April 22, 2025 • 55 mins
Missing the golden age of rom-coms? Running Point delivers that nostalgic feel while tackling something deeper - a woman's fight for respect in the male-dominated world of professional basketball.
Kate Hudson sparkles as Isla Gordon, the daughter of a wealthy team owner suddenly thrust into the presidency of her family's NBA franchise. What was meant to be a temporary position while her brother attends rehab quickly becomes a battle to prove herself against every stereotype and obstacle thrown her way. The show brilliantly illustrates the "glass cliff" phenomenon - where women are often handed leadership roles during organizational crises, essentially being set up to fail.
What makes Running Point special is how it balances serious workplace dynamics with lighter romantic elements. The chemistry between Isla and coach Jay Brown (Jay Ellis) sizzles from their first scene together, creating a will-they-won't-they tension that feels authentic rather than manufactured. Meanwhile, her relationship with fiancé Lev provides an interesting counterpoint - he's kind and supportive, but their connection lacks the spark that makes viewers invest in their future. This romantic subplot serves as a perfect complement to the basketball drama, giving the show that classic rom-com energy we've been missing.
The family dynamics within the Gordon clan form the emotional heart of the series. Brothers who undermine her, a legacy of misogyny from their father, and Isla's own journey from the family "screw-up" to competent leader create a compelling narrative arc. By season's end, we're fully invested in her success, making the cliffhanger all the more effective as her brother schemes to reclaim his position.
Ready for a show that feels like comfort food for your streaming appetite while still offering something substantive? Dive into Running Point and rediscover why Kate Hudson remains the queen of accessible, engaging storytelling. Subscribe to our podcast for more deep dives into your favorite shows!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Niq (00:00):
Hi guys and welcome back to next episode with Nick and Jess
.
And today we're actuallydiscussing the Netflix hit
Running Point.
Yes, did I say it right?
You did, you did, you got itright.
I've been calling this showRunning plus Random Word all
(00:22):
week, but you got it.
You got it.
I'm proud of you.
I'm excited.
Do we agree that this show is atrue palette cleanser?
Jess (00:34):
Yes, we both agree.
True palette cleanser light.
Niq (00:38):
Yes, love it.
I love a show like this.
This show could very easilybecome a comfort show of mine if
it was just a little bit morespooky, because it like
immediately from the beginning,like I knew exactly what was
going to happen.
Like there was like a couplesurprises, but for the most part
I saw everything coming andsometimes in a comfort show you
(01:03):
just don't want to be surprised,you just want to be entertained
yeah, it's like I know what'sgoing to happen, but it's the
ride fun, right right, right,right, exactly.
And this show, um, it reminds meof nobody's.
Nobody wants this.
I don't think it's ascompelling.
Jess (01:25):
It's not.
Niq (01:26):
It's not, but I'm also okay with that Right, but I feel
like it's just as enjoyable.
I really enjoyed it.
I thought it was cute, Ithought it was fun, I thought it
was funny.
But Nobody Wants, this wasspecial.
It was, it was.
It may be Kirsten.
Jess (01:46):
I'm a Kirsten Bell.
You know what I think?
No, I don't.
The writing was more compellingon.
Nobody Wants this.
But what I think Running Pointhas is this feeling of nostalgia
because it feels like a rom-com.
I know it's not purely arom-com, it's about this woman
kind of inheriting thisbasketball team and how that
affects her life being in amale-dominated field.
But because it's Kate Hudson,there's a little nostalgia there
(02:09):
with rom-coms, and then we knowthat the rom-cominess is coming
.
Niq (02:14):
Right, yes, and I kind of miss the rom-com era.
I'm not a natural romance girl,like I'm not a natural romance
girl, but when I was watchingthe show I'm like man.
Rom-coms used to hit back inthe day.
Jess (02:30):
Where have they been?
They absolutely used to hit andI do miss them because I'm like
that's probably why we've beenstruggling so much to find light
shows, because everything has alittle air of heaviness and so
it was nice to have somethingthat truly felt light and just
fun and yeah.
Niq (02:55):
Why do you think, like rom-coms have kind of lost, like
some of like, the like punchthat they used to have, like it
used to be like, oh my God,during?
The summer you were going toprobably get like three or four
really great like rom-coms andyou would have stars who really
like they spent their wholecareer just like rom-coms and
you would have stars who reallylike they spent their whole
career just doing rom-coms andthat was that was considered
success.
You know that was awesome.
Jess (03:14):
What happened to the rom-com, I think I'm really
boring and basic, like you know,like, even though, like yes,
watching the show I knew exactlywhat was going to happen, how
it was going to unfold, butsomething just felt fun and
fresh about it, whereas therom-coms over the last few years
before Nobody Wants this theykind of felt stale and boring.
Niq (03:34):
I have a person who I feel like is the reason why rom-coms
started failing and people aregoing to disagree.
His name is and you know I'mterrible with names, but I'm
going to get close enough hisname is jude apatow.
Like judd apatow, okay, juddapatow, I told you I was going
(03:58):
to get close like he.
I feel like when he Does hewrite rom-coms, does he write
like racy stuff?
He kind of like Changed therom-com Format and kind of Made
them, I feel like, more malecentered.
Jess (04:16):
Oh, that makes sense.
Switch that up.
Niq (04:18):
And I think like they Kind of took on like this Mutation
and they lost like some of likethe fun when it comes to like
women and like this being likeour cute little thing that we
enjoy.
Jess (04:32):
Like they used to remember they used to call rom-coms
chick flicks they did, and Ithink I'm trying to see what
rom-coms he made.
Oh, I'm sorry.
Niq (04:46):
Okay, I see what you're saying now yeah, and so I think
I feel like stylistically theymoved away from like okay.
So even even like Adam Sandlermovies, like they were movies
that men enjoyed, but like hemade like 50 first dates, he
made the wedding singer, and sothose are like firmly rom-com
(05:11):
territories, even though theywere made by a guy and I feel
like there were movies that guysenjoyed too he still understood
right, and so I just feel likeJude Apatow kind of came in and
his name is Judd.
What is his name?
Judd Judd?
No, he's not.
I feel like Judd Apatow came inand shook things up, and not in
(05:38):
a good way, and we are likeslowly now finding our way back,
you know okay.
Jess (05:45):
So I try to pull up slowly now, finding our way back, you
know.
Okay, so I tried to pull up hisrom-coms and so they listed
Knocked Up, which I did not carefor, forgetting Sarah Marshall,
which I did enjoy, but I alsodidn't see it as a rom-com.
I realized that was supposed tobe a rom-com and then this Is
(06:06):
40, I don't think.
I remember seeing he didBridesmaids also doesn't seem
like a rom-com, but they'relisting it as one.
Niq (06:14):
I.
I did not enjoy Bridesmaids asmuch, um.
So what is her name?
Melissa McCarthy, MelissaMcCarthy.
I loved Melissa McCarthy whenshe was on the Gilmore Girls In
a new and special way, Like shewas one of my favorite
(06:37):
characters.
But when she like, some of hercomedy is too much for me and I
feel like her and Bridesmaids.
That was too much.
Jess (06:48):
I feel like Bridesmaids would not be funny without her.
I feel like she madeBridesmaids.
Niq (06:56):
It probably wouldn't have been funny without her.
I don't know that it wasnecessarily all that funny with
her.
Jess (07:02):
Oh, I love Bridesmaids Again.
I don't think of Bridesmaids asa rom-com, though I just think
of it as a comedy.
Niq (07:11):
Like a what is the one where the guys get, they end up
roofing themselves accidentallyand they're in Las Vegas and
they spend the movie looking fortheir lost.
I feel like it's the femaleequivalent to that movie agreed
and I don't know which one cameout first, but I think hangover
came out first the hangover okay, which I enjoyed the first
(07:36):
hangover, and then each one gotworse and worse, progressively
worse, worse and worse, and sobridesmaid is like hangover too,
like it's not the worst movieever, but it's.
