Win or Lose, Pixar’s first-ever original long-form animated series, follows a co-ed middle school softball team in the week leading up to their championship game.PIXAR/Supplied
For years the softball community has been patiently riding the pine while countless baseball movies took their turn on the field. That’s all changed with the debut of Pixar’s first TV series, Win or Lose, which revolves around a co-ed middle-school softball team in the week leading up to its championship game.
As a former competitive player and current coach with years of softball under my belt, I can attest to the excitement of young players, fellow coaches and parents across Canada when Win or Lose was announced. It was no surprise. Softball is a growing sport, but until now its biggest on-screen nods included the brief prebaseball scenes in A League of Their Own and the culminating moment in Rookie of the Year, when the kid pitcher realizes his dad’s beloved glove actually belonged to his mom.
That Win or Lose (now streaming on Disney+) isn’t so much about softball as it is the lovable oddball characters doesn’t even matter.
Unlike in typical sports stories, the plot driver isn’t a common enemy or a collective underdog status. Instead, each of the eight 24-minute episodes follows one character and their point-of-view of overlapping events – a style reminiscent of the 1950 film Rashomon or the more recent series The Affair. Using a variety of animation styles and visual metaphors, the series digs into their psyches while driving the story forward to the high-stakes event. The short installments are designed to cater to the YouTube crowd, with bright animation typical of past Pixar projects such as Turning Red.
The show begins with the Pickles winning a spot in the state final, despite the coach’s kid, Laurie, almost blowing the game for them. As the episode unfolds, we learn Laurie is playing the sport to get closer to her father, despite her lack of talent. As she devotes an equal amount of hours to extra practice and negative self-talk heading into the big game, we see her sweat turn into a friendly faced blob that sits on her shoulder and whispers in her ear, fuelling her anxiety.
As the character Laurie devotes an equal amount of hours to extra practice and negative self-talk heading into the big game, we see her sweat turn into a friendly faced blob that sits on her shoulder and whispers in her ear, fuelling her anxiety.PIXAR/Supplied
The second episode follows the lonely umpire, Frank, whose metaphorical animation is a suit of armour that activates whenever conflict arises or someone tries to get close. Little time is spent on the diamond as we follow the rule-loving teacher to his classroom and back home, where a framed photo of Ruth Bader Ginsburg adorns the wall.
Alternating between kid and adult perspectives creates a full family viewing experience, with plenty of subtle changes in the background and side characters to look out for as the central figures rotate. Given the time constraints, no one episode is able to dive deep or provide a satisfying conclusion, however, so you’re forced to hang on until the very end if you want to see how it all plays out.
Not all episodes were made available to press ahead of the launch (two episodes debut weekly until March 12), so it’s unclear whether all of the stories come together in the finale. For now, it’s the juxtaposition of perspectives that really shines. Of the four installments that were prereleased, the ones following middle schooler Rochelle and her single mom, Vanessa, were the most poignant.
In the first, the series unpacks Rochelle as a “parentified” daughter who turns to cheating at school so she can continue playing the sport she loves. In the second, Vanessa’s obstacles showcase the reality of a struggling millennial mother whose biggest support system is her social-media following.
Win or Lose unpacks Rochelle as a ‘parentified’ daughter who turns to cheating at school so she can continue playing the sport she loves.PIXAR/Supplied
It’s these episodes that highlight what creators Carrie Hobson and Michael Yates were striving to do with the series: tell stories not so much about softball, but connection and perception, self-worth and the importance of community. Of course, anyone who has played a team sport knows the sense of belonging it can bring, which makes Win or Lose a smart platform to explore such themes.
Knowing that, Win or Lose’s biggest strikeout is the one storyline the creators were forced to drop. The star player of the team is Kai, who was written as a transgender character and is voiced by transgender actor Chanel Stewart. However, late last year Disney stepped in and removed any references to Kai’s gender identity from the show.
The official line from the studio was that parents want to introduce such subjects to their kids on their own terms. In theory that’s a fair argument, but it counters Disney’s extensive history of broaching difficult topics such as parental death (Bambi, The Lion King), substance use (Dumbo, Pinocchio) and abuse (Beauty and the Beast).
The subject of transgender athletes was one the creators wanted to include in a co-ed setting at a time when the American government is rejecting transgender identity. There’s no knowing how many children may have seen themselves represented and, in turn, felt accepted by seeing that story play out on screen.
Single mother Vanessa’s obstacles showcase the reality of a struggling millennial mom whose biggest support system is her social-media following.PIXAR/Supplied
Just as Win or Lose has sparked excitement among softballers to see themselves in a show, even if it barely examines the sport’s culture, Kai’s intended storyline could have inspired enthusiasm in transgender children without getting into the issue’s politics. Instead, and unfortunately, its exclusion leaves a classic animation trope hanging over the series: a massive dark cloud.
