Running Point Season 1, Episode 6, “The Yips,” is a confident reminder never to underestimate Isla Gordon or the Los Angeles Waves. This episode, written by Akshara Sekar and directed by Thembi Banks, is the best and most balanced outing yet. It’s a testament to letting a show take its time to find its footing and comedic rhythm. Of course, that process is easier with a higher episode order. More episodes would also help Running Point’s ever-expanding ensemble of interesting characters and exciting cameos (tennis icon Chris Evert!). Nevertheless, “The Yips” bodes well for the rest of the season.
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Dyson Changes His Game
One of the instant improvements is Dyson and basketball’s prominence in the episode. Their screen time has been limited, so any development with that character and his game has been hit or miss. Therefore, “The Yips” hits a hurdle of finding weight in Dyson’s inability to complete free throws. Running Point has barely featured Dyson, let alone any Waves games, so this episode has to reintroduce the stakes with a bit of a fire under them. The script does so early – playoff qualification greatly depends on Dyson’s elevated performance.
After more than a few episodes of Isla dealing with the franchise’s business side, it’s exciting for “The Yips” to pivot to her involvement with the game. Running Point reiterates Isla’s passion for basketball, and it’s rewarding to see that come through in how she helps Dyson (and Marcus). It’s fantastic that Isla finds improvement tactics for the men’s game in the women’s game – specifically, the Indian National Team. It only gets better that Eesha Aman, the team’s shooting coach, is portrayed by Never Have I Ever’s Ranjita Chakravarty (The Mindy Kaling universe!). Beyond that cameo, Isha’s introduction pushes Running Point to follow through on showing practices as Dyson steps out of his comfort zone.
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Marcus Is Settled at The Waves
Running Point threads that theme – letting go of fear to move on – through the team with the success of Marcus’s storyline in “The Yips.” Alternatively, and oddly, considering his resonance in the earlier episodes, any attempts to unveil Jackie’s personal life fall flat in comparison. The show simultaneously introduces characters like Kyler and Danica as it moves too fast with Sofia. While that reflects Jackie’s adjustment to the newfound fame with his family, it causes too much whiplash and hinders lasting investment.
Meanwhile, “The Yips” goes somewhere new with Marcus, reflecting an unfortunate component of professional sports: settling in a place only to uproot when the business turns. That character-driven angle gives Running Point’s stakes of The Waves’s game a personal level. This story also results in another fun cameo for fans of Kaling’s shows, as The Sex Lives of College Girls’s Rob Huebel plays Marcus’s agent, Clint. More importantly, this story becomes a vehicle for great, subtle work from Toby Sanderman. Marcus isn’t a man of many words, so it speaks volumes of Sanderman’s performance that so much is said when Marcus reacts to Isla fighting for him.
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Isla Tries to Stop a Leak and Help the Team
It’s great to see Isla’s positive actions directly affect the team, including Marcus, Dyson, and the underhanded free throw. It finally feels like Isla is building some momentum with the team. “The Yips” also successfully finds an even approach to Isla’s personal and professional spheres and their intersections, which isn’t always true in the other episodes. The casual visit to Lev’s job is effective and heartfelt (Him telling her that she’s nothing like her father!). It’s a quick yet necessary way to touch base with that relationship. Likewise, Isla and Jay’s quick changes bolster that supportive dynamic as it develops.
Nevertheless, nothing is more effective in “The Yips” than Isla, Ness, and Sandy’s sibling dynamic. The paintball bit is perfect – no notes. Kate Hudson, Scott MacArthur, and Drew Tarver’s comedic chemistry reaches new heights in this episode. There are too many great line readings to pick one, but Tarver’s “Are you crazy? This is Troye Sivan from Bonobos” is spectacular. Everything works much better between the three of them; the cast is growing into the characters as the season progresses and making them their own. On the page, “The Yips” is an excellent follow-up to the progress in “Beshert.”
All of that makes the twist that Cam is the leak so good. That division point comes just as the family starts to come together. It’s also the one time a character with less screen time works in Running Point’s favor. It’s easy to let Cam’s relevance slip, making his methods to maintain it so interesting. Ultimately, “The Yips” confirms that this show is playing on another level now, and hopefully, it will only continue to elevate itself up from here.
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What did you think of Running Point Season 1, Episode 6, “The Yips?” Let us know in the comments below!
Running Point Season 1 is streaming on Netflix now.
