love the tease, the way that Apple approaches it and maybe some of the other streamers, where you get a few episodes to start where hopefully you’re enticed, hopefully the audience is into it. And then there’s nothing more satisfying when you’re waiting for the next week, and you’re like, ‘What’s happening next?’ And you can kind of build momentum and discussion throughout the week. I find sometimes with bingeable shows – and I binge shows all the time – that you kind of forget.
While binge-watching shows can be an immersive experience, weekly releases mean stretching a series out for more than just a day or two. As Lee Eisenberg pointed out, you run the risk of forgetting the biggest events of earlier episodes if you’re bingeing your way through all eight to the end. A number of streamers are taking this weekly approach more and more as time passes, although Netflix is still known for dropping full seasons at once. The showrunner elaborated on why it works for Lessons in Chemistry:
You forget what’s kind of happening in one episode to the next and they start to blur a little bit. A show that releases week to week, the tale of it is just much longer. So this show will release mid-October and will go on for a month and a half or two months, and then people might binge it after that. But it actually can stay relevant longer, whereas I think a binge, sometimes it burns really bright for a week or two and then kind of dissipates.
Based on the Lessons in Chemistry trailer, the first two episodes, and the plethora of standout moments from the novel that could be adapted into the show, I’d say that the new Brie Larson-led project has the potential to eventually rank among Apple TV+’s best shows. In addition to telling the story of Elizabeth as well as the men and women who surround her, the series also approaches chemistry and food in a way rarely seen on television.
Food consultant Courtney McBroom joined the show to help find the “vibe of the food” to fit the story and to look good on the small screen. Speaking with CinemaBlend, she opened up about what was inspiring for her as a professional in the food field about Elizabeth Zott’s story and Brie Larson as leading lady and executive producer.
In addition to Brie Larson, the cast includes Lewis Pullman of Top Gun: Maverick, Aja Naomi King of How to Get Away with Murder, Stephanie Koenig of The Flight Attendant, Kevin Sussman of The Big Bang Theory, Thomas Mann of Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers, and Rainn Wilson of The Office fame.
Lessons in Chemistry debuted its first two episodes on October 13 at 12 a.m. PT on Apple TV+, and you can check them out with a subscription to the streamer or Apple TV+ free trial. The remaining six episodes will release weekly, and as Lee Eisenberg shared, watching one per week could be the best way to enjoy Elizabeth Zott’s story.