Kate Hudson’s ‘Running Point’ Is A Must See

Full disclosure: I never fully understood the hoopla over Ted Lasso on Apple TV+. Good? Yes. Exceptional? Not so sure. But I am here to scream off the proverbial rooftop just how damn fine Running Point on Netflix is.

Of course, no review of any series on a streaming service would not be complete without my whining that I want more episodes. Ten was simply not enough. And, yes, I still miss those days when a typically 22-episode season of a series on a broadcast network (with one episode per week) gave me something to look forward to.

That aside, Kate Hudson excels as Isla Gordon on Mindy Kaling’s Running Point, a former party girl thrust into the leadership role of the family’s struggling pro basketball team, the Los Angeles Waves. Mixing comedy with heartfelt emotional moments, Hudson’s Isla finds her groove, rising from contempt from the basketball team to an earned respect both professionally and by her family members. Included is standout Fabrizio Guido as Jackie Moreno, the younger half-brother recently discovered by the Gordon siblings who is also in search of acceptance.

The fictional Gordon clan, no doubt, are a product of a sorely dysfunctional childhood.

Older brother Cameron “Cam” Gordon (Justin Theroux), the president of the Waves, lands in rehab following a drug-induced car accident. Scott MacArthur as Ness, Isla’s other older brother and the general manager of the Waves, is dealing with a volatile marriage and his own struggle with drugs. And Drew Tarver as Sandy, yet another basket of insecurities, feels like an outsider at times and remains private about his personal life as a gay man.

In less visible roles, Max Greenfield as Lev Levenson, Isla’s pediatrician fiancé, is virtually unrecognizable from his stint as goofy Dave Johnson on veteran CBS sitcom The Neighborhood. And Brenda Song is Ali Lee, Isla’s best friend and the no-nonsense chief of staff for the Waves.

Then, of course, is the team, including Chet Hanks as Travis Bugg, the problematic point guard of the Waves; Toby Sandeman as Marcus Winfield, the star player of the Waves; Uche Agada as Dyson Gibbs, the rookie player of the Waves; and Jay Ellis as Jay Brown, the head coach.

Oh, and let’s not forget the Gordon family nemesis, Jon Glaser as podcaster Sean Murphy.

Spoiler alert! I am about to spill some of those “beans” from the season finale.

Unlike some critics who balk at predictability, season one of Running Point offered a comfortable potpourri of the expected. Included was Isla, Ness and Sandy’s emotional moment with Jackie; troubled Travis Bugg showing his vulnerable side; Jay and Isla’s passionate kiss; and the return of older brother Cam in the final moment, all whetting your appetite for what lies ahead in season two.

I can certainly understand why Running Point roared out of the Netflix gate as #1 on its top 10 list. And I am anxiously waiting the next batch of episodes for my now all-time favorite sports-themed comedy.