Pitch Season 1 Episode 4 Review: The Break
Jasmine Blu
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What an emotional episode!
The best thing about Pitch is that it quite simply is a show with a lot of heart.
For the most part, Pitch Season 1 Episode 4 was a quiet episode. It was a much appreciated breather after the fun and excitement of Pitch Season 1 Episode 3. It did what this show excels at doing, which is delving deeper and slowly unraveling layers to not only Ginny, but all of the great characters she's surrounded by.
It took a bit, but we were finally properly introduced to Ginny's mother. I don't know about many of you, but I had been curious about the state of her relationship with her mom for some time. Up until this point, she had been mostly absent from the frenzy that has surrounded Ginny, and that just seemed odd.
So it wasn't surprising to see Ginny begging Evelyn to stay with her, or relying on Amelia, and even Mike to act as a buffer between her and her mom. There was some clear tension there.
It just appeared so one-sided at first. I don't know what I was expecting. I guess, I was expecting her mom to be this truly awful person. Perhaps she wouldn't be supportive, or maybe she was judgmental, or even worse, maybe she blamed Ginny for Bill's death.
You don't have to apologize to me. I understand. Just know this, if you change your mind or if it ever just gets to be too much for you one day, and you need me to step in. I'll tell him. I'll be right here waiting. I love you, and there's nothing you can ever do to make me stop loving you.
Mrs. Baker
Mrs. Baker didn't appear to be any of that. I loved that in the flashbacks, she was the one who wanted Ginny to just take a few moments and be a kid. She didn't like how much Bill pushed Ginny, but she respected the fact that baseball was what Ginny wanted to do.
That moment Mrs. Baker shared with a young Ginny, telling her that she'd get Ginny out of it, all Ginny had to do was say the word. It was damn near the perfect sitcom moment. One of my favorite moments of the episode.
It just didn't match up with present Ginny and Mrs. Baker barely able to share a meal together. And wow that was an awkward meal! Kudos to Amelia and Mike trying to make the best of a dinner that ended up looking like Ginny was the fifth wheel of a double date!
Ginny: Mom, can I have a minute? A friend?
Mrs. Baker: We're dating.
Ginny: And you didn't think about giving me a head's up?
I really felt for Ginny when she found out her mom was dating Kevin. Also, much to my pleasure, the show continued it's 90's appreciation by casting Eddie from Family Matters as her mom's beau.
I figured it was probably difficult for her seeing her mother with someone who wasn't her father. I didn't expect to find out that Kevin and her mother were a "thing" when Ginny was younger!
Whether it was just a dangerous flirtation or a full on affair, we don't really know, and I guess it doesn't really matter. It changed the course of Ginny's relationship with her mother though. It also explained why Ginny became such a daddy's girl after that.
Baseball didn't kill your father. A drunk driver killed your father. Baseball killed my marriage and took my daughter away from me.
Mrs. Baker
I loved Ginny and her mom having such an honest discussion as adults. Through a child's eyes things are a lot simpler and more black and white. But hearing her mother speak her truth, as a woman rather than just her mom, and looking back on it as an adult changed things.
Mrs. Baker is just a woman who lost her husband long before he actually died, and lost her daughter in a way too. She deserved happiness. I hope they can work on their relationship because they clearly love each other.
Marriage is hard and so is that lifestyle. I loved how the Bakers marriage, and Mike's divorce was a theme in this episode, and Blip and Evelyn were on the flip side of it it.
This is the biggest moment of my life, are you seriously not happy for me?
Blip
They're the most stable and loving couple on the show, but there marriage isn't without difficulties. Evelyn had every right to be both happy for Blip and upset because another family trip was ruined.
It was totally unfair that Blip assumed she wasn't happy for him. They are both typically so happy go lucky, and funny, but I really loved the serious moment, where she really laid into him about the sacrifices she makes so he can continue to live his dream. It was definitely one of Evelyn's best moments to date, and she's had many.
It was so sweet when they made up. God, I love Evelyn and Blip so much. They're the epitome of "relationship goals."
I don't deserve to be playing in the All Star game. I was just starting to be accepted by the guys. It's terrible timing and if I turn it down it'll go to Blip, who deserves to go.
Ginny
I'm really glad that the All Star Game situation worked out where Blip could be part of it, because like Ginny said, he deserved it. Ginny and that Imposter Syndrome of hers is so real and visceral and I love that it never goes away.
