If there’s one thing Netflix has established in the last two quarters, it’s that they are all in when it comes to streaming series. Its latest addition, Running Point, follows a family-owned basketball franchise in a tough spot. With bad publicity and a losing record, it’s time for change within the organization.
Kate Hudson plays Isla Gordon, the overlooked daughter among her three brothers who hold prominent positions within the organization. When discord strikes her family, she finds herself thrust into the limelight as president of the Los Angeles Waves, a storied basketball franchise and their family business. With more power than she’s ever held, she’s now responsible for the team going forward.
The title “Running Point” works as both the series label and a hoops reference. Running point or “run the point” refers to the point guard who leads the team’s offense and controls the ball. Acting as a floor general, they call the plays and make key decisions while on the court. Similarly, Hudson leads the operations in the front office and is responsible for key decisions such as trades and sponsorships.
The series is pure comedy and a welcome sight among all the drama and docuseries on Netflix. It’s not as intense as Ballers (HBO) or Survivor’s Remorse (Starz) but not as loose as Semi-Pro, the Will Ferrell-led film where he owned a basketball franchise. The series comes from Mindy Kaling, Ike Barinholtz, David Stassen, and Elaine Ko. Among the list of executive producers were Kaling, Hudson, and Lakers owner Jeanie Buss, who the series is lightly based on.
The family business, the Los Angeles Waves, is run by Isla Gordon and her three brothers: Sandy (Drew Tarver), Ness (Scott MacArthur), and Cam (Justin Theroux). Isla is elevated to president after Cam goes to rehab after his drug use led to a car accident. With skeptics criticizing her and doubt following her everywhere she goes, Isla digs deep into her life-long love of basketball to help make critical decisions to turn the team around.
Her go-to for advice is her colleague and friend Ali Lee (Brenda Song) and head coach Jay Brown (Jay Ellis). The first big issue to deal with is the familiar sight of an expensive player whose lack of focus is costing the team efficiency and money. Travis Bugg (Chet Hanks) is more concerned with his rap career and VR gaming than he is with scoring. With everyone in the front office looking to trade him, Isla puts her heels down (in her first of many executive decisions) and opts to keep him. The series provides many situations similar to this one, including trades for money and draft picks, handling the rumor mill, dealing with PR blunders, and of course, critique from the media (ESPN, podcasts, Reddit).
Ali Lee and Chet Hanks bring the laughs in this 10-episode comedy. Theroux, MacArthur, and Tarver have their hand in “the funny” as well, with the latter conveying more of a Niles Crane from Fraser. Kate Hudson was perfect for this role; she brought the laughs, handled the business, and maneuvered the family drama. Cam is “away” from the office for most of the season during his rehab so it’s mainly Isla, Sandy, and Ness, and they all hit walls in their relationships. Some have partners who want to convert to different religions while others ignore their spouses too often for work, either way, there’s no shortage of humor in any part of this series.
Similarly to Ted Lasso, we see a woman-led sports franchise turn its tides around. The femme-led executive seat is a trend that’s refreshing to see and gets touched on in various places. The notion of glass ceilings and trailblazing get tossed around here and there and that’s good. Workplace comedies such as these are supposed to reflect the real world, and unfortunately, there are glass ceilings and prejudice around women. At least here, it doesn’t get so heavy that the plot gets lost in the sauce, because it’s truly a light comedy series with no end-game. Its sole purpose is to entertain and it does it well.
Running Point gets a 9 out of 10. The trio of Buss, Kaling, and Hudson is working almost effortlessly, and as long as they don’t stray from their roots, this could go for multiple seasons. Chet Hanks is more than just a viral meme who does accents. His portrayal felt natural and the comedy The TV-MA rating is appropriate because of the coarse language, brief nudity, and drug use.
Running Point is streaming now on Netflix.
-Jon Jones
Genre: Comedy, Sports
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 10 Episodes | 30 mins.
Trailer: Watch
U.S. Release Date: February 27, 2024