Pitch, 1.04 - "Alfonzo Guzman-Chavez"

Warning: SPOILERS IF YOU HAVE NOT WATCHED.

I've only just discovered and started Pitch recently, but it is one of the few shows that I actually do not have any major complaints about. Not even my favorite show in the world, as I previously posted about, escapes my wrath. But with a diverse and talented cast, Pitch has so far done a great job of portraying racism and sexism in a white male-dominated sports industry that otherwise, I know little to nothing about. And it's kind of surprising to me that this show is on Fox, whose news counterpart is known for being...you guessed it, racist and sexist! So basically, what I'm saying is, this show is brilliant. More people should watch it. It should NOT be cancelled. Go watch it, people!




That being said, it's not perfect, and I have a few questions to raise and a few developments I'd like to talk about. Hopefully this will be shorter than my other rants reviews. In this week's episode, it's MLB trading time. It's a lot of baseball mumble jumble, but basically, the teams' general managers make deals with each other to trade players depending on positions needed and salaries. Oscar, the Padres' general manager, struggles to meet the budget cuts. Ginny, knowing perfectly well she won't be traded, worries about the the potential trade of Blip Sanders, fellow All-star and friend. As long as the Orioles don't trade Alfonzo Guzman-Chavez, Blip will for certain stay on the team. Of course, that's why the episode is named after him - Guzman-Chavez is inevitably traded, and Blip's status is in the air. I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing to be traded, as the players are still making big money playing a kids game, but the episode makes it out like it is. Ginny's just worried one of her few friends will be leaving her, taking his family with him. Ginny and Blip have known each other even before she joined the Padres, and the show seems to completely skip over that. I hope they have good reason to, and we'll be seeing how Ginny befriended Blip and his wife Evelyn in the future. (Blip and Evelyn are actual relationship goals, by the way.) The whole dynamic is very cute - Ginny's also close with their seven year old twins and it's basically the purest.

Oscar and his staff manage to create a roster that doesn't go over the budget just before the deadline, and when the announcement comes out, Blip is safe - the one leaving is Tommy, Ginny's new friend. I know the show is trying to make me sympathetic towards him, but I'm not. He was so horribly sexist the first time he met Ginny, and that is unforgiveable. I don't know how blatant misogyny and lowkey racism can be excused simply because Ginny wants to be considered "one of the guys". Another player we've literally never been introduced to before leaves, and....ends up getting traded back? I'm confused, but whatever.

There's a series of flashbacks that explain why Ginny is so scared to lose Blip. In her younger days, she befriended Jordan, a fellow player whose dad is a drunk. (By the way, Jordan looks so similar to Tommy that I legitimately thought it was him for a second. It's also an indication of how forgettable they're trying to make him, for some reason.) Jordan introduces her to new shows and music, and Ginny's dad Bill seems to view him as his own son, caring for him like his actual father should have. Finally, Bill pretty much demands for Jordan's father to show up. He does - but way after the game ends. Being drunk, he's a pretty sloppy driver, and proves why this storyline is relevant to the episode - he's the one who kills Bill in the car accident. After that, Jordan and Ginny's friendship abruptly ends. I mean, I guess I get why that would happen, but I still feel bad for Jordan - it wasn't his fault that his dad was a drunk.

Meanwhile, Ginny's agent Amelia is sleeping with Mike Lawson, Ginny's colleague and friend. Only, they want to keep it a secret. Both Amelia and Mike end up being horrible at keeping secrets, as Amelia accidentally reveals the relationship to Tim, Ginny's social media manger, and Blip deduces it after Mike insists upon changing the subject. However, I don't understand why they feel the need to not tell anyone. They're not doing anything illegal, and the only reason Ginny would mind is if the writers are going to set up Mike and Ginny in the future. But if Ginny's reaction to their relationship is any indication, they're definitely going in that direction. I like both Amelia and Mike and Mike and Ginny, so I'm content with either relationship. That being said, I felt like Amelia was uncharacteristically high-maintenance in this episode. Things get awkward when the two realize they're in a borderline serious relationship. She gets offended when Mike jokingly calls her a groupie, and rejects his gifts as an attempt for forgiveness. While I didn't understand her this episode, her zingers were truly art. There were countless times when even I was shocked at her boldness.

Overall, Fox doled out another enjoyable episode. The show is keeping it pretty safe (aside from the fact that their lead is the first black woman in the MLB), so there's nothing to get mad about. However, keeping it safe won't stop it from being boring soon, so it'd be cool if the producers could up the stakes and develop Ginny's friendships more. I would especially like to see Ginny and Eliot's interaction. Aside for one phone conversation about Blip's chances of being traded, they didn't even talk face to face. Eliot is a main - an Asian one, at that - who deserves more screentime, and I want to see his cheerful disposition contrasted with her more laid back personality making a strangely complementary friendship.

Rating: 8
Extras that didn't make it in: Ginny, Blip and Mike - name a more iconic trio, I'll wait. Also, this finally ended up being kind of short! Or did it? I don't know.

*My next review will probably be last week's episode of Supergirl I still haven't watched because I'm behind with everything in my life. See you then!