Review: ‘Running Point’ is a Fun Romp Through Fictional NBA Drama

***Caution. Spoilers ahead***

I have a lot of friends in common with actor and comedian Jay Mohr, so we know each other a little. I saw him a couple of weeks ago and asked him if he and his wife, Los Angeles Lakers owner/President Jeanie Buss, were aware of a new Netflix series about to debut about a woman thrust into the role of CEO of the fictional NBA team the “Los Angeles Waves.” I had read it’s based on Jeanie, but I was unsure if the show was complimentary.

Not only was he familiar with it, but he also told me Jeanie was the one who brought the idea to show creators Ike Barinholtz, Mindy Kaling, and Elaine Ko. “It’s going to be great,” he assured me. Three episodes into the 10-episode half hour comedy, and I tend to agree. And there’s no requirement for viewers to be NBA fans or know much about the league.

The show begins by introducing us to the Gordon Siblings, who all shared a father, Jack Gordon, but not necessarily a mother. Isla Gordon (played by Kate Hudson) is head of the charitable arm of the Waves; her brother Sandy (“The Other Two’s” Drew Tarver) plays the CFO and numbers man; brother Ness is the General Manager; and the President and lead owner is Cam Gordon (played to arrogant but comedic perfection by Justin Theroux).

While smoking crack on his ride into the office from Malibu, Cam gets in an accident that hospitalizes him. He calls his siblings to his bedside and tells them he’s an addict and that it’s time for rehab. As they break up the family meeting, Cam asks Isla to stay behind, where, even to her surprise, he puts her in charge.

Isla hops right to it. Her family members have always underestimated her knowledge of the game. She and her crackerjack chief of staff, Ali (played by Brenda Strong) move into the executive office and begin to tackle the looming issue of the moment: should the team trade behaviorally troublesome point guard Travis Bugg (Played by Chet Hanks). The team is struggling. Sandy and Ness favor the trade, but Isla pays a visit to head coach Jay Brown (“Top Gun: Maverick’s” Jay Ellis) to discuss. Through a series of thoughts and her own NBA prowess, ultimately she decides to keep Travis, who is a valuable asset in setting up other players for success. This surprises the press.

Around the same time, a major Indiana-based mattress brand – the team’s signature sponsor – threatens to pull its sponsorship because they no longer see the Waves organization as a wholesome, Christian operation. Isla had done a photo shoot for Playboy some years back, and they also express their displeasure that Sandy, who’s gay, sleeps on one of their mattresses. Between losing them and the non-trade of Travis, Ness and Sandy plan a coup.

They ask for a meeting with the chairman of the team’s board, Stephen Ramirez (“Palm Royale’s” Roberto Sanchez). He is reluctant, but says he’ll go along and set up a time for them to make a presentation to the full board. But who shows up mid-way through with the heroic news she’s found a major sponsor, Sephora? Isla. The coup is dashed.

We also meet young Jackie Moreno (my favorite character in the show), a stadium employee. It turns out, Jackie finds out from his sister Ana, an attorney, that he’s Jack Gordon’s son. His mother was the Gordon’s housekeeper in Malibu, and one summer when the other Gordon kids were away on Cape Cod, they had an affair. Jackie’s sister then assures him that she’ll get him a lucrative settlement. But with any money, what Jackie wants most is a family in the Gordon siblings. Offers keep coming back that insist the siblings want no contact with him.

Finally, at the offer signing and with all four siblings reluctantly present, Jackie makes an impassioned plea. Isla is the first to bend, followed quickly by an emotional Ness (it’s quite cute). Pretty soon, it’s a hug-a-thon. Isla even goes one further, taking Jackie out of the arena and into the front office as her personal assistant. There’s some good comedy in his early screw-ups. Ali offers to mentor him, and there’s also humor in the little training quizzes she gives him along the way.

When Travis Bugg films an offensive video suggesting the new cosmetics sponsor is too feminine, Isla swears she’s going to dress him down. But Coach Brown tells her Travis won’t respond well to being yelled at in front of his teammates, and that the other players will resent her for it too. So she takes a more subtle approach and invites him to dinner at a fancy restaurant. But Jackie, not knowing any better, sets it up at a restaurant known for romance. Travis of course gets the wrong idea, and there’s some hijinks around that which ends up in the gossip rags and on TMZ.

You’re also introduced to a few other characters in the early episodes. One is a single issue cameo by the long-time Gordon family attorney, Bernie Berger (played by Ike Barinholtz’s father, Alan, who also played the judge on the reality comedy “Jury Duty”). Another is Sean Murphy, a loud-mouthed YouTuber/Podcaster that focuses on the Waves (played by Pawnee, Indiana’s annoying dentist, actor Jon Glaser). And finally, there’s Isla’s fiancé, Lev Levinson (Played by “New Girl’s” Max Greenfield), whose fictional parents should be scolded for their unimaginative naming skills. It’s as yet unclear what Lev’s role will be in the series, but I’m sure more will be revealed.

The show is a breezy half-hour comedy that I’m sure you’ll enjoy. Let me know on my social channels.

And that’s what Todd’s watching.