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Since there have been so many numerous baseball films of all types and most of them popular, maybe tomorrow I'll discuss some
baseball themed TV series and ponder why none of them have been popular.
^^^
Question from another day!
Since I like baseball and baseball movies, I've always wondered why baseball themed TV series don't inspire viewers. Every once in awhile they will appear on the networks, but they usually disappear quicker than the recent Orioles chances to rise out of last place.
I HAVE THE ANSWER!
Or "an" answer. (Not that any of you were clamoring for one since I brought it up a couple days ago.)
First, can any of you even name a baseball themed TV series? Here are some listed by the year they were on:
Ball Four (1976)
The Bad News Bears (1979)
Bay City Blues (1983)
A League of Their Own (1993)
Hardball (1994)
Clubhouse (2004)
The Bronx Is Burning (2008)
Eastbound & Down (2009)
Back in the Game (2013)
Pitch (2016)
Brockmire (2017)
I remember watching Ball Four when it came on and in trying to find a list of baseball themed TV series I was really surprised that 1976 is the first year there were any? It seems odd no one tried one before then in the 50's and 60's! I don't know how accurate any list I found is, because one of my recent favorites (if recent is 15 years ago) that was yanked so quickly was "Clubhouse." That one even had recognizable actors in it like Dean Cain, Christopher Lloyd and Mare Winningham, and not one list included it!
Back to Ball Four, though. That was based on a fictional book by Jim Bouton and only lasted a month, but It's noteworthy, however, because it featured a gay character (a player, no less), which seems a bold move in 1976. It actually seems pretty unbelievable. (Although Bouton wrote about unnamed gay players in his book.)
Until I was googling some stuff right now I have to say I do not even recall there was a series of A League of Their Own. There was? Even Penny Marshall and Tom Hanks directed an episode. The article I was reading had a link to a youtube video of the theme song and one reason it may not have lasted is that there wasn't one person in the cast I've ever heard of. But it rings absolutely no bell with me. It's hard to remembershows that didn't last and only aired a few episodes.
I really loved the sitcom Back in the Game from 2013, which seems like it was on yesterday, but that was 6 years ago. It starred James Caan and I thought it was a hoot.
The few recent ones (The Bronx Is Burning [a true story], Eastbound & Down and Brockmire appeared on cable or HBO. I haven't seen those.
Back to my reason for why I don't think baseball themed series catch on: They all premiere in the fall when the regular baseball season is over and the play-offs and World Series are on. I remember when Clubhouse was on I was taping it because it actually was airing against play-off games. Baseball fans aren't going to be tuning in to new shows when actual games are happening. Baseball themed series should premiere in the spring right before regular MLB games start and after a few month lull in the sport. That's my opinion.
