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Chapter 23: KCTV Studios
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Lessons in Chemistry, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Gender Inequality
Science vs. Religion
Overcoming Tragedy and Trauma
Family
Summary
Analysis
Phil Lebensmal, the executive producer at KCTV and Walter's boss, instructs Walter to style Elizabeth provocatively for TV, suggesting skin-tight outfits. He also recommends that each episode features a cocktail-making segment. However, Elizabeth refuses every dress, finding them uncomfortable, and proposes wearing a lab coat instead. She also inquires about the lab equipment she requested for the kitchen set, but Walter falsely claims it’s not ready.
Walter has the difficult task of trying to please both his boss and Elizabeth, who have opposite ideas for what they want the show to be. Lebensmal wants Elizabeth to look and act like an attractive housewife, while Elizabeth wants to challenge how the media portrays women. Here, Walter begins realizing that he will not be able to fully meet the demands of either.
Themes
In reality, the set, designed like a tacky kitchen and lacking the requested equipment, is complete, but Walter knows Elizabeth will dislike it. He tells Elizabeth that her role is to entertain, especially since her show, Supper at Six, will air during the “Afternoon Depression Zone," a period between 1:30 and 5:00 p.m. known for low productivity. This timeslot is usually filled with children’s programs or game shows to provide mental relaxation for housewives. Elizabeth's show is scheduled at 4:30 p.m. and targets homemakers who need a boost to start preparing dinner.
Walter expresses his condolences for Calvin’s death and empathizes with Elizabeth, but he advises against sharing those personal details with the show's producers. He worries they will not take it well and wish to fire her. Walter also reveals he is not Amanda's biological father but loves her deeply. Amanda’s mother once threatened to take Amanda away from him during their divorce proceedings, but she never followed through because she did not actually care about her daughter.
Walter's attempt to protect Elizabeth's job by advising her to keep her personal life private reflects the harsh realities of professional life in the 1960s where personal struggles may be seen as liabilities. Luckily, this is a place where he and Elizabeth see eye to eye, as she has no interest in making Calvin part of her public identity.
Themes
As Walter and Elizabeth are getting to know each other, they discover that Mrs. Mudford has summoned them regarding their respective children. Both dislike Mrs. Mudford’s implied judgment of how they choose to parent their children. Then, switching back to the topic at hand, Walter suggests Elizabeth wear something from her own wardrobe for the show, as wearing a lab coat isn't an option. Although they do not see eye-to-eye on everything, Elizabeth likes Walter and thinks he is a good man.
Mrs. Mudford’s summons suggests that she is biased against Walter and Elizabeth because they are single parents. While Madeline may be an unusual child because she is so advanced, there is no reason to consider her a problem, though Mrs. Mudford thinks otherwise. Meanwhile, Walter's suggestion for Elizabeth to choose her attire is a gesture that acknowledges her need to retain a sense of personal identity amidst the new role she’s taking on.
Themes
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