What I’m Watching: Pitch

Pitch: Season 1, Episode 4 “The Break” (B)

I sometimes forget while I’m watching this show that I’m not actually a fan of baseball – though it is the one sport I don’t mind watching – and therefore this all-star game means nothing to me. I can understand, however, that it is a very big deal, and therefore Ginny being selected is both monumental and questionable, since, like everything she does, it may just be because she’s a woman. That was certainly the first reaction that Blip had when, awkwardly enough, Ginny got the call that he knew he was next in line with, and instead he got to contend with an unfortunately-phrased sentiment about the biggest moment of his life and later make up for it by coming back down after to spend some time with his family. Ginny’s family dynamic was explored in a big way in this hour, with some helpful history about her mother and her infidelity to fill in the gaps of their strained relationship. Inviting Mike and Amelia to dinner changed the vibe considerably, and their efforts to seem cool and nonchalant about their own private romance were poorly executed at best, though no one seemed to notice because it was the least of the drama going on at the table. We barely saw Al in this episode, and instead we got more of Oscar, who put his own life story out there when he flew across an ocean at a moment’s notice to score a suddenly available Cuban future all-star. I’m not sure if I’m using that term correctly…

Take Three: Pitch

Pitch: Season 1, Episode 3 “Beanball” (B)

As this show is continuing, I think it’s leveling out to a decent point where each episode is going to fill in a major blank from Ginny’s past while creating some relevant drama in the present to tie it all together. I think that formula should work out alright, even if it may not be the most stirring presentation. When that token theme song kicks in, however, this show really comes alive, and it’s easy to get attached to the excitement. The flashbacks to Ginny’s relationship with another baseball player showed a much softer, more vulnerable side of her than we’re used to, and that sure faded by the time she started baiting and then hitting a member of the other team when she felt she was being treated too gently because of her gender. The news that there may be scandalous photos of her out there is unfortunate, but I trust that she’ll be able to power through it. She scored her first invitation to the post-game celebration with the team, so there’s something. The big winner of this episode was Al, who, following a warning from Buck, got himself thrown out of the game before it even started and made a compelling pitch to Wendie Malick’s Maxine Armstrong to keep his job and go out on his own terms. There was plenty of other stuff going on, namely Oscar having Ginny meet his daughter before telling her of his impending divorce and the introduction of Kelly Jenrette, who recently starred as Annelise on “Grandfathered,” in a very similar role as Oscar’s right-hand woman and the general keeper of sanity and structure behind the scenes.

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.

Pilot Review: Pitch

Pitch (FOX)
Premiered September 23 at 9pm

Shows about sports have the potential to be truly powerful since there’s a certain excitement that comes from American pastimes and the rush that comes from watching them. That’s one thing that FOX’s new series absolutely captures, stirring up energy around the first female Major League Baseball player. The opening scene was a stylized, triumphant entrance for Kylie Bunbury’s Ginny Baker as she presented a cool, focused front while the world struggled to figure out what to do with her. Her first time pitching went very poorly, and it’s a good thing that she proved herself with her second outing so that she didn’t get the boot and see her dreams disappear in front of her. It was initially inspiring to see Ginny get trained from a young age by her father, and then things got much more serious and upsetting when he pushed her hard and wouldn’t let up, even hitting her brother to motivate her not to stop training. The reveal at the end of the episode that her father actually died and that he’s only with her in spirit may not have been a huge shock, but it was still immensely powerful. Aside from some of the excessive antics that come from the likes of Mark-Paul Gosselaar as the cocky, chatty captain and Ali Larter as Kylie’s powerhouse manager, I think this show does work well and I’m interested to see where it goes even though I really don’t care at all about sports and wouldn’t have imagined myself watching a show like this.

How will it work as a series? She’s made it into the big leagues and has already overcome so much, but as her father keeps saying, she’s not there yet and still has a long way to go. The journey towards a stable life is what this show is going to be about, and I think a lot of it might be familiar but could also be very engaging and worth watching.
How long will it last? The news out of the gate is much like Ginny’s first time pitching, pretty worrisome but probably worthy of a second chance because of its potential. FOX is likely to hang on to this show because of its positive reception and its ability to win over viewers, so hopefully the show can bounce back in subsequent airings to ensure it a promising future.

Pilot grade: B+