I also really appreciated Al when he straight up told her, that it isn't about how she got there or even whether or not she earned it. It's all about what she does with it. Her being in the All Star game may have been premature and fan servicing, but it doesn't take away from her talent.
This girl. This woman is a gamer. She's a total gamer. It doesn't matter what you throw at her she gets back up. She's a hell of a lot stronger than I am, that's for sure.
Mike
Just like her having a bad day doesn't mean she doesn't deserve to be there.
I'm pretty sure Mike Lawson is President of the Ginny Baker fan club. Which speaks volumes, since she has so many fans and such a supportive network of people surrounding her. Another great Mike speech on the books.
It really sucks that part of her being the first female pitcher in the league, means she has to work twice as hard to be taken seriously, and she isn't allowed to screw up or have off days without her spot being questioned.
Mike being such a cheerleader and supportive friend of Ginny's when he has his own issues is part of what I love about him. Well, that and the beard. I love the beard.
I'm a 36 year old catcher with 65 year old knees. A back that's playing peek-a-boo. I have two more good years tops.
Mike
The sense of time running out for Mike has been building with each episode. Between his knees and his back, he just doesn't seem to have much left in him and that breaks my heart.
I absolutely adore the fact that he's having this existential crisis. It's so relatable and genuine. It doesn't matter what age you are or what you're doing in life, that feeling of not knowing what you're doing in life is constant.
He was so discouraged that he wasn't immediately good at being a sports analyst. He was like a bumbling teddy bear on air, and it was almost painful to watch. But he could be good with time and practice. I believe in you Mikey.
So far I haven't found anything Mike Lawson isn't good at if he puts his mind to it.
Amelia
And so does Amelia. The softer side of Amelia is as great to watch as the alternative. She was so supportive of Mike and said all the right things. Honestly I'm so glad that their relationship isn't just something physical.
The only thing I dislike about the two of them together is the fact that they are still keeping it from Ginny. That's a ticking time bomb that might explode before Mike's situation will.
Although, given the fact that Oscar signed a new catcher, maybe that's not true.
I really enjoyed watching Oscar work. He hasn't had too much time to really shine and show what he's capable of. And I swear, hearing him relate to Duarte with growing up poor in Hispanic countries...gah. It got a little dusty in the room.
That's a doll head. you know how I knew you were going to catch that? Because you used it as a ball as a kid. Just like I did, because neither of us could afford a real one.
Oscar
I'm usually not a fan of when shows have characters give long expositions on their background to make up for not showing us or fleshing them out, but Pitch nails this perfectly every time.
Finally hearing more about Oscar and how he ended up where he is now, explained why he had such a difficult time with the Al situation. Al gave him a shot when nobody else would and saved him. The Padres are family.
In fact, giving us so many bits of pieces of other characters besides Ginny is what makes it really feel like a family drama just as much as a sports show. The only person we still haven't gotten nearly enough of is Elliot. Seriously, what gives?
Ginny: I think I would have did better with you out there.
Mike: You couldn't have done worse.
Ginny: Listen old man, if your knees weren't so brittle we'd be celebrating right now.
The show is still at it's absolute best when they give us Bawson moments. They are easily the highlight of every episode. How could you not love that adorable phone conversation with the two of them teasing each other?
I could watch the two of them banter all day. I love their relationship, but more importantly I love that it's not just a one-sided thing. Ginny genuinely cares about him and checks on him too.
Their fates being intertwined with him falling as she's rising, but them meeting in the middle...it's such an interesting concept for two vastly different people, and it's a dynamic that's unique and refreshing to watch.
So what did you guys think of the The Break? How hard did you laugh when you saw Mike's poster on young Ginny's wall? Are you wishing for more Elliot screen time too? Were you glad we finally got to see Ginny's mom? What do you think the future holds for Mike?
Pitch will return again on October. 27. But there's plenty of time to catch up with the show. You can watch Pitch online right here on TV Fanatic!
Jasmine Blu is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. She is an insomniac who spends late nights and early mornings binge-watching way too many shows and binge-drinking way too much tea. Her eclectic taste makes her an unpredictable viewer with an appreciation for complex characters, diverse representation, dynamic duos, compelling stories, and guilty pleasures. You'll definitely find her obsessively live-tweeting, waxing poetic, and chatting up fellow Fanatics and readers. Follow her on X.
