Stop me if you've heard this one before: a seemingly unqualified person takes control of a beloved but flailing sports team and rises above everyone's poor expectations to become exactly what the team needs. Sure, this sounds a fair bit Running Point. Their similarities come down to the fact that the underdog trope is a popular one in sports stories, and it's a crowd-pleaser.

Aside from its bare-bones synopsis, though, Running Point has little to do with Ted Lasso, instead focusing on the former wild child daughter of a basketball dynasty. Isla Gordon (Kate Hudson) has always been left out of the family business — the Waves, Los Angeles' basketball team — while her brothers took on meaningful jobs within the organization. That all changes when the eldest, Waves president Cam (Justin Theroux), has a fender-bender that exposes his drug habit. To everyone's shock, he chooses Isla as his replacement, putting a woman in the middle of a very male-dominated industry.

Running Point Thrives As A Sitcom About A Dysfunctional Family

It Could Stand To Show More Basketball, Though

Created by Mindy Kaling, Ike Barinholtz, David Stassen, and Elaine Ko, Running Point wastes no time getting us up to speed on the inner workings of the Waves and the Gordon family. Isla introduces everything and everyone via voiceover, a device that's not as charming as the creators likely hoped it'd be, but it gets the job done. Surrounding Isla are her other brothers — former player and Waves general manager Ness (Scott MacArthur), and Sandy (Drew Tarver), the uptight CFO. She also has chief of staff Ali (Brenda Song) at her side, giving the series some welcome female solidarity.

The dysfunctional family dynamics are one of Running Point's biggest strengths, with the series covering both the mess and the sweetness. In a way, it plays more like a family-centric sitcom rather than a workplace show. Sometimes the complicated Gordon family tree overshadows anything happening with the basketball team. Most of the drama on the sports side revolves around three players specifically and their coach, played by Top Gun: Maverick star Jay Ellis.

The team holds great potential for additional comedy and drama, and when Running Point turns its attention to them, it gets an extra spark of energy. However, there are also stretches when they fade away from the main plot, leaving us somewhat on the outside of that particular realm. Chet Hanks gets a memorable part as problematic star Travis Bugg, while Uche Agada is a sweet presence as rookie Dyson Gibbs.

Kate Hudson Is Excellent As Isla Gordon

The Flaws Don't Feel As Pressing Thanks To Her

At the end of the day, this is firmly Isla's story, and Hudson completely owns the role. It's a delight seeing her take on a rich character like this. It's inspirational. Isla is a flawed woman with a checkered past. She has her doubts and insecurities, but she owns who she is and steps into her new job with a confidence I honestly aspire to have.

If I wanted a bit more from it, that's because I see the potential here and am hopeful future seasons will build upon this solid foundation.

With a cast as packed as Running Point's, not everyone gets their share of the spotlight. I wanted to see more from Song, whose character is initially defined solely by how much she swears and doesn't grow much beyond that. Similarly, Ellis' Coach Jay, despite being a wonderful addition to the cast, isn't a very active participant for several episodes. The cast makes the most of it, though, with each performer injecting their own comedic style into the series. Theroux, despite having perhaps the smallest part of all, garners plenty of laughs as his character goes through rehab.

Running Point struggles in some areas, particularly in balancing its plotlines and resisting the urge to tell us something rather than show it; the number of times characters commented on how the Gordon family is "f*ck-ed up" is impressive. The season ends on a cliffhanger with more than one story left unresolved, and I am curious to see what comes next. It's a breezy watch full of mostly memorable characters, family hijinks, and the occasional basketball montage. If I wanted a bit more it's because I see its potential and am hopeful future seasons will build upon this solid foundation.

All episodes of Running Point are now streaming on Netflix. The season consists of 10 half-hour episodes.