In the premiere episode of "Lessons in Chemistry," Elizabeth Zott, brilliantly portrayed by Brie Larson, shines as the hostess of the highly popular cooking show "Supper at Six." One of the key reasons for its widespread appeal lies in Elizabeth's profound respect and appreciation for what is often stereotyped as "women's work." However, her journey to television fame was not always smooth sailing.
Flashing back seven years to 1951, we find Elizabeth serving as a lab technician at Hastings. Her ambition lies in delving deeper into research and attaining a PhD, a dream deferred due to the sexist barriers that prevented her from achieving her masters. Nevertheless, it seems that her gender alone overshadows her capabilities at Hastings, with colleagues often mistaking her for a secretary. They prioritize her participation in the Little Miss Hastings pageant over her vital scientific contributions.
Determined not to succumb to such shallow expectations, Elizabeth resolutely focuses on her research. Staying late after hours, she sneaks into the esteemed Dr. Calvin Evans's laboratory to procure some ribose for her experiments. Unfortunately, her clandestine actions are discovered by the head secretary, Fran, who reports her to Dr. Donatti. Under pressure, Elizabeth is coerced into participating in the pageant, with Donatti refusing to entertain her proposal for a crucial grant.
Elizabeth and Calvin's initial encounter is fraught with misunderstandings when he discovers her theft, mistakenly assuming she is a secretary. However, his perception of her undergoes a transformation when he learns of her credentials as a chemist. Intrigued by her unique blend of culinary prowess and scientific acumen, Calvin decides to attend the pageant to return the ribose and unexpectedly finds himself in need of Elizabeth's care when his allergies flare up.
Following this fateful encounter, Calvin and Elizabeth strike up an unlikely friendship over shared meals in the cafeteria. He is captivated by her culinary talents and intellectual prowess, marveling at how seamlessly they coexist within her. Together, they embark on a journey that challenges societal norms and redefines what it means to be a scientist and a woman in a male-dominated world.
When he discovers that Elizabeth has encountered gender-based discrimination, he's perplexed. Apparently, the man has never pondered the reasons behind the scarcity of female scientists, but now, as he contemplates it, he finds it deeply unsettling. Determined to make a change, he devises a plan for Elizabeth to join his lab as a technician. She would retain the freedom to pursue her own research, and if they collaborated on any projects and published their findings, he vowed to acknowledge her as the lead scientist.
Elizabeth, though skeptical of his optimistic outlook, recognized it as her best option and reluctantly accepted. Their collaboration was a steep learning curve, but they seemed to complement each other's strengths, forming a resilient partnership. Amidst the challenges and shared successes, they might have even begun to harbor romantic feelings for each other.
However, their budding relationship was abruptly shattered when Calvin abruptly barged into the office one day and slammed the door shut, a blatant violation of Elizabeth's boundaries. He was so engrossed in a revelation he'd had that he failed to notice Elizabeth's panic escalating. She had a traumatic incident in the past where someone had shut a door to isolate her, and she had never fully recovered from the emotional scarring.
As Elizabeth fled the lab in a flurry of emotions, Calvin pursued her, demanding to know what was wrong. She tersely informed him that their arrangement simply wouldn't work.
The episode draws to a close with another fleeting glimpse into the future. On her cooking show, Elizabeth withdraws a charred lasagna from the oven, a symbol of the challenges and disappointments she's endured but also a testament to her resilience and unwavering spirit.
