Episodes viewed: 4 out of 8
Following almost five years since the series’ first announcement at Disney’s Investor Day 2020, Pixar’s first-ever original series Win or Lose is finally hitting streaming service Disney+. That’s right, the beloved animation studio is finally stepping away from some of it’s biggest exports for a wholly new concept, rather than launching another spinoff series such as Dream Productions or Monsters at Work. And while it’s refreshing to see the animation studio break out from its comfort zone and revel in their unique creativity, it’s hard to distinguish who this series is really for.
The eight episode anthology series spotlights the elementary school softball team The Pickles as they prepare for the week leading up to the big Championship play-off game. With tensions running high, each episode centres on the perspective of an individual linked to the team and how they see the same event. Whether that’s the daughter of the coach, Laurie (Rosie Foss), the school teacher who doubles for the umpire Frank (Josh Thomson), or even one of the players’ mums (Rosa Salazar).
Featuring an intriguing anthology concept, paired with an amazing array of animation styles and a fun score from the hugely talented Ramin Djawadi, expectations were undoubtedly high for this series. And while Win or Lose starts off strong with three solid character-driven episodes, it unfortunately begins to lose its way as it reaches the halfway mark, as it becomes unclear who this show was really made for.
Opening with “Coach’s Kid”, Laurie’s insecurities around living up to her father’s – and team’s – expectations, amidst her parent’s divorce, manifest as a literal sweat monster weighing her down. This episode is firmly in Inside Out 2 territory, mirroring the moving portrayal of Riley’s anxiety, as the studio ingeniously (and sensitively) brings to life the literal weight of expectations. Meanwhile, Frank struggles with letting down his guard following an emotional breakup – personified by his umpire armour – while star catcher Rochelle manifests into a literal suited up teenage CEO as she’s often forced to grow up too soon.
Certain episodes feel exclusively aimed at parents and adults – particularly the empathetic episode spotlighting Rochelle’s single mother, Vanessa – which could confuse or lose younger viewers. Likewise, some themes feel aimed squarely at children. Pixar has always excelled at inclusive filmmaking for all the family – with their hallmark layered humour working for children and adults alike – but this instalment does feel a little more unclear than others.
For this reason, the main underlying theme of challenging perspectives and perhaps there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to the team members’ and the close-knit communities’ personal lives (for example, Rochelle’s (Milan Elizabeth Ray) perceived parentification and parental disappointment, while her mum tries her best to juggle family and working life as a single mother) may be lost on certain viewers, despite how it’s cleverly worked throughout.
PIxar are certainly back to their best when it comes to the incredible animation on offer though, balancing the emotional storylines with inventive and often wacky visual styles. Frank’s RPG-esque gamification of online dating and navigating through the ‘levels’ of life is such a visually distinctive representation compared to Lauries’ ever growing marshmallow blob. SImilarly to Frank, Vanessa often retreats to other worlds for comfort, with social media hearts often flooding into her reality. The vivid textures (particularly hair and skin), lighting and environments are also a real treat.
Verdict
While Win or Lose isn’t quite a home run, the unique character-driven concept, fun humour and dazzling animation styles certainly makes for a smart and often moving instalment. With a more introspective and nuanced approach, this will undoubtedly work best for fans of Turning Red and Inside Out. I just hope we find out more about the intriguing mystery of the blonde bowl-cut kid who seems to have some sort of prophetic powers…
