“Running Point”: A Sportsish Review
In 2003, Andie Anderson taught us how to lose a guy in 10 days. In 2025, Isla Gordon teaches us how to girl-boss an NBA team into submission in 10 episodes. Our queen Kate Hudson is back in the spotlight with Netflix’s new show “Running Point,” and it’s our newest obsession. In true Sportsish fashion, “Running Point” is a sitcom that combines the world of professional basketball with a heartwarming and comedic story of how an overlooked daughter rises to the occasion to lead her family’s basketball franchise to victory. Loosely based on the story of Los Angeles Lakers’ owner Jeanie Buss with the influence of co-creator and executive producer Mindy Kaling, this lighthearted and lively show is a win in our books.
Isla Gordon, a reformed party girl and only daughter of a billionaire family who owns a pro basketball dynasty, winds up seated at the head of the table as the president of the LA Waves franchise after her seemingly perfect oldest brother resigns in the wake of a public drug scandal. Although the change is unexpected, Isla embraces it, eager for the opportunity to prove herself in the family business after always being underestimated. Ambitious but at times dysfunctional, Isla must navigate family dynamics, business challenges, and her own doubts as she fights to take the struggling Waves back to the top of the game.
Alongside Isla in this journey are her 3 brothers: uptight CFO Sandy, lovable sports bro and general manager Ness, and rehab-bound previous owner Cam. Other significant people in her life include her chief of staff and bestie Ali, the concession worker turned surprise half-sibling Jackie, star players Travis and Marcus, attractive Waves head coach Jay, and good-guy fiancé Lev.
As far as storytelling goes, Mindy Kaling and her comrades have a knack for putting a smile on their audience’s faces with their bright comedy that grabs your arm and pulls you along for the ride they’ve laid out. This “ride” entails a familiar but captivating pattern - something goes wrong, but our protagonist cleverly figures out how to fix it, which then ends up creating new problems to solve that begin the cycle again. The show is fast-paced, making the most of every minute included. Kate Hudson navigates this brilliantly, delivering a graceful and confident performance as her witty and charming underdog character. We can see bits of ourselves reflected in Isla’s character, a go-getting female force determined to pave her own way to success and prove the haters and doubters wrong. An all-star lineup of supporting actors also brings life and laughter to the screen, crafting their own characters with their distinct appeal.
This show's talented and charismatic collection of actors is definitely one of the biggest highlights. Amongst the recognizable faces are Max Greenfield (New Girl), Jay Ellis (Insecure & Top Gun: Maverick), Justin Theroux (The Leftovers), and Miss London Tipton herself, aka Brenda Song. These stars come together beautifully to create relationship dynamics (especially amongst siblings) that are humorous and very relatable. Another principal draw of the show is not only the underdog story it presents with Isla’s leadership of the LA Waves but also the intrigue of her personal life. For example, the engaged president finds herself in a bit of a sticky situation as she starts to crush on her team’s handsome coach.
As far as drawbacks of the show go, the main obstacle is its fast-paced nature, which can leave viewers feeling like they don’t fully get to know the characters or see the action play out in the detail they want to. This can make it challenging for some to become emotionally invested. Along with the emotions, it could be seen as too cheery and predictable, even a bit superficial at times. One other element to note is the basketball. While non-fans will appreciate that you don’t really need to understand anything about the game itself to enjoy the show, fans may be disappointed at the lack of depth and contribution to the storyline the game itself provides. For example, the audience doesn’t know exactly why Isla loves basketball or what the team's culture is like.
If you’re looking for the next watch that is easy-going, familiar, and makes you laugh, make sure to add “Running Point” to the queue. Fans of a classic workplace sitcom will enjoy the all-around wholesome vibes the show brings, along with a charming cast and, ultimately, the gripping question of whether Isla can rise to the occasion and restore the Waves to their former glory. Although slightly generic and lacking in sharper details, “Running Point” is a binge-worthy, feel-good sports story that all can enjoy.