It's doing a little too muchfor me, so I another thing is,
(07:57):
maybe I'm out of touch with who,like, the prime rom-com stars
are right now.
Jess (08:04):
So I would say one of the things I don't think there are
like there are people who dorom-coms, of course, but like
where we had like clear rom-comstars and that's what they did,
that was their bread.
But I don't think there's likepeople who just focus like that
on their career.
Niq (08:19):
Because my question is would I have even given this
show a chance if it wasn't KateHudson, like if it wasn't
someone from my era?
Jess (08:28):
Yeah, no, it definitely.
I definitely saw Kate Hudson.
I was like, OK, yeah, we'reabout to do this.
Niq (08:33):
Right, how to lose a guy in 10 days.
Come on, come on, classic,classic.
I'm like I would give her, I'mlike I would just give it a try.
Just off the strength of KateHudson yeah that is absolutely
the reason why I watched.
It is Fabletics, so, and then Ijust enjoyed it.
So you know, we go togetherreal bad, like so, but who, like
(08:57):
?
I'm like I don't even know whowould carry the mantle, like who
.
There were like some cute, likeso we don't get rom-coms, but
like we were getting like YAversion of rom-coms.
Like gosh, what are the namesof the like the kissing booth?
Did you see that there's liketwo of them and then there's
(09:22):
another one?
Oh, what is the name of the onewith like the Asian girl and
like to all the boys I lovedbefore?
Yes, did you see that one?
Jess (09:36):
no, I also did not.
Maybe that's it like it startedto be like teenagers and I was
like those are more YA.
Niq (09:45):
Those are not like full rom-com featuring like younger
teenagers.
Jess (09:50):
Part of nobody wants this appeal was the fact that they
were grown folks like they were,you know right, yes, that they
were fully fledged adults.
Niq (09:59):
But even if they were like in their early 20s, like I'm
like, where are those?
Because these, these, like.
Jess (10:07):
I don't want to watch teenagers be inappropriate with
each other I don't.
Niq (10:14):
I will give those movies a chance because I am someone who,
as a fully grown, grown grownwoman, love YA fiction.
Jess (10:26):
I will read YA fiction more than I will watch YA movies
now, and this may be justtrauma from euphoria.
Even though I did not finishthat, I don't think I got past
the first episode.
You're doing too much withteenagers.
These are teenagers and I justneed them to be teens and not
like no.
Niq (10:47):
Yeah, euphoria is a lot.
It would be a lot if they werecollege kids, but the fact that
they were college kids LikeGrown-ish, first season, I
couldn't do because I was likewhy are we so heavy into drugs?
Jess (10:59):
And these are like 18, 19 year olds and so like.
And I've had other people say,okay, college is different, drug
use is a lot more common.
Millennials, we are firmlytheir children.
We listened, what was it?
Mcgrath, the crime dog was athim.
We listened to him hard.
Our college years was not asfilled with drugs.
(11:24):
So, yeah, watching Grown-ishand all that stuff, and I'm like
these are children doing this,I can't do it.
But if it's a truly like, youknow me, if it's like a tween
show or something like thatwhere it's going to like, I
don't have an issue withteenagers having a storyline, I
just need it to be a certainlevel of cleanliness with their
kids.
Niq (11:48):
But and then when I so I gave those shows a chance
because I think they came frombooks.
Now I didn't read those booksbecause even though, like my ya,
fiction tends to lean towardsdystopic, novel or something
like very supernatural, you knowknow, yeah, very fantasy, very
supernatural.
I would feel weird reading abook about teenage relationships
(12:13):
.
Yeah, unless I was co-reading.
If my child wanted to read thatbook, I would read it with them
so they know what they'reconsuming.
So I would co-read that book,but for my own enjoyment.
My YA I have very specific YAtaste.
Jess (12:34):
Yeah, but I think that's safer.
You're right, because Idefinitely was an adult when I
read Twilight and I'm like, yeah, but it didn't get that.
Niq (12:44):
It was very clean, it was very clean.
Jess (12:47):
I could do that, I could do the fantasy, because I feel
like it doesn't get that deepinto the but like, if you yeah,
if you don't no.
I need a certain level ofcleanliness if we're talking
about actual children.
Niq (12:59):
Right, yeah, I agree.
Jess (13:03):
So that's probably why I haven't watched the rom-coms,
because if they are skewingtowards young, because, yeah, I
saw all the promos for Girl.
Now I'm going to start messingup names To All the Boys I Loved
Before and to that other oneyou mentioned, and I was like no
, but they were actually bothvery clean.
Niq (13:19):
They were.
I will say that.
Jess (13:23):
No, no that I might be shell-shocked because I straight
turned Euphoria off.
Niq (13:28):
Euphoria is something Euphoria.
I made it more episodes thanyou did, but I don't think I
made it through the first season.
It was way too much for me.
It was one of the most graphicshows when it came to drug use
and just like.
It was entirely like.
(13:49):
It was like my nightmare.
I have kids well, at the timeexcuse me, old, not that the
show came out like my, you know,I had a child in that age and
I'm just like I can't.
I can't watch, I can't watch, Ican't do this.
Jess (14:07):
But I told you even Grown-ish, which is probably
Chase and Tame for most.
I actually like it better whenJunior became the focus than
when girl I don't know hercharacter's name, but first Yara
Shahidi's character, zoe, wasthe lead.
I watched the Junior years.
I skipped over Zoe after I gotuncomfortable and then I watched
the junior years.
(14:27):
The junior years were better tome but I couldn't handle her.
Having taken Adderall, I waslike you just got to college
three days ago, why are youalready on Addies?
Niq (14:37):
Yeah, that's a lot for the first week of college.
You haven't even gotten deep inthe semester.
You don't have to have a classenough to be taking Adderall
baby.
No, you don't Look at that.
We used to pull all-nightersjust on the street, just off of
coffee.
Jess (14:57):
Yeah, Remember there used to be 24-hour Starbucks.
We used to pull all-nightersoff coffee alone.
Niq (15:07):
Yeah, these kids they're so weak.
They're so weak, they're soweak.
Jess (15:14):
Oh, my goodness, I have done all-nighters, taken a final
written, a paper.
All in the same 24-hour period,just off coffee.
Right, I can't do that nowthough, girl.
No, all in the same 24 hourperiod, just off coffee right, I
can't do that now though girl.
No, now.
No, I need six to eight hoursbeauty rest and please don't
(15:34):
schedule too many things.
Niq (15:36):
I told you part of my activities got canceled this
evening because we old and it'slike, okay, it's the evening,
yeah, we all tired, we ain'tgonna make it right, no, like
yesterday I asked my husband tobring me like a glass of water
and he went downstairs and cameback up and and I was asleep,
(15:57):
and I was asleep so deeply thatwhen he was like, here you go,
like it it awakened me and likeI screamed, like I was like, oh,
he scared me.
And he was like I just I boughtyou the water that you asked
for.
And I'm like, yes, you did.
Jess (16:14):
I asked for that water Deeply deeply asleep, like you
know.
Niq (16:20):
Yeah, I can't, I don't have , I don't have the all nighters,
I don't have the all nighters.
Jess (16:25):
You know, I can't, I don't have the all-nighters, I don't
have the all-nighters.
Niq (16:28):
We did when we needed to, and that's what's important we
did, do you remember?
Never mind, we've got theall-nighters in different places
.
Jess (16:34):
Oh yeah, sorry about those all-nighters, all-nighters
around the world.
Niq (16:41):
But back to the show.
I was really really excited,excited.
I honestly I watched itstraight through yeah, same same
.
Jess (16:50):
I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I love the cast.
I love all the people that theyhad in it.
They were really good.
Um, I enjoyed the storyline.
So, basically, this is, um.
So, just kind of give a briefsynopsis.
This is about the the Okay girl, why am I stuttering?
