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Pitch (TV series)

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This article is about the drama series. For the unscripted series, see The Pitch (TV series).
Pitch
Genre
Created by
Starring
Composers
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes10
Production
Executive producers
ProducerNeal Ahern Jr.
Production locationSan Diego, California
CinematographyYasu Tanida
Editors
  • Howard Ledger
  • Joel Goodman
Running time45–47 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkFox
ReleaseSeptember 22 (2016-09-22) –
December 8, 2016 (2016-12-08)

Pitch is an American drama television series created by Dan Fogelman and Rick Singer, that aired on Fox from September 22 to December 8, 2016. The series was commissioned on May 10, 2016.[1]

On May 1, 2017, Fox canceled the series after one season.[2]

Plot

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The series, set in the confines of Major League Baseball, sets its focus on a young pitcher noted for her screwball pitch[3][4] who becomes the first woman to play in the Major Leagues[5] when she is called up by the San Diego Padres.[6]

Cast

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Main

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  • Kylie Bunbury as Genevieve "Ginny" Baker, a rookie pitcher and the first woman to play in Major League Baseball
  • Mark-Paul Gosselaar as Michael "Mike" Lawson, the Padres' captain[7] and veteran catcher who is nearing the end of a Hall of Fame career
  • Mark Consuelos as Oscar Arguella, the Padres' general manager
  • Mo McRae as Blip Sanders, a Padres outfielder who is a friend and former minor league teammate of Ginny's
  • Meagan Holder as Evelyn Sanders, Blip's wife and Ginny's friend
  • Tim Jo as Eliot, Ginny's social media manager
  • Dan Lauria as Al Luongo, the Padres' manager
  • Ali Larter as Amelia Slater, Ginny's agent

Recurring

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  • Michael Beach as William "Bill" Baker, Ginny's father
  • B. J. Britt as Will Baker, Ginny's older brother who is eager to capitalize on her fame and start his own sports bar
  • Bob Balaban as Franklin "Frank" Reid, the Padres' owner
  • Kelly Jenrette as Rhonda, Oscar's assistant
  • Kevin Connolly as Charlie Graham, the Padres' interim president of operations who is a strong proponent of sabermetrics
  • Jack McGee as Buck Garland, a Padres coach who is Luongo's right-hand man
  • Christian Ochoa as Livan Duarte, the Padres' backup catcher and Lawson's heir-apparent, who is a recent immigrant from Cuba
  • JoAnna Garcia Swisher as Rachel Patrick, a sports newscaster and Mike's ex-wife
  • Sarah Shahi as Natalie Luongo, Al's daughter who is also dating Oscar

