Win or Lose centers around a middle school softball team, the Pickles. The story unfolds during the week leading up to their big championship game. Each episode offers a unique perspective, delving into the lives and minds of different team members, coaches, and even their families. It’s a tale of teamwork, growth, and the ups and downs of pursuing victory, both on and off the field.

Win or Lose (S1:E1&2) Review

Animation intended for adults is nothing new. The Flinstones was the first primetime animated series to grace U.S. televisions with the express intention of targeting that particular audience. However, its combination of tackling universal family dynamics with colorful characters and top-notch vocal talent, all propelled by excellent writing, quickly found family members of all ages yelling, “Yabba dabba doo!

Of course, since that time, the genre has become a billion-dollar industry featuring programs running the maturity gamut from deep, existential reflections on the nature of destiny and perseverance (Samurai Jack) to fart and incest jokes (Family Guy).

These first two episodes of Win or Lose lean far more into the former’s camp.

Episode 1 masterfully captures the soul-crushing anxiety of being the worst member of a sports team, while the second episode delves into the loneliness and longing for connection felt by many single people in their early 30s who are trepidatiously navigating the complex and often emotionally baren lattice of today’s dating continuum (thank God I found my wife during high school when the internet was dial-up and apps were served before dinner).

Even though children with good parents who make them go outside and play may be able to connect with the concepts being portrayed, it’s doubtful that many of them will find the tone and story appealing. As for Episode 2, it in no way is something that children 8 to 12 need to be thinking about for a decade or more and is clearly not intended for them.

Ultimately, the content isn’t compelling enough to warrant a watch by adults who should be far too busy with life and watching the second season of Severance to spare 20 minutes for Win or Lose. Both episodes feel like the somewhat overly emotional shorts that have been sporadically shown in theaters before a Pixar feature film. They are well done but not particularly profound, usually forgotten quickly after they are over, and certainly not fun enough to bridge the viewer age gap.

PARENTAL NOTES

Important Information for Parents

Our Parental Notes flag the material parents may want to know about before pressing play, including profanity, blasphemy, adult content, extreme violence, frightening intensity, hyper-stimulating sequences, and other family-content concerns.

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