I'm going to take all this out,okay?
So this is about Isla Gordon,who is the daughter of a wealthy
(17:12):
basketball team owner, and sheis put in a position where she
is going to have to suddenlytake over the basketball team.
It's loosely based on the storyof Jeannie Buss, the daughter
of same situation, the LA Lakersdaughter, who took over in 2013
.
Not an exact replica, but it'sloosely based on her story and
(17:33):
just all the trials andtribulations she has as a female
owner of a team dealing in amale-dominant field.
Niq (17:40):
I had no idea.
This was based on a real person.
Jess (17:43):
Loosely based.
Niq (17:46):
Yeah, it probably is very loosely Because, like this
character, isla, before she tookover the team she was kind of
known in the family as like thescrew-up, like she said Party
girl.
Yeah, she didn't get theattention that she wanted from
her dad.
She didn't get the respect thatshe wanted from her dad.
(18:09):
She's had like a love love ofbasketball, but he would really
never kind of let herparticipate and so she kind of
right, because she was a girl,so she would act out and she did
all the typical, like hollywoodstarlet socialite stuff yeah,
marrying someone, quickiemarriages, you know all of the
stuff has a mad brian austingreen.
Jess (18:23):
Yeah, if you live long enough, you get to marry brian
austin green.
Marrying someone, quickiemarriages, you know all of this
stuff.
Who hasn't married Brian AustinGreen?
Niq (18:25):
Yeah, If you live long enough, you get to marry Brian
Austin Green for 20 days Exactly.
Jess (18:31):
That's the price.
Niq (18:33):
So basically her brother like kind of takes her to the
side and he's like hey, you knowyou need to get your life
together.
And so he brings her into thefamily business and he lets her
he to get your life together.
And so he brings her into thefamily business and he lets her,
he puts her in charge ofcharities.
So she's in the family businessbut she's not really doing
anything of consequence.
She's kind of just like hostevents.
Jess (18:53):
But I personally felt like she was doing a good job in
charities she was doing a verygood job in charities, but again
, like her brother is like yougot to get your life together.
But then he also puts her in afield where he's like was very
female dominated within the maledominated field, like it's like
you should do charities.
He didn't ask her what she wasinterested in.
She is very knowledgeable aboutbasketball, but none of her
(19:16):
brothers ever even consider thatshe is right, or I think that
they may know that she'sknowledgeable.
Niq (19:22):
They don't care that she's knowledgeable, they don't take
her seriously at all.
Jess (19:28):
Sandy does not know at all .
That's funny to me because heconstantly says that she's not.
But he's not knowledgeableabout basketball.
He isn't.
I'm not sure that he knows it'sthe oldest brother Cam.
Niq (19:40):
Cam is the oldest.
Cam knows that she'sknowledgeable and doesn't care.
Jess (19:47):
But Ness does not know and Sandy doesn't know.
It's because they haven'tgotten to know that part of
their sister.
Niq (19:54):
I don't know.
I feel like Ness grew up in thehouse with her, because Sandy
has a different mother.
I think that Ness knows thatshe knows about basketball, but
once again, I don't think thatthey care.
I think that they don't takeher seriously because she's a
woman, because their dad didn'ttake her seriously and their dad
(20:14):
didn't take women seriously.
So even though they love her,like they love her there's no
doubt they do love her, but theyreally look down on her because
she's a woman.
I wonder like, yes, I know thatshe had like that history of
like acting out and doing allthat wild stuff, but I wonder,
(20:35):
even if she never did that stuff, I feel like they would have
still treated her the same way.
Jess (20:39):
I agree because it's an incredibly misogynistic family,
including Sandy, because Sandydoesn't even try to find out and
to me, sandy actually says someof the most sexist stuff to her
sandy is the worst.
Niq (20:53):
He's the worst, he, he's absolutely the worst, but we'll.
But the funny thing is like sheis so passionate about
basketball, like the kind ofperson that I am.
If I was her, like I would havewent to college and I would
have studied sports managementor something like that, and I
would have went to work for adifferent team.
Jess (21:14):
Like rival company, absolutely.
Niq (21:16):
That is exactly like I'm like, oh OK.
Well, you know, I would haveembarrassed you, but in a
different way, have embarrassedyou but in a different way, like
I would have been like the bestand you would have like
literally begged me to come jointhe team, and I would have
never do it.
Jess (21:32):
No, I would absolutely be working for your arch nemesis
Boston.
Oh not, if I gotta live inBoston.
Kate Hudson can live in Bostonjust fine you can't live in
Boston, just fine, I cannot livein Boston that would be.
Niq (21:53):
That's what my plan would have been like.
I can show you better than Ican tell you kind of plan, but
that's not the route that shegoes.
And hey, everybody has theirown way but that's true.
Jess (22:07):
But she also doesn't have support from really anybody
because even like their mothers,their mothers are kind of a
mess too.
Right, like yeah, you barelysee them, but their mothers are
a mess too.
So like nobody was like getyour life together, go, go do
something.
They were like you're rich andyou're beautiful, that's all you
gotta be.
Niq (22:26):
I never saw.
Did they show any of the moms?
Jess (22:28):
on the show they showed her mom briefly as a child and
her mom is like crying andshriveling and she's trying to
Kate is well, kate or Isla istrying to reassure her mom that
her father's coming back homeand the mom is crying a puddle
of mess and basically she'sparenting her mom at like eight.
Okay, yeah.
Niq (22:52):
So basically, isla ends up taking over the team and when
she gets the team, the team isin bad shape.
They're like looking likethey're not going to make it to
the playoffs.
Like they've got like atroublemaker on.
The team is in bad shape.
They're like looking likethey're not going to make it to
the playoffs.
Like they've got like atroublemaker on the team.
They've got like a legacyplayer who is like kind of
mentally checked out when itcomes to the team and like
(23:14):
they're losing their sponsors.
Like the team is, it is a messand I feel like as soon as she
gets the role, sandy, who is heryounger brother, starts
plotting against her and heropes Ness in.
He does, and I was kind of likeNess, out of all the siblings,
(23:36):
is very emotional.
He seems like very emotionaland very caring.
I was kind of surprised that hejumped on the bandwagon with
Sandy so fast.
Jess (23:48):
Yeah, me too.
Me too, I was not expectingthat from him.
And he just seems to genuinelycare about each of his siblings,
like genuinely.
So I'm like why would you joina bandwagon with Sandy?
And it's obvious, Sandydefinitely knows nothing about
basketball.
Of the whole family, he knowsthe least.
So why are you listening to him?
Niq (24:06):
Yeah, I didn't understand that either.
And so, like, as she's gettingacclimated to the role, she
makes some mistakes, but shealso actually like, does some
really cool stuff.
Like they're telling her.
You know, they come to her andthey're like hey, you need to do
X, Y, Z.
They don't even come to her andsay hey, we have this problem.
How do you think it should behandled?
(24:28):
What do you think we should do?
A lot of times they come in,they're like we need you to sign
this paper and this is what'sgoing to happen.
And so they're telling her whatto do.
Jess (24:35):
They're not asking.
Niq (24:36):
Right, even though she's in charge.
Right I love is that she's like, oh, okay, and then, instead of
doing what they ask her to do,she goes and she actually learns
about the situation and shetries to find, like, the best
solution, which is notnecessarily what they tell her
to do, and most of the time itworks.
Jess (24:56):
Most of the time?
Yeah, it doesn't always.
Which also she's in a very newrole.
She went from charities to likethe.
What's her title?
Niq (25:05):
President or CEO.
Jess (25:08):
Yeah, she's the president and the CEO, so you get to learn
and make mistakes in thatposition for most humans.
That's how.
Niq (25:16):
I.
Jess (25:18):
Yeah, but only certain people get to make mistakes.
Niq (25:23):
I felt like when she did good things, like they were just
like, they were like whatever,it was very neutral.
They weren't like, oh my god,that's really great.
