“Children, set the table. Your mother needs a moment to herself.”
Elizabeth Zott's signature catchphrase made its debut in Bonnie Garmus’ runaway hit book, first published in 2022. When Brie Larson says it in the new AppleTV+ series, out Oct. 13, the novel's enthusiastic fanbase might feel a shiver of recognition.
“Lessons in Chemistry” spent more than a year on national bestseller lists, sharing space with “The Five Star Weekend” by Elin Hilderbrand and Colleen Hoover’s “It Ends With Us,” as well as much-talked about memoirs including Prince Harry’s “Spare” and Jennette McCurdy’s “I’m Glad My Mom Died.”
The novel, which takes place in California during the 1950s and 1960s, centers around Elizabeth, a chemist and single mother, who finds herself the reluctant host of a hit cooking show, “Supper at Six”, as much to her surprise as the TV network's.
You don’t need to have a degree in chemistry to understand why the novel, which focuses on themes of grief and loss, misogyny in the workplace and the challenges of balancing family life with career resonated with millions of readers — and Hollywood.
“When I first read the book, I was blown away by the dialogue and the way that Bonnie (Garmus) approached character. And then the twists and turns of the story were so surprising and unexpected for me that it started kind of taking shape immediately as episodes,” Lee Eisenberg, showrunner and executive producer for the Apple TV+ series, tells TODAY.com.
Eisenberg, known for his work as a writer and producer for The Office, liked the idea that each episode of the miniseries could have “its own identity.”
“It wasn’t like there would be five episodes in the middle where she vaguely worked on a cooking show,” he adds.
"It’s when we encounter what we don’t expect or what we can’t predict that life becomes really rich and meaningful."
Sarah Adina Smith
Despite the initial connection to the book, transforming the novel from page to screen didn’t come without challenges. “One (challenge) was pressure because I love the book so much and I was not alone in my feelings about that,” says Eisenberg. “You want to do right and honor the source material and you want fans of the book to be excited and embrace the TV show in the same way.”
Sarah Adina Smith, who directed and produced the first two episodes of “Lessons in Chemistry,” said that Eisenberg’s “refreshingly clear vision for the adaptation” is what inspired her to join the project.
“Something he said that really resonated for me was that it’s a series that’s going to be about how surprise is actually a crucial ingredient in life. It’s when we encounter what we don’t expect or what we can’t predict that life becomes really rich and meaningful,” she says.
In the first episode, we’re introduced to Elizabeth (played by Brie Larson) as a beloved, and slightly stern, cooking host that guides a live audience of adoring housewives through the process of making lasagna.
When she explains that they’ll be testing “a new variable,” it’s clear that Elizabeth is more than just a pretty face who can cook — and she spends eight episodes trying to prove just that.
The Academy Award-winning actor exudes a discipline, precision and allure in her performance that is befitting of the fictional leading lady.
“I think they share so many qualities — both Brie and Elizabeth are so fiercely intelligent, very logical thinkers and the hardest working person in any room,” adds Smith.
The initial flash-forward scene is a shimmering prologue to a story that depicts Elizabeth remarkable, and at times tragic, life over the course of approximately 10 years. Though Elizabeth is very much ahead of her time, the novel and TV series are right on schedule. It’s a story that reminds its audience that the secret to success might just be your personal convictions.
