Lessons in Chemistry
Lessons in Chemistry
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Lessons in Chemistry

"Life rarely follows a formula."

8.2
Yr 2023
Status Ended
Drama
Series Brief

Overview

In the 1950s, Elizabeth Zott's dream of being a scientist is challenged by a society that says women belong in the domestic sphere. She accepts a job on a TV cooking show and sets out to teach a nation of overlooked housewives way more than recipes.

Why fans love it

Brie Larson portrays a woman whose scientific ambitions clash with the rigid expectations of the 1950s. While most period dramas of this era focus on the polish of the decade, this series anchors itself in the grit of the laboratory and the tactical precision of a kitchen studio. The narrative navigates the systemic barriers of the time without relying on sentimentality, keeping the focus on the sharp intellect of its protagonist.

The transition from a research chemist role to a television cooking host creates a unique tension. Rather than leaning into the tropes of domestic life, the show presents cooking as a form of chemistry, providing a platform for an unconventional host to lecture a captive audience on self-worth and social standards. It occupies a space between a character study and a quiet subversion of the traditional housewife archetype.

Featured Players

Cast 75

Brie Larson
as Elizabeth Zott
8 episodes
Lewis Pullman
as Calvin Evans
8 episodes
Aja Naomi King
as Harriet Sloane
8 episodes
Stephanie Koenig
as Fran Frask
8 episodes
Patrick Walker
as Curtis Wakely
8 episodes
Rainn Wilson
as Phil Lebensmal
4 episodes
Derek Cecil
as Dr. Robert Donatti
5 episodes
Kevin Sussman
as Walter Pine
5 episodes
Thomas Mann
as Alfred Boryweitz
5 episodes
Andy Daly
as Dr. Richard Price
4 episodes
Adam Bartley
as Scientist
3 episodes
Joshua Hoover
as Anthony Powers
4 episodes
Brandon Gibson
as Tom Clemens
3 episodes
Robert Alan Beuth
as Frank Marsten
3 episodes
Ali Kinkade
as Jenny Marie Kay
2 episodes
Sigi Ravet
as Laurel Moore
3 episodes
Debbie Pollack
as Louise
3 episodes
Valentina Garcia
as Nancy Donatti
1 episode
Laura Siegel
as Bertha Clifton
3 episodes
Gregg Brown
as Director
3 episodes
Show all 75 cast
John Alton
as Stage Manager
3 episodes
Eileen Álvarez
as Hair Stylist
1 episode
Isaac Jay
as Harry the PA
3 episodes
Caroline Cole
as Charlene Ogilvy
2 episodes
Yasir Lafond
as James 'Junior' Sloane
4 episodes
Amentii Sledge
as Linda Sloane
4 episodes
Tate Ellington
as Dr. Bates
1 episode
James Gleason
as Chairman of the Board
3 episodes
Michael James Bell
as Highway Suit
1 episode
Troy Vincent
as UCLA Professor
1 episode
Pamela Shafer
as Associate Dean
1 episode
Kent Hagen
as City Council Chairman
1 episode
B.J. Novak
as Six-Thirty (voice)
1 episode
Beau Bridges
as Harry Wilson
3 episodes
Jake Short
as Ralph Bailey
1 episode
Marc Evan Jackson
as Dr. Leland Mason
6 episodes
Nicolas Coster
as Paul Astor
1 episode
Barry Livingston
as Pastor
1 episode
Alex Boling
as Oocyte Chemist
1 episode
Lee Eisenberg
as Funeral Director
1 episode
Brian Leckner
as Businessman
1 episode
Cameron Fay
as Police Officer
1 episode
Aaron Coleman
as Harriet's Colleague
1 episode
Paul James
as Charlie Sloane
5 episodes
Alice Halsey
as Madeline 'Mad' Zott
5 episodes
Caryn West
as Mrs. Mudford
2 episodes
Shoo Shoo Parsells
as Amanda Pine
3 episodes
Phoebe Kuhlman
as Nurse
1 episode
Kandis Fay
as New Mother
1 episode
Jonney Ahmanson
as Baseball Fan
1 episode
Steven Pritchard
as Whiskey Guy
1 episode
Tyler Beardsley
as Magazine Shredder
1 episode
Sherry Larson
as Gerta Borgnino
1 episode
Constance Ejuma
as Agnes
2 episodes
Keena Ferguson
as Rhoda
2 episodes
Danny Brown
as Jodie
1 episode
Maya Malan-Gonzalez
as Wailing Woman
1 episode
Jeff Marlow
as Bank Manager
1 episode
Casey Feigh
as Moving Supervisor
1 episode
Indiana Elle
as Bully #1
1 episode
Alana Gay
as Linda Sloane
3 episodes
Hero Hunter
as James 'Junior' Sloane
3 episodes
Lola Kelly
as Housewife
1 episode
Amanda Walsh
as Waitress
1 episode
Catherine Hyslop
as Bully #2
2 episodes
Todd Aaron Brotze
as Consultant
1 episode
Lauren Cook
as Rebecca
2 episodes
Joy Jacobson
as Shari
3 episodes
Alex Staggs
as Sound Mixer
1 episode
Julianne Buescher
as Secretary
1 episode
Tristen MacDonald
as Mrs. Fillis
2 episodes
Hannah Horton
as Walter's Secretary / Walter's Secretary - Joan
2 episodes
Adam O'Byrne
as Bishop
2 episodes
Ashley Monique Clark
as Martha Wakely
2 episodes
Alyssa Preston
as Wilson's Secretary
2 episodes
Production Board

Crew

Thanks
Production Design
Additional Music
Script Supervisor
Assistant Art Director
Stunt Coordinator
Transportation Coordinator
First Assistant Director
Costume Design
Construction Coordinator
Director of Photography
Set Dresser
"A" Camera Operator
Assistant Costume Designer
First Assistant "A" Camera
Costume Supervisor
Picture Car Coordinator
Makeup Designer
Set Designer
Digital Imaging Technician
Second Assistant Director
First Assistant "B" Camera
Keyword Cloud

Keywords

based on novel or book cooking harvard university sexism chemistry romance chemist scientist period drama 1950s male chauvinism cooking show