But when she did something,when she made mistakes, they
were like, see, look at you,that's why you shouldn't be here
right and like the way theywere scheming behind her back
was so that bothered me.
Yeah, I'm like you were herbrothers, are you serious?
(25:45):
It did.
Now I'm gonna also say I don'treally understand what her job
is like.
Oh, like she's the president ofthe team, but it just seems
like she's she deals with like alot of things that are like
minutia that I feel like sheshouldn't have to deal with.
Like okay, so for a lot ofthings that are like minutiae
that I feel like she shouldn'thave to deal with, like what?
Like okay.
So, for example, like whenshe's like dealing with like
(26:09):
Travis, who is like the playerwith the bad attitude, and then
she's dealing with like theplayer that's mentally checked
out.
I'm like Ness, who is hermiddle brother, is the GM of the
team.
He should be doing that, buthe's not checked out.
I'm like Ness, who is hermiddle brother, is the GM of the
team.
Jess (26:24):
He should be doing that, but he's not competent enough.
Niq (26:27):
You know.
But I'm just like, why is shedoing like to skip to the end of
the show when she's takingTravis to rehab?
I'm like you don't have anassistant coach.
Where's the team doctor?
Someone else should be able totake this man to rehab.
Why didn't?
Jess (26:48):
you.
I'm like, honestly, you shouldjust be having a driver drop his
behind off at rehab.
But at the most, jackie, whowas her assistant, by this time
her youngest, her illegitimatebrother that they find out on
the show I wouldn't trust Jackieto do that.
I wouldn't trust Jackie justbecause I who becomes her sister
.
I wouldn't trust Jackie justbecause I think he's so young he
could be talked into anything.
But yeah, ness could have donethat.
(27:09):
I don't know if he would have.
I think the issue is that shedoesn't have people that she can
trust.
Niq (27:15):
Right, a legacy big NBA team, you should have support
staff.
Jess (27:22):
You should not be having to do every little thing, Little
thing, and I think how she endsup doing that is she didn't
have people she could trust.
Because she starts interveningwith Travis in the first place
because he pisses off a sponsorthat she worked her behind off
to get and so getting sponsorsgetting like millions of dollars
in the team.
That makes sense that thatwould be her job.
Now, I don't know what abasketball president does either
(27:44):
.
I don't feel like that shouldbe her job.
Niq (27:47):
I don't know we're talking about millions.
What is the marketingdepartment for?
The marketing department shouldbe funding sponsors.
Jess (27:55):
I don't know If I'm giving your team millions and millions
.
I want to speak to the personin charge.
They're giving like seriousmillions.
They're not giving like youknow no, I can.
Niq (28:06):
I'm not saying she shouldn't be involved at all,
but like I feel like she, likethey should be finding her list
of people they should be settingher up and then she just have
the meeting.
They should be like I got youthey lost their sponsor because
of something her older brotherdid and they're like well, we
don't have a sponsor, what arewe going to do?
(28:27):
And she's out here making coldcalls.
Jess (28:32):
That's crazy.
It is crazy, but it's again themess that they left her in that
she has to do all this andbecause she can't trust them At
every moment they're trying toundermine her.
And because she can't trust him, at every moment they're trying
to undermine her.
So I get to the point where you, I get, where she gets to the
point where she's doingeverything because I gotta make
sure it gets done.
So I gotta talk to thisknucklehead player because y'all
already want to trade him and Itold you not to trade him and
(28:54):
so your answer is going to if Igive you not to do directly.
So that's why.
But she ends up having to doeverything and, like I said,
although I agree with you,somebody else should have been
driving Travis to rehab.
I'm like all them dudes wouldhave drove him right back to
that gang.
Niq (29:13):
But that's why you give like you is someone like the.
Jess (29:17):
You get like the assistant her not the assistant, because
her title is higher than that,but her best friend who works
with her right.
Niq (29:25):
I think she does like marketing maybe.
I can't remember what her titlewas, I think she's head of the
marketing department orsomething like that, because she
used to be her dad's assistantand then she transitioned over
to what she does now.
But yeah, I just I'm like you.
Then she transitioned over towhat she does now.
But yeah, I just, I'm like you.
You can't effectively lead ifyou can't effectively delegate.
Jess (29:51):
Yeah, but I also feel like it's not her fault fully that
she can't delegate and she's notwrong and not trusting them.
You know, maybe after, afterbeing there for some time,
she'll be able to build a teamand they'll build some trust
with her.
But, like, I think that's thethe hard part of being either a
woman or minority in anyposition is that everything your
existence gets questioned everysingle second, even when you're
(30:13):
making sense, and that's what'shappening to her.
Niq (30:15):
So she's like, dang it, I'll just do it myself so like
you see her like kind of excelin this job and enjoys this job,
but you also see, like it'skind of draining her, like she's
losing herself, she's losingher work-life balance.
It takes a toll on herrelationship.
Now I'm going to say this whenit comes to her relationship, so
(30:38):
as we're watching the show,before we even ever learn that
she's in a relationship, she hasa scene with the head coach,
who's played by jay ellison, andas soon as, like they start the
scene, I said, oh sorry, jayellis.
As soon as they start thisscene, I'm like, oh, wow, the
(30:59):
chemistry is popping off so long.
I'm like, oh, there's a loveinterest and he is, and he is.
But then, my shock, you thenfind out that she has a fiance.
I don't remember his name, I'mgoing to call him Schmidt from
(31:20):
New Girl girl because, like, ifhe ain't Schmidt, I don't
remember his name.
Jess (31:25):
I'm going to call him.
Niq (31:25):
Schmidt, I don't either Girl.
Jess (31:27):
If he ain't Schmidt, I don't know who he is.
What is it, lev?
It's so freaking easy.
Niq (31:32):
His name is Lev.
Her fiance is played by Lev,who is so sweet and so adorable
and so likable.
He's so sweet to her, he'sadorable.
There is literally no chemistrythere.
There's no, I was gonna say Idon't feel like they're a good
fit.
Jess (31:48):
I like him.
I like him.
He's a nice guy, but I don'tfeel like he's a good and for
the most part he does everythingright he does, but they're just
not.
Niq (31:57):
There's no.
What I enjoy is sometimespeople make it seem like
rom-coms because they, like thetopics are lighter, that there's
no skill in creating a rom-com.
But for kate hudson to be ableto have like this intense
chemistry that is popping offwith jay ellis and then get to
(32:21):
love and make it completely no,chemistry is actually a skilling
of itself.
Jess (32:28):
Yeah, it is because I will say this, the guy who plays
love Max Greenfield.
I feel like he look kind ofcute in this movie.
Niq (32:35):
He's so cute.
He's always been so adorable.
He has like an adorableness.
He's not to me like, oh, he's asexy guy.
Jess (32:43):
There's one time I was like oh, max, I've never seen
you like that before he'shandsome, he's sweet, he's very
sweet.
Niq (32:50):
He plays a good guy and you could like see how in another
show he would be the guy thatthe woman was falling like in
love with.
But like the way that it's justlike they are almost like
roommate, like BFFs, it justdoes not give up.
Jess (33:07):
They feel more like BFFs.
Niq (33:08):
They do they do, they do.
And that's why I was like, oh,how is?
I'm like, how are we breakingthis up?
It's like, from the first thingyou know, like the countdown to
they break up right, and sothen, like you watching, like
okay, so you like you find outthey're engaged and you're like,
really, and then, like you likefind out, like they're throwing
their engagement party andshe's like talking about
(33:29):
converting to judaism, which Ithought was very interesting
because how is it that, like thetwo major rom-coms, both
involve women, like considering?
And it's interesting because inthis show it was a throwaway
kind of situation compared toNobody Wants this, where it was
(33:50):
like one of the main focuses.
He was like, oh, you remember,you told me you would convert to
Judaism.
She was like, oh, I did.
She was like I said that.
