Pitch Round Table: Padres Don't Discriminate!
Jasmine Blu
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So where exactly does one go to purchase a calendar of the Pitch cast baring all? I'm asking for a friend! And yes, if you didn't love this cast enough, they really did bare it all! Gotta love their commitment!
On Pitch Season 1 Episode 7 we got the drool-worthy conclusion to Ginny's leaked nudes. Amelia and Oscar proved why they kick ass at their respective jobs. Duarte and Lawson finally faced off. Plus, we got a sneak peek into Mike's past. Someone needs to hug that bearded lug!
Join TV Fanatics Christine Laskodi, Jim Garner, Allison Nichols, and Ashley Bissette-Sumerel as they discuss their reaction to the photo shoot, lovable jerk Livan, and that glimpse into Mike's childhood. They'll also talk about the adorable relationship between Al and Ginny, and their M.V.P of the episode.
Did the fallout from the leaked nudes turn out the way you expected?
Christine: Not at all! I expected more angst. I guess because so many episodes leading up to this have shown that Ginny is cracking a bit, I thought that maybe this would be the thing that broke her. But I was so pleasantly surprised by the way that her team rallied behind her. I loved it.
Jim: Actually it did. I knew after last week's "ok, what else you got" that Ginny had gotten her second wind. While I suspected they were going to do some sort of risqué photo shoot, the results were fantastic!
Allison: I definitely expected to see more fallout. Aside from Blip, we didn't really see how the team reacted to the news. I was waiting for this to become something else that caused a division between Ginny and the rest of the team.
Ashley: Somewhat. I expected it to be a bigger deal in general, but I felt like I knew how it would ultimately play out (due in part to the promo for the episode and the photos on social media).
Flashbacks focused on Mike this week. What did you think about Mike's childhood?
Christine: I was so sad watching those flashbacks. I think knowing even just that small bit about Mike's childhood explains so much about him as an adult - why he's built up so many walls and why he doesn't trust others very easily, and also why being a catcher means so much to him.
Jim: Agreed Christine! I'm guessing that his father has no idea that he is really his father, as I doubt he would have pushed him away so hard if he had. I could be wrong, but watching the guy say "I have a family" felt to me like "I can just adopt a stranger" more than "I don't want my son".
Allison: I really enjoyed seeing a Mike-centric episode. His childhood wasn't what I was expecting. I really didn't like the father twist. I wish the coach could have just been a coach, a positive influence in Mike's life.
I rolled my eyes when that reveal happened. I definitely thought he knew that Mike was his son, at least at the end when Mike and his mom were driving away. I figured that was part of the fight that the coach had with Mike's mom.
Ashley: I also really enjoyed getting to know more about him, and it was heartbreaking. It definitely wasn't what I expected, either.
Did you like Livan? Did you enjoy the tension between him and Mike?
Christine: You know, this might be a controversial answer, but I did kind of like him. He's a young and cocky jerk - easily. But those traits also lent to him getting the team out of a huge bind in San Fran, and helped them win the game. He wants to be heard and respected the same way that others are. While he hasn't yet EARNED it, I think Mike was a LITTLE hard on him. I think watching the relationship develop between him and Mike is going to be fascinating.
Jim: Christine, I kind of like him too. His conversation with Ginny at the mound about the cutter-ball she was developing showed he has really good instincts. I hope he starts to gel with the team a bit more.
Allison: I liked him as well. I'm interested to see his relationship with Mike and Ginny develop a little bit more. It would be cool to see how Ginny's relationships with Mike and Livan differ from one another, and if she performs better on the mound with one of them.
Ashley: I mean, I think we weren't supposed to like him at first, that is until that moment Jim mentioned. Generally I didn't like his attitude, but I think he has a lot to learn, and I like the dynamic he's going to have with Mike.
What did you think about Ginny's idea to have the Padres pose nude to point out the double standards? Were you surprised to see so many of her teammates support her?
Christine: I really loved it. I also loved that conversation between Amelia and Oscar, with regard to "mansplaining." So often these scenarios are one sided, and females are put in a very degrading light. To see Ginny take control the way she did, and see her teammates willingly support her was so REFRESHING. And it's just another way that Pitch is breaking the mold.
Jim: I couldn't have said it better Christine. While I personally HATE the term "mansplaining" I thought Amelia's "I've always wanted to use that" helped take the bite out of it a bit. I adored that so many of her team mates showed up.
Allison: I loved seeing Ginny and Amelia take control of this situation. I only wish we would have seen the team's reaction to the photoshoot, or at least Mike's. I was still under the impression that Ginny hadn't completely won over the team, so it was a nice surprise that they all joined up to support Ginny.
Ashley: Ditto. I thought it was wonderful, and I was so excited to see their solidarity. Again, I pretty much knew this was coming, so I wasn't surprised, but it was just so awesome and actually very emotional.
Ginny and Al seem to have gotten closer. Did you like their one on one time together?
Christine: I did! I love that Al is taking time to really get to know Ginny, and teach her. It seems like he's very taken with her. It's as though she's - dare I say it? - his favorite. I think they have a lot to learn from each other, and their relationship is one of the most special to me.
Jim: I'm calling it now. Al either wanted a daughter or had a daughter (I don't remember them talking about his kids). They were so cute in this episode. I love "make me look smart". I'm excited for their dynamic and see how the mentor/trainee relationship goes.
Allison: I loved their scenes together. Ginny still has a lot to learn about being a major league player, and Al has taken her under his wing. I hope that they continue to show and develop Ginny and Al's relationship.
Ashley: Wow, Jim! That's kind of brilliant. And yes, I liked seeing them together, and I hope we get to see that more.
Who was your MVP character in the episode? What was your favorite scene?
Christine: For me, it was Amelia. She's so damn smart. Right away, she knew how to handle the selfie scandal. And she knew what ways the MLB could help, and what ways they'd be useless to her. And she was technically the brains behind getting the male members of the team on board with stripping down.
I also loved how angry she got about the bobblehead. It seems like something so small on the spectrum for her to worry about in comparison with a huge nude photo scandal, but she still kept pushing it. Amelia is really growing on me!
Jim: I really have to go with Oscar this week. As much as I'm not a huge fan of the character, watching him put both Mike and Livan in their respective places really was impressive. His advice to Livan was spot on, and I hope Livan starts to listen!
Allison: I'm with Christine. Amelia is my pick. She handled this situation beautifully. While she did come up with some creative ways to handle the photo leak, she was also willing to let Ginny take some time to think of a different approach. Then when Ginny came up with an idea, Amelia fully supported her and got it done. Amelia's scenes with Oscar were definitely my favorite of the hour. She took none of his shit.
Ashley: I think I have to go with Amelia too. She could easily become one of my favorite characters. My second choice would be Mike, in large part because of the back story we got to see on him this week.
Join the discussion below and let us know what you think! If you missed any second of the episode or just want to freeze frame a couple of scenes for scientific purposes, don't forget you can watch Pitch online here at 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.