Episodes

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No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd.
code		US viewers
(millions)
1"Pilot"Paris BarclayDan Fogelman & Rick SingerSeptember 22, 2016 (2016-09-22)1AZL014.23[8]
Ginny Baker becomes the first woman to play in Major League Baseball when she is called up from the minor leagues. Her first start is a disaster, with Ginny throwing just 10 pitches (all balls) and not recording an out. After the owner forces the team's manager to keep her on, Ginny receives inspiration from both her father and the team's catcher and records the win in her second start. A series of flashbacks shows her journey from Little League to the present. It is revealed that her father actually died six years earlier in a car accident.
2"The Interim"Paris BarclayDan FogelmanSeptember 29, 2016 (2016-09-29)1AZL023.68[9]
Ginny's presence is an extreme distraction for the team. A video surfaces of Al making misogynist comments about Ginny. In flashbacks, we see how Ginny met her agent.
3"Beanball"Kenneth FinkKevin FallsOctober 6, 2016 (2016-10-06)1AZL033.50[10]
In a series of flashbacks, we learn something new and unexpected about one of Ginny's past relationships. After the Padres are involved in a beanball fight, Ginny draws closer to being accepted as one of the guys.
4"The Break"Regina KingRick SingerOctober 13, 2016 (2016-10-13)1AZL042.91[11]
Baker is named to the All-Star team by the Commissioner, but surrenders a home run to Salvador Pérez. Her mom makes an uncomfortable appearance and it is revealed in a flashback that Baker's mom was having an affair with another man while Baker's father was still alive. Mike Lawson contemplates a career after baseball, while Oscar works covertly to sign a much sought-after Cuban refugee catcher who may force Lawson out of a job.
5"Alfonzo Guzman-Chavez"Paris BarclayBecky Hartman EdwardsOctober 27, 2016 (2016-10-27)1AZL052.91[12]
In the final hours before the Major League trade deadline, Ginny fears Blip may not remain with the Padres. Meanwhile, Oscar is dealing with an abscessed tooth. In the end, Blip is not traded and stays with the Padres. It is revealed in a series of flashbacks that Ginny's best friend's father was the drunk driver of the other car during the accident that killed her father.
6"Wear It"Joanna KernsJonathan IglaNovember 3, 2016 (2016-11-03)1AZL062.71[13]
After Amelia closes a major deal for Ginny with Nike, Ginny ditches the signing party to attend a more down-to-earth party with a waitress she met at the Nike event. Ginny then blows the Nike deal when she is captured on video donning a rival company's sneakers and leaping into a pool. Amelia sees this as a cry for help and Ginny admits she's having trouble with all the fame baseball has brought her.
7"San Francisco"Mary Lou BelliEli Attie & Kevin FallsNovember 10, 2016 (2016-11-10)1AZL072.64[14]
Ginny deals with the aftermath of nude photos that she sent to an old boyfriend being leaked online, but the team comes up with a way to distract the public and lessen the impact. Lawson is informed that the Padres are bringing up the young Cuban sensation Livan Duarte, dubbed the team's "catcher of the future." Luongo angers Lawson by saying the team wants him to learn to play first base. Flashbacks show Mike living a troubled childhood with a single mom who used him to con people.
8"Unstoppable Forces & Immovable Objects"Chris KochBecky Hartman Edwards & Ester Lou WeithersNovember 17, 2016 (2016-11-17)1AZL082.47[15]
It is approaching August 31, the last day players can be traded and remain playoff-eligible for their new teams. Charlie proposes to Oscar that, with Duarte playing well, they should consider trading Lawson to a contender, but they first have to get him to waive his no-trade clause. Ginny's brother returns with a proposal to open a sports bar named "Screwgies" (a reference to Ginny's screwball, her best pitch). Despite Amelia's cautions, both Ginny and Evelyn agree to invest.
9"Scratched"Zetna FuentesTanner Bean & Katrina MathewsonDecember 1, 2016 (2016-12-01)1AZL092.39[16]
Charlie and Oscar propose a deal to trade Lawson to the Chicago Cubs, despite Luongo's objections that Duarte will be a much better catcher if Lawson stays to mentor him. As Mike says his goodbyes to Ginny, the two almost kiss, but are interrupted when Mike gets a phone call saying the Cubs deal is off. Elsewhere, Evelyn sees that large amounts of her investment in Screwgies have already disappeared and confronts Ginny's brother.
10"Don't Say It"Paris BarclayDan Fogelman & Rick SingerDecember 8, 2016 (2016-12-08)1AZL102.89[17]
Mike deals with the fallout when teammates, especially Blip, learn that he wasn't the one who nixed the Cubs deal. Evelyn discusses the missing money from the Screwgies fund with Amelia, who then confronts Will. Will admits that he owed money for a loan on a previous business venture that failed. Meanwhile, the team wants to shut down Ginny for the season after their stat guru makes a point of how her offspeed pitches may be overtaxing her. They agree to let her have one last start, one in which she maintains a no-hitter through seven innings. Oscar implores Al to take Ginny out once she reaches 100 pitches, but Al defies him and lets an equally-stubborn Ginny pitch the next inning. Ginny makes a hard throw to first base for the third out of the eighth inning, then clutches her elbow in pain. As the episode ends, she is entering an MRI machine and does not know if she will ever pitch again.

Production

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Development

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A pilot was sold on September 8, 2015, by series creators Dan Fogelman and Rick Singer.[18] On January 14, 2016, Fox ordered the pilot to be shot.[19] The creators opened up a casting call on February 24, 2016.[20] The pilot episode was picked up to series on May 10, 2016.[21] Major League Baseball cooperated in the production of the series.[22]

Filming

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The series was filmed in San Diego, California, and features the Padres, the club the protagonist plays for.[23] Producers also planned to use Petco Park in downtown San Diego to shoot scenes when the Padres are away or during the off season.[24]

Casting

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On January 14, 2016, Kylie Bunbury was cast as Ginny.[19] On February 11, 2016, Mark-Paul Gosselaar was cast as Mike Lawson.[25] On February 23, 2016, Mo McRae, Meagan Holder, and Tim Jo were cast as Blip, Evelyne, and Eliot respectively.[26] On February 29, 2016, Dan Lauria was cast as Al Luongo.[27] On March 10, 2016, Ali Larter replaced Elisabeth Shue as Amelia Slater.[28] On May 10, 2016, Mark Consuelos was cast as Oscar Arguella, the team's general manager and president.[29]

Reception

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Pitch received positive reviews from television critics, with Bunbury's performance receiving praise. The editors of TV Guide placed Pitch fourth among the top ten picks for the most anticipated new shows of the 2016–2017 season. Its review, from writer Liz Rafferty, stated, "Not since Friday Night Lights have we seen a 'sports' show that managed to deliver week after week, making viewers feel as invested in the characters' personal dramas as we were in the final scores of the games" and added that "Pitch has the potential to pick up that torch." She also had high praise for Bunbury, whom she cited as a "breakout star, not to mention her (fictional) character Ginny Baker, the first woman to pitch in the MLB, to be a role model for young female athletes everywhere".[30] Based on 27 reviews, the show holds a 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, with Critics Consensus being "A terrific lead performance and well-constructed setup and timely themes make Pitch a home run."[31]

Home media

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DVD Name Ep # Release Date
Pitch: The Complete Series 10 July 17, 2018