She was like, I mean, I guessyou know, she didn't give it
like it was like no thought.
I'm like do you even know whatyou're signing up for?
Whereas, like in the other show, like you really see, like the
(34:14):
other character like reallyspend time in the community,
like start really kind oflearning and understanding what
it means to be Jewish, what itmeans to have that faith, and
like you see, it's actuallysomething that she needs for
herself, like without theconnection to like her boyfriend
, like you see her develop thisrelationship with Judaism and
(34:36):
this show it was just like itwas like a plot point, but it
was like such a like not majorplot point, because then, like
he's like a plot point, but itwas like such a like not major
plot point, because then, likehe's like you don't even have to
do it.
She's like, oh, okay right.
Jess (34:49):
I'm like it was harder for her to decide whether she was
going to convert when sherealized she was going to lose
her inheritance.
Niq (34:56):
I feel like that.
She really was like I'm goingto lose my inheritance, you know
that'll be fine, and I'm justlike we would have to talk about
that.
I'd be like, hey, lev, sit down.
Sit down, baby girl.
How much money does your familyhave because we got to make?
If it don't make dollars, itdon't make sense.
Jess (35:17):
Like we need to figure this out, it don't matter and
you went a completely differentway, because I would have went
to a lawyer and be like is thisa clause, I can fight, and if
it's not a clause, I can fight.
Sir, I'm not converting.
Niq (35:27):
I just feel like her reasons for converting were like
weird.
Anyway, I, I, I just think youdon't, you didn't even take the
time to like learn about thereligion, learn about the
culture, like you're just likeokay.
So if you would do that, likeyou would convert to anything.
She doesn't feel strongly aboutit.
Jess (35:49):
Yeah it was.
It was more about she, like herboyfriend love, made a lot of
sacrifices for her, which he did.
He was a good guy, he, you know, and she felt like she never
made any for him.
So this was going to be thething that she, that she gave up
for him.
But it wasn't about her and I'msaying that because that's kind
of a weird reason Like, yes, ifthey were going to stay in a
(36:10):
relationship, you do need tofocus on him more, like you do
need to make him more a part ofyour life, because she just kind
of lives kind of parallel tohim.
But that's not the thing.
Niq (36:21):
But that's not the thing, that's not the thing, even if it
is, take it seriously, give itthe respect enough to learn what
you are like signing up for sothat you can do it
wholeheartedly.
Because, like, what?
Like you're the way that shewas so nonchalant about the
situation oh yeah, sure I'll doit.
Like, are you really going tolike be involved?
(36:44):
Are you just going to be like,okay, yeah, I've converted and
then like, not actually carry onthe traditions and get involved
in the community and understandthe culture so you can pass it
on to your kids?
You know what I mean.
Like the way she so halfheartedly agreed, I just feel
like it was almost disrespectful.
That's how I felt.
(37:07):
But, like I said, it was a smallplot point, kind of thrown away
like immediately, just as soonas she said she would do it, he
was like, oh, you don't have todo it, and she jumped out at the
chance to like not get involved.
I was very surprised.
So, like, they end up like shemisses like a very important
event of his and they end upbreaking up as they should,
(37:28):
because she really does notrespect their relationship, give
their relationship the respectthey deserve.
She doesn't give him the loveand attention that he needs and
he.
I feel like he blames it on herhaving the new job, but I feel
like that dynamic was already inplace.
Jess (37:43):
That dynamic was definitely already in place.
He does like the only thing.
That's what I'm saying.
For the most part, he does mostthings right.
The one issue I had with him inparticularly where I felt like I
didn't, I didn't like his takeon, it was when okay, so it is
after.
I want to say it's when she isin the news, because people are
(38:04):
saying that she slept withTravis because they went out to
dinner, right, and so he's likeyou know.
Basically he's like, oh, I knownothing would happen between
you and Travis.
And then she's like something Idon't know if his office found
out or everybody finds outsomething he was like I just
didn't know that this was goingto be a part of your new job and
I was like you don't understand, because you don't know what
it's like for a woman to dostuff.
(38:24):
You know what I mean.
Like her father can takeplayers out to dinner and it's
nothing, but she takes it out inisolation and she's literally
just taking out a player todinner to have a difficult
conversation with him.
You know, to almost like youknow, cuss him out a little bit
and say, hey, get your stufftogether.
But because she's a woman andthat I'm like, I don't know, I
felt some kind of way about thatbecause I'm like I know there's
(38:46):
no way for him to understandthat because he's a man, but I'm
like, but that's the part ofthe job that's not her fault.
Her like not showing up to yourstuff, her not taking your work
as seriously, you know her nottaking you as seriously, which
cause that started before thejob.
Right, yeah, that's stuff thatyou need to call her on, but
stuff that just literally onlyhappens because she's a woman
(39:07):
and she has no control over, shehas no control over people.
Writing a story about hersitting at dinner with one of
her players she had no controlover the player kissing her,
right, right, you know what Imean.
Cause, like what happens?
She takes the player out todinner.
It is a romantic restaurant,but again she had her assistant
set up the dinner, which youshould be able to do as a person
(39:29):
at her level, and he sets it atthis super romantic restaurant,
and so the player gets thewrong idea.
Again, you would have tried tokiss her, daddy, I don't care
what restaurant he took you to.
I don't understand how he gotthere.
No, she was giving him nosignals.
But again, we shouldn't evenhave to have this conversation
because I'm your boss, right,you know?
(39:50):
Yeah, the issue is he doesn'trespect her being the boss.
The people want to make asalacious story because she's a
woman that can, and so that'sthe one part where I'm like I
wish somebody could call him onthat, because it's like you
didn't think it was going to bea part of it, because you never
had to live this world as awoman.
Niq (40:06):
Right.
So yeah, I was very happy whenthey broke up.
What I was surprised was thatshe went and chased after him,
went to his office and beggedhim not to move and stuff, and
I'm like but you didn't evenreally like him for real, like
what are we doing?
Jess (40:24):
I think she liked the idea of getting married.
She didn't seem that jazzedabout him ever.
She didn't dislike him.
I mean, he's perfectly likable.
Niq (40:32):
But they were engaged for like seven years and then she's
like, oh, there was COVID.
And then she's like, oh, therewas COVID, and then his mom got
a facelift, and then my mom gota facelift.
Do you know how many peopleduring the COVID time just went
and got married and then they'relike, oh, I'll do a wedding
(40:54):
later.
If you really wanted to bemarried to that man, y'all would
be married you could.
Jess (41:00):
You also are insanely rich , so you can pull off a wedding
in like two days right she, Idon't know like it was.
Niq (41:08):
So their relationship was so dry, like every scene with
her.
And the basketball coach's nameis Lawrence Luke.
What's his name, girl, I don'tknow, I don't want, what's his?
Jess (41:22):
name Girl?
I don't know.
I don't want to call his namefrom Insecure.
I'm like he was Lawrence inInsecure.
I see Lawrence in here also.
Jay, what?
His name is?
Jay Brown.
His real name is Jay Ellis.
His name on this show is JayBrown.
Niq (41:40):
I thought you said his name was Lawrence before.
His name was Lawrence show isJay Brown.
Jess (41:42):
I thought you told me his name was Lawrence before.
His name was Lawrence onInsecure.
Niq (41:48):
Why I'm so terrible remembering character names.
I am.
It's just like it's mykryptonite.
Just keep going, I'll correctyou.
Thank you.
Every scene with him is likesizzling.
They have such good chemistry.
Although I feel like he had hisshirt off a lot in this.
(42:08):
I'm like you're the basketballcoach.
Why are you keeping it upshirtless?
That's not normal.
But yeah, so I towards the endof the show.
They kind of have a romanticlink.
But the issue is is that he'sleaving?
He's going to you.
Don't think he's going toBoston like you think he would
(42:29):
stay, okay, but listen, his kidsare going to be in Boston.
