Chess Masters - The Endgame

[naomi24]

This isn't a very encouraging review - but reviews are sometimes misleading.  Has anyone watched it?

 

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/mar/10/chess-masters-the-endgame-review-so-dull-its-almost-unwatchable

[ToraToraTora]

TBF chess has never been a spectator "sport".

[naomi24]

It is for people who like watching it.

[andy-hughes]

I can see the idea, but trying to 'jazz up' chess as television was always going to be a lipstick/pig interface, doomed to fail.

The niche audience who would want to watch will be utterly immune to silly nicknames, and the imagined potential reality audience are unlikely to be players, and even if they are, this format is unlikely to capture, much less maintain their interest.

This should have been abandoned at the pitch stage, it was a dog then, nothing has changed.

 

 

[jackthehat]

I haven't watched it and whilst I quite like Sue Perkins as a presenter, I'm not sure she's quite the right fit for a programme like this.

[naomi24]

andy hughes, //This should have been abandoned at the pitch stage, it was a dog then, nothing has changed.//

 

Have you watched it?

[andy-hughes]

No, for reasons outlined.

[naomi24]

Okay.  I'm rather hoping someone who plays chess has watch it - Khandro perhaps.

[douglas9401]

I watched one then realised it's more about their 'journey' and hitting the camera cues than chess.

Superkins could vanish tomorrow for all I care.

[ToraToraTora]

I play chess, been in many teams, not played for a while but as I said, it's dull to watch. Generally chess players prefer to run through games on their own board or do the same with puzzles. The Queens gambit raised it's popularity at the time but that has now fallen back. I tend to follow the online guys who do some very good analyses and replays of old games. Alekhine is my favourite for sheer genius, odd positions and brutal wins from no where.

[Khandro]

n. //Okay.  I'm rather hoping someone who plays chess has watch it - Khandro perhaps//

Haven't watched but shall & get back.

While on about watching things, you must see Adolescence on Netflix

[naomi24]

I saw you talking about that khandro.  I looked it up - it sounded a bit 'woke'.  Is it?

[bednobs]

imo not in the slightest bit woke.  But i would say not watching a great program cause you think it might be woke, is akin to(to use a convo we had recently) not reading  a great 'childrens' book because you are an adult.

[naomi24]

I don't agree with that, bednobs.  Some programmes without doubt push the woke agenda and manage to shoehorn just about every aspect into the narrative - from diversity and inclusion (always thought that's a contradiction), to climate change and perceived historical 'wrongs'.  Surreptitious preaching and wagging fingers don't entertain me - it simply gets on my pip so I switch off.

[ToraToraTora]

OK I just watched it, they seem very low grade players to me hardly "masters". How are they selected? Just watching EP 2, that queens puzzle is very well known, surprised none of them knew it so I think it's more "chess impovers" than masters. Any decent player would know the queens puzzle.

[bednobs]

All I'm saying is you've got an off button so give it a go because it's brilliant and if you find insufferablyWoke you could always turn off.

Like I say IMO it's not Woke at all but what you would consider woke what I would consider woke Ourprobably very different 

[Khandro]

n. Nothing at all to do with woke. Unusual plot, good acting, and superb camerawork (which always interests me). Someone writing in the Telegraph said it is the best thing you are likely to see this year !

There are only 4 episodes & we've watched two. 

[naomi24]

I fully intend giving it a go, bednobs.  Always did.  I was just asking khandro if it's a bit 'woke'.

[naomi24]

Okay. Thanks khandro.  We're watching 'The Vanishings' at the moment.

[ToraToraTora]

The last few seem to be in the wrong post.

[Khandro]

TTT Sorry mea culpa I digressed to naomi, as it's her thread, didn't think of causing confusion to others. 😒