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (May 10, 2016). "'The Exorcist', 'Lethal Weapon', 'Making History', 'Pitch', 'The Mick' & 'APB' Get Fox Series Orders". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved May 11, 2016.
  2. ^ Wagmeister, Elizabeth (May 1, 2017). "'Pitch' Officially Cancelled After One Season at Fox". Variety. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
  3. ^ Koblin, John (16 September 2016). "Fox and Major League Baseball Team Up for 'Pitch'". The New York Times.
  4. ^ "Preview Ginny Baker's not-so-secret weapon in new 'Pitch' promo". 16 September 2016.
  5. ^ Barclay, Paris (2000-01-01), Pitch, retrieved 2016-08-25
  6. ^ "Fox orders baseball drama Pitch, about first female player in MLB". 2016-05-11. Retrieved 2016-08-25.
  7. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (September 29, 2016). "Mark-Paul Gosselaar on Training for 'Pitch' and How His Beard Helped Get Him the Part". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 28, 2016.
  8. ^ Porter, Rick (September 23, 2016). "Thursday final ratings: 'Grey's Anatomy,' 'Superstore' and 'Good Place' adjust up, 'Notorious' adjusts down". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on September 24, 2016. Retrieved September 23, 2016.
  9. ^ Porter, Rick (September 30, 2016). "Thursday final ratings: 'Superstore' and 'The Good Place' adjust up". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on October 2, 2016. Retrieved September 30, 2016.
  10. ^ Porter, Rick (October 7, 2016). "'Superstore' adjusts up, 'Grey's' and ABC adjust down: Thursday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on October 8, 2016. Retrieved October 7, 2016.
  11. ^ Porter, Rick (October 14, 2016). "'Notorious' adjusts down, final NFL numbers: Thursday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on October 17, 2016. Retrieved October 14, 2016.
  12. ^ Porter, Rick (October 28, 2016). "'The Good Place' and 'Chicago Med' adjust up, 'Pure Genius,' other CBS shows down: Thursday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on October 29, 2016. Retrieved October 28, 2016.
  13. ^ Porter, Rick (November 4, 2016). "'Big Bang Theory,' 'How to Get Away' adjust up, 'Great Indoors' and NBC adjust down: Thursday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on November 5, 2016. Retrieved November 4, 2016.
  14. ^ Porter, Rick (November 11, 2016). "'Chicago Med' and NBC adjust down with NFL pre-emptions: Thursday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on November 12, 2016. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
  15. ^ Porter, Rick (November 18, 2016). "'Grey's Anatomy' adjusts up, 'The Great Indoors' adjusts down: Thursday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on November 19, 2016. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  16. ^ Porter, Rick (December 5, 2016). "'Legends of Tomorrow' adjusts up; 'Supernatural,' 'Great Indoors,' 'Baking Show' adjust down: Thursday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on December 6, 2016. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
  17. ^ Porter, Rick (December 9, 2016). "'Life in Pieces' adjusts up plus final NFL numbers: Thursday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on December 10, 2016. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
  18. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (September 8, 2015). "Baseball Drama From Dan Fogelman & Rick Singer Set At Fox As Put Pilot". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
  19. ^ a b Andreeva, Nellie (January 14, 2016). "Dan Fogelman Baseball Drama 'Pitch' Gets Fox Pilot Order, Kylie Bunbury To Star". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved May 11, 2016.
  20. ^ "Open Casting Call for TV Extras Coming To San Diego – FOX TV Show "Pitch"". Auditions Free. February 24, 2016. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
  21. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (May 11, 2016). "'Pitch': How Dan Fogelman Is Swinging for the Fences With Fox Baseball Drama". The Hollywood Reporter. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
  22. ^ "The trailer for 'Pitch,' a new TV series about MLB's first female pitcher, is here". MLB.com. Major League Baseball. May 16, 2016. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  23. ^ Molnar, Phillip (April 4, 2016). "TV pilot about female Padres pitcher filming tonight". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Tribune Publishing. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
  24. ^ "Clear your fall schedule, because FOX has greenlit a series about the first female player in MLB". MLB.com. Major League Baseball. May 11, 2016. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  25. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (February 11, 2016). "Mark-Paul Gosselaar To Star In Fox Pilot 'Pitch'". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved May 11, 2016.
  26. ^ Petski, Denise (February 23, 2016). "'Pitch': Fox Pilot Adds Mo McRae, Meagan Holder, Tim Jo To Cast". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved May 11, 2016.
  27. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (February 29, 2016). "'Pitch': Dan Lauria Joins Fox Baseball Pilot". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on May 11, 2016. Retrieved May 11, 2016.
  28. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (March 10, 2016). "Ali Larter To Co-Star In Fox Drama Pilot 'Pitch' After Recasting". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved May 11, 2016.
  29. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (February 26, 2016). "Mark Consuelos Nabs Key Role in Fox Baseball Drama 'Pitch' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  30. ^ "Our 10 Most Anticipated New TV Shows of Fall 2016" from TV Guide (September 16, 2016)
  31. ^ "Pitch". Rotten Tomatoes.
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