Like would you respect him ifhe stays in LA when his kids are
going to Boston and he has ajob in Boston?
Jess (42:43):
no, but I feel like something's gonna if he stays in
LA when his kids are going toBoston and he has a job in
Boston.
No, but I feel like something'sgoing to happen.
His ex-wife is going to getsome kind of brand deal.
His you know what I mean, hernew man is going to get a job.
Something's going to happen towhere them kids and him stay in
LA.
He's not going to Boston.
Niq (43:00):
I don't believe it.
At least we agree that if hedoesn't go to Boston to be with
his kids, we don't respect him.
Jess (43:07):
Or they're going to go to Boston and realize they're Black
and then come back.
Niq (43:12):
The wife in her, the ex-wife in her new man are not
Black, but the kids are.
I don't think they're going tocare, so we'll see what happens.
We'll see what happens nextseason, I don't know.
I kind of the season ends insort of a cliffhanger because
(43:35):
the brother gives her control ofthe team so that he can go to
rehab, and so he pays.
He bribes his therapist so thathe can get out of rehab early,
and I feel like he only doesthat on the strength that, like
I, was actually doing a good jobwith the team.
Jess (43:52):
All of it.
He also pointed the story thatMarcus, Marcus Now I'm
forgetting the name no Marcuswas leaving or they were going
to trade Marcus Cause, rememberthat was a big thing.
Yeah, the checked out player, so, and he, he is the one who
planted that story with thepodcaster, so he does a little.
(44:16):
Yeah, he, I think he alwaysplanned on coming back and
taking that, but, like, I thinkhe's like, oh, he's coming back
early and so he's trying to sether up for a fall because he
wants to come back early,because she's doing such a good
job so do you think that he'strying to come back early
because he's scared that if hewaits too long they won't give
him back the job?
yes, which I.
(44:37):
Honestly.
I'm like I don't know why youthought she was getting this job
back anyway.
Because, no matter what, if Iwas on that board, you're not
getting this job back, youwouldn't already lost millions
of dollars in a sponsor becauseof you.
Niq (44:47):
Like I don't care, like I hope you do get clean, but
you're not getting your job backbut here's the thing why I
think that they would give himhis job back, one like he was
actually really good at the jobof being president.
Yes, he was.
The team was in a mess when heleft.
The team was, but they didn'tlose the sponsor until his
(45:08):
little drug incident.
Jess (45:10):
Yeah, but that's part of your job is keeping up your
appearances.
The team did have issues.
Niq (45:15):
But when I say he was good at his job, he was well-liked
and well-known to be a goodpresident.
He had a good relationship withthe board.
He had a good relationship withthe team.
He even had a good relationshipwith Marcus, the checked out
player.
You know what I mean.
So the team itself was nothaving a good season, but I
(45:35):
don't think that they wereblaming it on the brother being
president.
The way that they blame everysingle problem on the sister
being president, way that theyblame every single problem on
the sister being president, Isthat fair?
It's not.
Jess (45:46):
Agreed, but they should have been that's what I was
about to say because the teamwas also $2 million over their
salary cap.
The team wasn't a free fall andyou weren't doing anything
about it, marcus, you're takingthese players out to strip clubs
and to do drugs and they likeyou, but they're not performing
well.
Niq (46:07):
So, no, you're not good at your job, you're just likable,
but I think that he was seen tobe good at his job, which is why
I think that when he came, likebecause he's a male and he's
like the head of that family-You're a male and you are a male
that's's like in a black family.
Jess (46:22):
You're a male and you are a male that's allowed to fail up
.
Niq (46:26):
Right.
I think that they would havegiven him his job back, I think.
So I think he started getting,I don't know.
He started getting scaredbecause, like Isla was like an
undeniable success.
Yeah, she was really likemaking waves, like an undeniable
success.
Yeah, like she, she was reallylike making waves, like going
(46:46):
and getting a new sponsor whenhe was the reason why the
sponsor left.
You know what I'm saying.
Like getting Travis in line,bringing in that guy from like
the D league and actually makinghim like a good player you know
what I mean which is reallysaving the money because he's a
good player.
You know what I mean, which isreally saving them money because
he's getting paid dust.
You know what I mean and that'sthe thing.
Jess (47:08):
She traded another player and that's how she got the two
million dollar that they wereover.
She got them under and shebrought in more money with the
sponsors.
So they're even.
Niq (47:16):
They were even in a much better position she's doing an
awesome job and I think thatscared him, because I think that
he thought that she could justplace hold.
Yes, I think she, her job wasjust to keep the seat warm and
if the season turned out bad itwas, they could blame it on her
(47:37):
being there, you know what Imean.
And when she actually took likethat little pile of trash they
gave her and turned it into liketreasure, he's like, oh, I
gotta get out of rehab now, andso I think he's gonna try to get
his job back.
I think that's what the secondseason's gonna be about him
trying to get his job back andit's gonna be very, very
(48:00):
interesting, because what do youhave to stand on?
Jess (48:05):
Nothing, but so okay, have you ever heard of the term the
glass?
Niq (48:08):
cliff?
No, I've only heard the glassceiling.
So okay.
Jess (48:14):
The glass cliff is when a company hires a woman a female
CEO right before when they'reabout.
They already know they're goingto go into a major decline.
A female CEO right before whenthey're about they already know
they're going to go into a majordecline, and that's what she
was.
Yeah, that's interesting, it'sbeen studied, it's been
researched.
Like they'll hire, like if yousee a company that's never had a
(48:36):
CEO, a female CEO, and all of asudden they get a CEO, female
CEO, and then they fall off.
They were already going in thatthat decline before they hired
her.
Niq (48:46):
Wow, yeah, I mean, I think that's why he did it.
In thinking like that, withthat piece of information, it
makes sense why he didn'tpromote one of his brothers in
that spot, even though I feellike they, like he, may not have
known that they were lessqualified.
(49:06):
I don't think that they havelike the problem solving skills
that she has.
I don't think they have thestrategy that she has, you know.
So I do think out of all thesiblings, she was the best
person for the job, but I don'tthink Cam promoted her, thinking
(49:26):
that she was the best personfor the job.
Jess (49:29):
Agreed.
Agreed, like if he had promotedNess or Sandy.
He probably thought they'lljust be his lucky.
They would have went to him foreverything they would have had
to, and so they would.
The team would have continuedto run exactly how he ran it.
But, like I said, I think italready looked like it was going
to go into decline.
We just need to keep somebody'sfamily seat long enough so that
it doesn't go outside thefamily, and then he can pick it
(49:51):
back up when it comes back.
Niq (49:53):
She ended up doing a good job.
Jess (49:55):
Did she ever go?
Niq (49:57):
to camp.
I don't think Did she ever goto camp for anything Because the
guys.
I don't think did she ever goto camp for anything Because the
guys.
They went to camp and visitedhim in rehab and was trying to
get them to help.
I don't think she ever did that.
Jess (50:11):
No, not that I remember, that's interesting.
Mm-hmm, yeah.
And then I'm like and Sandy,I'm like Sandy doesn't know what
a basketball is so like if youthought he could run.
And Sandy, I'm like Sandydoesn't know what a basketball
is so like if you thought hecould run the team.
I don't know why he thought hecould run the team.
I think that's what reallypissed me off with Sandy,
(50:32):
because I'm like, sir, you don'teven know how to dribble, like
what was you going to do?
You literally think that penismakes you better at work.
Niq (50:39):
That penis makes you better at work.
The funny thing is is that hissolution was to get rid of Isla
and then he and Ness co-run theteam and I'm like, okay if
Isla's running the team byherself and Cam was running the
team by himself.
If it takes the two of you torun the team, that means you
guys are half as good If that,if that.
(51:04):
If that Sandy's good withnumbers, but he has no humanity
at all.
Nor does he understand the gameof basketball you don't even
know the game.
But he also has no humanity.
Ness is all humanity, with nowork ethic.
