First of all, I'm calling it, this show will not be renewed despite the devastating cliffhanger. But with a mere 2.5 million viewers per week, this show won't be allowed to continue.
That said, I can't wait to see what happens next as the show ends with Ginny (Kylie Bunbury) going into a CAT scan machine, having severed her relationship with her huckster brother, Will (BJ Britt) and fiery, fierce agent Amelia (Ali Larter, great), and most likely not pursuing her budding relationship with billionaire Noah Casey (Tyler Hilton).
Ginny truly does come into her own in the finale, though I wish the season built that up better. Ginny is not the most consistent character, having broken her own rule and dated another player in the minors and was foolish enough to have some naked pictures taken. She had every right to do that and while she should have known better, the fact that everyone is scandalized that she has some, it doesn't matter what or how many risque photos the guys have on their phone. It is a double-standard that needs to stop. She deals well with the dated sexist comments her coach, Al (Dan Lauria) said along with a taking a stance on the rape of a female athlete. She even has a breakdown after signing a lucrative deal with Nike, not believing that she belongs on the same list as President Obama and wondering what her life would be like if she had gone to college or wanted to do something else other than baseball. But she recovers and handles the ridiculous underground release of her photos with ease. And then her brother shows up. He is first portrayed as a person who wants the best for his little sister and forces her to take Amelia as her agent but now, he isn't thrilled that Amelia doesn't trust him. Will is deep in debt and owes people money, but Ginny nevertheless writes him a check to start his own restaurant. Amelia forces Will to tell Ginny the tell truth, which Ginny picks out of him, devastated that he used her money for a purpose he never told her about. If he had been honest, she still would have given him the money. She wants her brother back. But she's still mad at Amelia and Amelia has had it, leaving Ginny to fend for herself.
Now to my main problem with the show: Ginny's relationship with catcher Mike Lawson (Mark-Paul Gosselaar). At first, it's rocky though Mike eventually grows to respect Ginny as a teammate and fellow athlete and dates her agent which she abruptly ends it, though he wasn't over his ex-wife, journalist Rachel Patrick (Joanna Garcia-Swisher). Then, he decides he wants to be traded, after fifteen years of being a Padre. He doesn't realize that he has a crush on Ginny until he tells another teammate that there is no way Oscar (Jason Canela) likes her because he doesn't even know Ginny whereas Mike does. And he does like her. It gets awkward on what we believe will be Mike's last night in San Diego, they almost kiss and I was livid and then he doesn't even get traded and some of his teammates are furious as Mike had given up on the Padres.
During Ginny's last start, as statistic guru Ross (Josh Peck) is worried about Ginny's pitch count, she is throwing a no-hitter and nearly faints after seeing that zero on the big board, Mike goes to calm her down and she calls him out, saying she doesn't need a man to rescue her, doesn't even need a billionaire to take her around the world, she's on the mound and needs to own the moment which she nearly does, until she injuries herself fielding a routine bunt. Amelia sees this on the TV at the airport and boards her flight nonetheless. It is wonderful having a main character decide she doesn't need a man to succeed, only it doesn't exactly work out for her, which is a shame, the moment is wasted.
Now, that is only Ginny's plot line, and I didn't even get into all the flashbacks, some of which worked better than others, which is probably the last three episodes were far superior than the previous seven. We know that Ginny's father was killed by the alcoholic drunk driving father of one of her best friends in high school and that Mike's mother was con-artist but at least Ginny's past doesn't translate well into her present, never mentioning how much the characters drink though you never see her drive, which I find interesting. But all Mike wants is a family and might have a chance as he sleeps with his ex-wife in the finale. Things might work out between them now, as she does even show up at the game, witnessing Ginny's injury firsthand.
I haven't mentioned Ginny's center fielder Blip Saunders (Mo McRae). First of all, what kind of name is Blip? He is sort of a jerk, not understanding how many sacrifices his wife, Evelyn (Meagan Holder) makes for him and doesn't appreciate her for it. Evelyn is actually not a bad character, supportive of Ginny, who doesn't have many female friends and is the one who finally sees through Will's crap and cuts him out of the business but still wants to pursue it herself, opting to focus on herself for a change. That marriage is slightly rocky as Blip wants another baby.
And the office staff including new president of operations (Kevin Connolly) hasn't yet meshed with the general manager Oscar (Mark Consuelos), but their action isn't the most important.
While the acting is top-notch the plot lines are all over the place and though this show might be cooperating with MLB, it isn't accurate. There are too many day games, not enough road trips and Ginny develops a new pitch too quickly, among other issues, but the show is sound, with great music and cinematography and it is a shame that the acting is wasted. Bunbury, Larter and Gosselaar kill it every episode but despite the importance of this show, I feel that it quickly be forgotten and that is just a shame. Bunbury is the real breakout star, doing much better work here than in her previous TV venture, Under the Dome. This is the one she should be remembered for and she deserves a great career. Grade: B
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