I never was much of a sports fan, but after watching the new Netflix original series, “Running Point,” starring Kate Hudson, I developed a newfound appreciation for basketball and the people behind the scenes that oftentimes don’t get as much recognition as the players on the court. Not only is the show a much needed break from the stresses of high school, specifically nearing the end of my senior year, but watching “Running Point” is a breath of fresh air that I think the whole world needs right now. 

Created by Ike Barinholtz, Mindy Kaling, Elaine Ko and David Stassen, the show follows reformed party girl Isla Gordon (Kate Hudson) as she takes over her family’s basketball franchise. She becomes the manager of the fictional Los Angeles basketball team “The Waves” and as you can probably imagine, being a woman in a male dominated field, she faces abundant criticism and a lack of respect from her co-workers. Being the only daughter of the family, she is thrown into a workplace and she must navigate the tribulations and complicated relationships that come with that. The show perfectly blends humor with the more serious issue of gender equality and respect in the workforce.

My favorite rom-com has always been “How to Lose A Guy In Ten Days” and I grew up watching “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody” so naturally when I heard that the stars of two of my favorite pieces of television, Kate Hudson and Brenda Song, were going to be in a TV show, I couldn’t have been more excited. I began watching the show with high expectations of the actors, but low expectations of the actual production, knowing that Netflix has a history of producing shows that are notoriously repetitive and somewhat boring such as “Riverdale” and “Ginny and Georgia”, but I was pleasantly surprised. Although a bit cliche, the show delivers unique humor which resembles that of “Modern Family”: fast paced and sometimes hard to catch, but hilarious. The script is light-hearted and doesn’t dive too deep into serious issues, just as a comedy TV show should do. In my opinion. “Running Point” has mastered the art of being simply a feel-good, comedy show whose sole purpose is to entertain, which is a pleasant breath of fresh air from the vast number of recent TV shows that have gotten so caught up in wanting to tell some edgy, ground-breaking story that they turn the simplest story plots into tragic tales The sibling dynamics are yet another source of relatability that the show bestows. The loving banter between Gordon and her brothers is an endearing representation of the truest form of unconditional love that siblings hold in times of hardship . Cam Gordon (Justin Theroux), the oldest of the siblings, is the former president of the Los Angeles Waves but due to a drug problem, steps down, trusting Isla to take over his job. He serves as somewhat of a mediator when the other family members don’t see the potential in Isla.

I do, however, have one critique of the show: I felt that it undermined Isla Gordon’s knowledge of basketball. The first episode hits the ground running showcasing her extensive knowledge of the sport and depicts her as being the misunderstood and undermined only daughter in a family of men that knew just as much about basketball as the rest of them. As the show progresses, Gordon’s quick remarks showcasing her basketball wit begin to die out. I think the writers of the show got so carried away in the humor of it and by trying to make it a feel good show, they forgot about the greater message intertwined in the story: that women are just as capable as men of holding positions of power relating to sports.

It’s safe to say that I am hooked on the show, but  I know some people might scroll through Netflix  and think it’s just another cliche Netflix Original, but I strongly advise against dismissing it without a glance. Its fast pace and infectious humor certainly guarantee watchers an unforgettable “slam dunk” watch.