I feel like no common sense.
(51:25):
I don't know, I can't tell whathis job is.
Jess (51:31):
I don't understand what his job is, Girl I don't know, I
don't really know, he's justkind of sitting in that office.
Niq (51:40):
That's how I feel he's just in the.
That's why I'm saying some ofsit in that office.
That's how I feel he's, he'sjust in the.
That's why I'm saying, likesome of the stuff that she's
doing, I'm like shouldn't thatbe the job of the gm?
Jess (51:49):
yeah, but I think, but again, them being men and
allowed to just kind of fail anddo whatever they want to do,
like they're just yeah, youliterally are just sitting in
there warming that office, youare not doing anything of
consequence, but you think youcan run the team well, here's
the thing Ness did not want torun the team, but he was willing
(52:10):
to overthrow his sister.
Niq (52:11):
I know he was led by Sandy.
When Sandy came to him he waswilling to join forces with
Sandy but he was not like I wantto be the boss, but he's always
looking for connection, and soI feel like it was more about
Sandy coming and wanting to dosomething with him.
(52:32):
You know he's like oh yeah,sure we can team up, we can
spend more time together, we cantalk.
That's why I feel like Nessjoined forces with Sandy.
I don't think that Ness desiresto be the president at all,
true, so I don't know.
They it's an interesting like.
The family dynamics are veryinteresting and I honestly want
(52:55):
to get into them more and on adeeper level.
So I think that would be thebest place to start our next
episode.
How does that sound?
Sounds really good.
All right, guys.
Thank you so much for tuning.
In our next episode we're goingto dive deeper into the family
dynamics of the Gordon familyfrom running point.
Hi guys and welcome back to next episode with Nick and Jess
.
And today we're actuallydiscussing the Netflix hit
Running Point.
Yes, did I say it right?
You did, you did, you got itright.
I've been calling this showRunning plus Random Word all
(00:22):
week, but you got it.
You got it.
I'm proud of you.
I'm excited.
Do we agree that this show is atrue palette cleanser?
Jess (00:34):
Yes, we both agree.
True palette cleanser light.
Niq (00:38):
Yes, love it.
I love a show like this.
This show could very easilybecome a comfort show of mine if
it was just a little bit morespooky, because it like
immediately from the beginning,like I knew exactly what was
going to happen.
Like there was like a couplesurprises, but for the most part
I saw everything coming andsometimes in a comfort show you
(01:03):
just don't want to be surprised,you just want to be entertained
yeah, it's like I know what'sgoing to happen, but it's the
ride fun, right right, right,right, exactly.
And this show, um, it reminds meof nobody's.
Nobody wants this.
I don't think it's ascompelling.
Jess (01:25):
It's not.
Niq (01:26):
It's not, but I'm also okay with that Right, but I feel
like it's just as enjoyable.
I really enjoyed it.
I thought it was cute, Ithought it was fun, I thought it
was funny.
But Nobody Wants, this wasspecial.
It was, it was.
It may be Kirsten.
Jess (01:46):
I'm a Kirsten Bell.
You know what I think?
No, I don't.
The writing was more compellingon.
Nobody Wants this.
But what I think Running Pointhas is this feeling of nostalgia
because it feels like a rom-com.
I know it's not purely arom-com, it's about this woman
kind of inheriting thisbasketball team and how that
affects her life being in amale-dominated field.
But because it's Kate Hudson,there's a little nostalgia there
(02:09):
with rom-coms, and then we knowthat the rom-cominess is coming
.
Niq (02:14):
Right, yes, and I kind of miss the rom-com era.
I'm not a natural romance girl,like I'm not a natural romance
girl, but when I was watchingthe show I'm like man.
Rom-coms used to hit back inthe day.
Jess (02:30):
Where have they been?
They absolutely used to hit andI do miss them because I'm like
that's probably why we've beenstruggling so much to find light
shows, because everything has alittle air of heaviness and so
it was nice to have somethingthat truly felt light and just
fun and yeah.
Niq (02:55):
Why do you think, like rom-coms have kind of lost, like
some of like, the like punchthat they used to have, like it
used to be like, oh my God,during?
The summer you were going toprobably get like three or four
really great like rom-coms andyou would have stars who really
like they spent their wholecareer just like rom-coms and
you would have stars who reallylike they spent their whole
career just doing rom-coms andthat was that was considered
success.
You know that was awesome.
Jess (03:14):
What happened to the rom-com, I think I'm really
boring and basic, like you know,like, even though, like yes,
watching the show I knew exactlywhat was going to happen, how
it was going to unfold, butsomething just felt fun and
fresh about it, whereas therom-coms over the last few years
before Nobody Wants this theykind of felt stale and boring.
Niq (03:34):
I have a person who I feel like is the reason why rom-coms
started failing and people aregoing to disagree.
His name is and you know I'mterrible with names, but I'm
going to get close enough hisname is jude apatow.
Like judd apatow, okay, juddapatow, I told you I was going
(03:58):
to get close like he.
I feel like when he Does hewrite rom-coms, does he write
like racy stuff?
He kind of like Changed therom-com Format and kind of Made
them, I feel like, more malecentered.
Jess (04:16):
Oh, that makes sense.
Switch that up.
Niq (04:18):
And I think like they Kind of took on like this Mutation
and they lost like some of likethe fun when it comes to like
women and like this being likeour cute little thing that we
enjoy.
Jess (04:32):
Like they used to remember they used to call rom-coms
chick flicks they did, and Ithink I'm trying to see what
rom-coms he made.
Oh, I'm sorry.
Niq (04:46):
Okay, I see what you're saying now yeah, and so I think
I feel like stylistically theymoved away from like okay.
So even even like Adam Sandlermovies, like they were movies
that men enjoyed, but like hemade like 50 first dates, he
made the wedding singer, and sothose are like firmly rom-com
(05:11):
territories, even though theywere made by a guy and I feel
like there were movies that guysenjoyed too he still understood
right, and so I just feel likeJude Apatow kind of came in and
his name is Judd.
What is his name?
Judd Judd?
No, he's not.
I feel like Judd Apatow came inand shook things up, and not in
(05:38):
a good way, and we are likeslowly now finding our way back,
you know okay.
Jess (05:45):
So I try to pull up slowly now, finding our way back, you
know.
Okay, so I tried to pull up hisrom-coms and so they listed
Knocked Up, which I did not carefor, forgetting Sarah Marshall,
which I did enjoy, but I alsodidn't see it as a rom-com.
I realized that was supposed tobe a rom-com and then this Is
(06:06):
40, I don't think.
I remember seeing he didBridesmaids also doesn't seem
like a rom-com, but they'relisting it as one.
Niq (06:14):
I.
I did not enjoy Bridesmaids asmuch, um.
So what is her name?
Melissa McCarthy, MelissaMcCarthy.
I loved Melissa McCarthy whenshe was on the Gilmore Girls In
a new and special way, Like shewas one of my favorite
(06:37):
characters.
But when she like, some of hercomedy is too much for me and I
feel like her and Bridesmaids.
That was too much.
Jess (06:48):
I feel like Bridesmaids would not be funny without her.
I feel like she madeBridesmaids.
Niq (06:56):
It probably wouldn't have been funny without her.
I don't know that it wasnecessarily all that funny with
her.
Jess (07:02):
Oh, I love Bridesmaids Again.
I don't think of Bridesmaids asa rom-com, though I just think
of it as a comedy.
Niq (07:11):
Like a what is the one where the guys get, they end up
roofing themselves accidentallyand they're in Las Vegas and
they spend the movie looking fortheir lost.
I feel like it's the femaleequivalent to that movie agreed
and I don't know which one cameout first, but I think hangover
came out first the hangover okay, which I enjoyed the first
(07:36):
hangover, and then each one gotworse and worse, progressively
worse, worse and worse, and sobridesmaid is like hangover too,
like it's not the worst movieever, but it's.
