TV Series Review
The Pickles are going to the State Championship. It’s been a wild, hard-fought season, Coach Dan reminds the young softball players, but they’ve earned their shot. “There are no weak links,” he boldly states.
Of course, not everyone feels the same as Coach Dan, namely his daughter Laurie. She hasn’t made a single play all season—not one hit, one catch, one game-winning throw. And she’s starting to believe what everyone is saying: that she’s only there because she’s the coach’s kid.
Laurie isn’t the only one stressing out before the big game, though. Teammates, parents and even the umpires are all facing their own insecurities, anxieties and fears.
But what they’ll all learn soon is, in the game of life, it doesn’t matter who wins or loses: It’s about how you look at it.
Some Wins, Some Losses
Win or Lose is the first original series to come from Disney’s Pixar. But it faced some heavy scrutiny even before it aired: In December 2024, Disney announced that it had pulled a transgender storyline from the series.
“When it comes to animated content for a younger audience, we recognize that many parents would prefer to discuss certain subjects with their children on their own terms and timeline,” a Disney spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter.
The character still exists in the show (and is voiced by a trans person), but the verbal cues indicating gender identity have been removed. And given Disney’s proclivity for introducing LGBT storylines (2022’s Lightyear and Strange World both featured gay characters), there’s still a chance other LGBT characters could pop up. (Indeed, the janitor of the Pickles’ school behaves in an effeminate manner that may suggest same-sex leanings to some.)
There are some other heavy topics to be mindful of, as well. Laurie’s parents are divorced and still struggling to find a balance in their co-parenting. Rochelle, Laurie’s teammate, is being raised by single mom Vanessa, who is facing her own insecurities and challenges. And Frank, the umpire, after trying out a dating app, is heartbroken to learn that his ex is now engaged. However, these topics are largely navigable if parents are able to walk their younger viewers through them.
Some potentially less navigable issues include a few misuses of God’s name. Laurie prays to God, asking him for help during a softball game, but we also later see her mom doing a Tarot card reading. Viewers will be exposed to some mild violence (a girl gets walloped by a softball to the face, for instance) and occasional toilet humor.
Win or Lose does do a couple of things well. Parents (ahem) step up to the plate, reassuring their kids and helping them through difficult times. Friends are there for each other. And teammates learn that the most important part of the game isn’t winning or losing; it really is about having fun.
For parents, Win or Lose is far from a home run. Will it round the bases and slide into your home? It’ll be up to you to say whether this lands fair … or foul.
(Editor’s Note: Plugged In is rarely able to watch every episode of a given series for review. As such, there’s always a chance that you might see a problem that we didn’t. If you notice content that you feel should be included in our review, send us an email at [email protected], or contact us via Facebook or Instagram, and be sure to let us know the episode number, title and season so that we can check it out.)
