Round Two: Pitch

Pitch: Season 1, Episode 2 “The Interim” (B)

I was impressed by the pilot for this show and was hoping that its quality would continue as it progressed. This was a decent follow-up, but there are definitely some elements that could cause problems going forward and weaken this show’s overall effectiveness. To me, the biggest problem is Ali Larter’s Amelia, who is probably the loudest personality on this show, which is saying something. She was blunt and rude in her first meeting with Ginny and her brother, and even though he bowed out because he realized that she was far more competent for what Ginny needed, how she went about getting rid of him was not at all kind. She understands what she needs to do in order to succeed, but it’s still hard to like her or feel that she’s a compelling character, and one of the two is necessary. Mike is an issue too, since he’s too prone to giving locker room speeches and meditating on his career and his mortality on a regular basis. The two of them sleeping together can’t be a productive thing since they would make a very dangerous and volatile couple. It was interesting to see Joanna Garcia Swisher’s reporter revealed as Mike’s ex-wife, and to learn that she did things wrong but was really driven away by his excessive commitment to baseball. Where this show thrives is when Ginny gets the chance to shine and the music kicks in. She nailed her interview with Kimmel after an iffy start, and she’s ready to move on from all the archaic sexism that’s holding this show and the team back. Al getting fired is going to disrupt things a lot, and even though Jack McGee’s Buck is a lot like him, he’s going to be the team’s best shot at maintain consistency and blazing ahead.