If you haven’t caught FOX’s new series PITCH – do yourself a favor and watch it. Like right now. Drop what you’re doing, go here, and prepare yourself to meet Ginny Baker – your new fucking hero.
Dan Fogelman’s latest drama revolves around the first female pitcher in Major League Baseball – Ginny Baker, and I will admit I was dubious when I first read about this show a few months ago. It’s a premise that could easily become preachy, too politically correct and well… just naff. But DAAAMN! This show is nothing short of amazing! In fact, it’s by far my favorite new show of the season (Sorry Son of Zorn, you’ve been bumped!), and does pretty much everything right!
Focusing on Ginny, and the scrutiny she faces playing for the San Diego Padres, I can ensure you Pitch isn’t the PC fest you envision. It’s real. Like really real, and it speaks to me on every level. But not just as the perpetual tom boy – but as someone who too, wants to be in a very male dominated career. (Writer, TV, Comedy.. you get the picture) What do her team mates think of a girl entering the locker room? What about her coach? All of this is addressed in the first two episodes, as well as delving into the girl on girl warfare that is set up so many times in the media for ‘overnight sensations’ or ‘flavors of the month’. The entire world of Pitch is so well fleshed out and so well implemented it’s hard to believe this show isn’t based on a true story.
Plucked from the minor leagues to go pro with The Padres, Ginny’s first game on the mound doesn’t go as she – or others in her life – planned, and the ensuing events of the pilot go down just as you’d imagine – Managers are in the cross hairs, the press are turning their backs on her, and all the while she’s being pulled in various directions by managers, team mates and just her own will…and then it happens. Ginny steps up to do what she loves to do. To prove she’s not just “a robot in cleats”. Now, I don’t really watch baseball games – I used to play as a kid, so I appreciate the sport, but I can honestly say I’ve never been more invested in anything baseball as I was watching Ginny’s second game. It was that real. It was that on-the-edge-of-your-seat kind of moment where you just want the happy ending. You want her to win, not just for her – but for yourself! Trust me, you’ll be that invested in this show that quickly.
Kylie Bunbury is a natural in the role of Ginny and continuously holds her own in every scene she’s in – which is pretty much all of them by the way. She manages to balance the confidence the character needs to take on such a high profile career while letting pieces of Ginny’s fragile persona seep in when needed, making her performance both inspiring and so God damn award worthy! (Seriously Emmys, Globes, Critcs – GET HER NAME ON THAT LIST NOW!) She even does her own pitching for the love of God!
Through out the episodes you see pieces of Ginny’s life via flashbacks, which is not something I normally love but they’re used to such wonderful effect in this show I’m letting it slide. You see what has led her to this unconventional career, and it’s not all pretty – in fact a lot of it isn’t pretty but again – that’s what makes this show so beautiful! It lays out all the flaws, the struggles and even the downright awful moments that have made Ginny who she is. We see what spurs her on, what she believes in, and what keeps her from giving up- even in those moments of despairs where you can tell all she wants to do is walk away and cry in a corner. (Been there Gin, been there!)
All I can say is this show will emotionally ruin me, that is if FOX allows it to get passed mid-season. While Pitch‘s ratings aren’t in the gutter, they aren’t the best in the world either, and that is why I don’t want to keep writing about this show – I want you to go watch it. To see for yourself, and to support what is probably one of the best new shows in recent memory. So please, tune in tonight (Thursday 9/8c on FOX) and see what I’m talking about. Catch up on the previous two episodes online here. Please. This show is far too wonderful, and Ginny Baker is far too important to let them both get lost in the TV landscape of the Big Fucking Bang Theory. TV needs this show. I need this show.
“Welcome to the big leagues Ginny, we’ve been waiting for you!”
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