Running Point May Be Mindy Kaling’s Best TV Show Yet Thanks To Stand Out Cast
Netflix brings together the girl boss talents of Mindy Kaling and Kate Hudson in their new comedy Running Point. The series centers around Isla Gordon, a former party girl who has to rise to the challenge when she unexpectedly finds herself put in charge of her family’s pro basketball team, the Los Angeles Waves.
Isla comes from the billion dollar Gordon family, but, despite her interest in basketball, her late father brushed her aside when it came to the family business. When her oldest brother Cam (Justin Theroux) goes from golden boy to a drug scandal, he taps Isla to replace him as president — to literally everyone’s shock.
This is a classic underdog story that puts a woman at the center of a notoriously male-dominated industry. While Isla may not have the traditional experience to run the team, she has immense passion for the game and a strong determination to prove herself. It may feel like the odds are stacked against her, but Hudson balances her strength and humor as she makes tough decisions and works to be taken seriously.
Through all the office drama and sports glory, the shining storyline is around the Gordon family. Alongside Isla and Cam are their younger brothers: bumbling team general manager Ness (Scott MacArthur) full of hilarious one-liners but a heart of gold, serious and closed off chief financial officer Sandy (Drew Tarver), and their newly discovered half-brother Jackie (Fabrizio Guido) who passes on money and an NDA just to know his real family. Whenever they are on screen together, the quips and witty lines really land. They are a solid ensemble that bounce off each other so well in both the ridiculous and heartfelt moments.
With such a stacked cast, there are some characters who are unfortunately underwritten and don’t get enough screen time, including Isla’s fiance Lev Levenson (Max Greenfield), basketball coach Jay Brown (Jay Ellis), and her best friend and chief of staff Ali Lee (Brenda Song). Hopefully in a second season we get to see more from them.
Running Point ambitiously blends family dynamics, workplace shenanigans, and sports grit together in this charming comedy. With clever writing, high energy, and plenty of standout performances, you’ll fall in love with this world that is equal parts Ted Lasso and Succession — but with a Kaling twist. This may be one of Kaling’s best and most consistent works. It offers up tons of potential for future seasons of chaos from the Gordon family and I, for one, am ready to go on that adventure.
Running Point is streaming now on Netflix.
