RUNNING POINT SEASON 2 REVIEW: The Winning Formula?

Running Point has been quietly flying under the radar as the second season recently premiered on Netflix. It has an all-star cast featuring Kate Hudson as Isla Gordon, who is in her second season as President/General Manager of the Los Angeles Waves basketball team. The previous season had the team falling short in the playoffs but delivering an immensely funny and heartfelt show. So how does season 2 compare?

SPOILERS AHEAD!

We pick up season 2 with the return of Cam Gordon (Justin Theroux), returning to the front office after his stint in rehab and gunning for his old job as GM. Meanwhile, Isla and the team are focused on taking that next step after falling short in the playoffs the previous year. They’re on the hunt for a new coach, new players, and finding their way out of debt. Along with her brothers Ness (Scott MacArthur), Sandy (Drew Tarver), her best friend Ali (Brenda Song), and their newest brother, Jackie (Fabrizio Guido), there is a lot more workplace drama/comedy than there is basketball focus this season.

The cast adds Ray Romano as Norm Stinson, who has been dragged out of retirement to coach the Waves. There are a few other additions to the cast, such as Ken Marino as Al Fleischman, AKA The Toilet King of Orange County! At times it feels as though there are too many characters that pull away from the core group, who are not without their own issues, such as ebezzlment, drugs, and Isla harboring feelings for former coach Jay while preparing to marry her fiancé, Lev.

Does the game plan work?

The show continues to have its funny moments, particularly when focused on Hudson and the Gordon family. There are times when it feels as though we are watching the rich people version of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, even. Brenda Song’s Ali gets a bit more time to shine as she feels undervalued with the Waves and even finds herself in Toronto for a period of time. There are some clever details of what it’s like behind the scenes of running a professional sports team. Trade deals, unhappy Waves Dancers, and dealing with sharing your arena with other teams, even.

Unfortunately, the show uses its 30-minute episode run time to fill too many character subplots into it at certain times, which can leave things a bit of a mess. Overall, though this season does feel like they have truly found their footing, which is a good thing, as it has just been announced that they have been renewed for a season 3! It’s an easy show to watch and turn your brain off if you’re looking for something that isn’t overly serious and delivers plenty of laughs.

Final Thoughts:

As a Boston sports fan, it can be hard to watch an LA team succeed; however, the cast, led by Kate Hudson, brings plenty of hilarious moments and mixes in the drama very well. It’s a show that hasn’t generated a ton of buzz, which is a shame because it truly is a fun show to dive into! There’s even an intense cliffhanger leading us into season 3, which has recently been announced, and you have plenty of time to catch up if you haven’t done so yet!

Overall Grade: 7.5/10

Running Point is streaming exclusively on Netflix now. Let us know your thoughts below! Be sure to let us know your thoughts below and check out more reviews by Matt!