Back in the Game

It’s summer which means that television networks are gearing up for their new fall lineups. In addition to the highly anticipated Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, ABC has a new show for baseball fans on deck.

Back in the Game stars Maggie Lawson as Terry Gannon, the new head baseball coach of her son’s little league team. The only problem is that “The Angles” consists of all the misfit players who couldn’t make the A team, or even B team for that matter. Now Terry, an All Star college player herself, must whip her team into shape and show everyone else that she means business. Fortunately for her, she also has her nutcase of a father (James Caan) to help out.

The show is rough, and that’s putting things politely. It relies on trite and stereotypical humor, mainly focused on how women shouldn’t be involved in baseball. Many of the jokes are cringe inducing, like when a guy says, “I’m going to take you so deep you’re going to be making me breakfast, baby.” The guy, whose name is coincidentally Dick Slingbaugh (Ben Koldyke), is the womanizing main baseball coach and constantly gives Terry a hard time. My guess is that they become romantically involved by the third episode.

The only silver lining to the show is James Caan’s character. His nickname is The Cannon, and he’s this old school hard ass type of father who tells it like it is and doesn’t take any nonsense. He’s in a league of his own when compared to the rest of the cast and does the best he can with the script that’s in front of him. If you watch the show at all, it’ll be because of him.

Back in the Game is not the home run ABC is looking for. While it has a decent premise, its execution is absolutely horrible. There’s little to like about the show and the humor sounds like it was from something 10 years ago. Everyone is stereotyped and there’s little to latch on to. I’ll give it one strike before ABC decides to pull the plug.