It's doing a little too muchfor me, so I another thing is,
(07:57):
maybe I'm out of touch with who,like, the prime rom-com stars
are right now.
Jess (08:04):
So I would say one of the things I don't think there are
like there are people who dorom-coms, of course, but like
where we had like clear rom-comstars and that's what they did,
that was their bread.
But I don't think there's likepeople who just focus like that
on their career.
Niq (08:19):
Because my question is would I have even given this
show a chance if it wasn't KateHudson, like if it wasn't
someone from my era?
Jess (08:28):
Yeah, no, it definitely.
I definitely saw Kate Hudson.
I was like, OK, yeah, we'reabout to do this.
Niq (08:33):
Right, how to lose a guy in 10 days.
Come on, come on, classic,classic.
I'm like I would give her, I'mlike I would just give it a try.
Just off the strength of KateHudson yeah that is absolutely
the reason why I watched.
It is Fabletics, so, and then Ijust enjoyed it.
So you know, we go togetherreal bad, like so, but who, like
(08:57):
?
I'm like I don't even know whowould carry the mantle, like who
.
There were like some cute, likeso we don't get rom-coms, but
like we were getting like YAversion of rom-coms.
Like gosh, what are the namesof the like the kissing booth?
Did you see that there's liketwo of them and then there's
(09:22):
another one?
Oh, what is the name of the onewith like the Asian girl and
like to all the boys I lovedbefore?
Yes, did you see that one?
Jess (09:36):
no, I also did not.
Maybe that's it like it startedto be like teenagers and I was
like those are more YA.
Niq (09:45):
Those are not like full rom-com featuring like younger
teenagers.
Jess (09:50):
Part of nobody wants this appeal was the fact that they
were grown folks like they were,you know right, yes, that they
were fully fledged adults.
Niq (09:59):
But even if they were like in their early 20s, like I'm
like, where are those?
Because these, these, like.
Jess (10:07):
I don't want to watch teenagers be inappropriate with
each other I don't.
Niq (10:14):
I will give those movies a chance because I am someone who,
as a fully grown, grown grownwoman, love YA fiction.
Jess (10:26):
I will read YA fiction more than I will watch YA movies
now, and this may be justtrauma from euphoria.
Even though I did not finishthat, I don't think I got past
the first episode.
You're doing too much withteenagers.
These are teenagers and I justneed them to be teens and not
like no.
Niq (10:47):
Yeah, euphoria is a lot.
It would be a lot if they werecollege kids, but the fact that
they were college kids LikeGrown-ish, first season, I
couldn't do because I was likewhy are we so heavy into drugs?
Jess (10:59):
And these are like 18, 19 year olds and so like.
And I've had other people say,okay, college is different, drug
use is a lot more common.
Millennials, we are firmlytheir children.
We listened, what was it?
Mcgrath, the crime dog was athim.
We listened to him hard.
Our college years was not asfilled with drugs.
(11:24):
So, yeah, watching Grown-ishand all that stuff, and I'm like
these are children doing this,I can't do it.
But if it's a truly like, youknow me, if it's like a tween
show or something like thatwhere it's going to like, I
don't have an issue withteenagers having a storyline, I
just need it to be a certainlevel of cleanliness with their
kids.
Niq (11:48):
But and then when I so I gave those shows a chance
because I think they came frombooks.
Now I didn't read those booksbecause even though, like my ya,
fiction tends to lean towardsdystopic, novel or something
like very supernatural, you knowknow, yeah, very fantasy, very
supernatural.
I would feel weird reading abook about teenage relationships
(12:13):
.
Yeah, unless I was co-reading.
If my child wanted to read thatbook, I would read it with them
so they know what they'reconsuming.
So I would co-read that book,but for my own enjoyment.
My YA I have very specific YAtaste.
Jess (12:34):
Yeah, but I think that's safer.
You're right, because Idefinitely was an adult when I
read Twilight and I'm like, yeah, but it didn't get that.
Niq (12:44):
It was very clean, it was very clean.
Jess (12:47):
I could do that, I could do the fantasy, because I feel
like it doesn't get that deepinto the but like, if you yeah,
if you don't no.
I need a certain level ofcleanliness if we're talking
about actual children.
Niq (12:59):
Right, yeah, I agree.
Jess (13:03):
So that's probably why I haven't watched the rom-coms,
because if they are skewingtowards young, because, yeah, I
saw all the promos for Girl.
Now I'm going to start messingup names To All the Boys I Loved
Before and to that other oneyou mentioned, and I was like no
, but they were actually bothvery clean.
Niq (13:19):
They were.
I will say that.
Jess (13:23):
No, no that I might be shell-shocked because I straight
turned Euphoria off.
Niq (13:28):
Euphoria is something Euphoria.
I made it more episodes thanyou did, but I don't think I
made it through the first season.
It was way too much for me.
It was one of the most graphicshows when it came to drug use
and just like.
It was entirely like.
(13:49):
It was like my nightmare.
I have kids well, at the timeexcuse me, old, not that the
show came out like my, you know,I had a child in that age and
I'm just like I can't.
I can't watch, I can't watch, Ican't do this.
Jess (14:07):
But I told you even Grown-ish, which is probably
Chase and Tame for most.
I actually like it better whenJunior became the focus than
when girl I don't know hercharacter's name, but first Yara
Shahidi's character, zoe, wasthe lead.
I watched the Junior years.
I skipped over Zoe after I gotuncomfortable and then I watched
the junior years.
(14:27):
The junior years were better tome but I couldn't handle her.
Having taken Adderall, I waslike you just got to college
three days ago, why are youalready on Addies?
Niq (14:37):
Yeah, that's a lot for the first week of college.
You haven't even gotten deep inthe semester.
You don't have to have a classenough to be taking Adderall
baby.
No, you don't Look at that.
We used to pull all-nightersjust on the street, just off of
coffee.
Jess (14:57):
Yeah, Remember there used to be 24-hour Starbucks.
We used to pull all-nightersoff coffee alone.
Niq (15:07):
Yeah, these kids they're so weak.
They're so weak, they're soweak.
Jess (15:14):
Oh, my goodness, I have done all-nighters, taken a final
written, a paper.
All in the same 24-hour period,just off coffee.
Right, I can't do that nowthough, girl.
No, all in the same 24 hourperiod, just off coffee right, I
can't do that now though girl.
No, now.
No, I need six to eight hoursbeauty rest and please don't
(15:34):
schedule too many things.
Niq (15:36):
I told you part of my activities got canceled this
evening because we old and it'slike, okay, it's the evening,
yeah, we all tired, we ain'tgonna make it right, no, like
yesterday I asked my husband tobring me like a glass of water
and he went downstairs and cameback up and and I was asleep,
(15:57):
and I was asleep so deeply thatwhen he was like, here you go,
like it it awakened me and likeI screamed, like I was like, oh,
he scared me.
And he was like I just I boughtyou the water that you asked
for.
And I'm like, yes, you did.
Jess (16:14):
I asked for that water Deeply deeply asleep, like you
know.
Niq (16:20):
Yeah, I can't, I don't have , I don't have the all nighters,
I don't have the all nighters.
Jess (16:25):
You know, I can't, I don't have the all-nighters, I don't
have the all-nighters.
Niq (16:28):
We did when we needed to, and that's what's important we
did, do you remember?
Never mind, we've got theall-nighters in different places
.
Jess (16:34):
Oh yeah, sorry about those all-nighters, all-nighters
around the world.
Niq (16:41):
But back to the show.
I was really really excited,excited.
I honestly I watched itstraight through yeah, same same
.
Jess (16:50):
I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I love the cast.
I love all the people that theyhad in it.
They were really good.
Um, I enjoyed the storyline.
So, basically, this is, um.
So, just kind of give a briefsynopsis.
This is about the the Okay girl, why am I stuttering?
I'm going to take all this out,okay?
So this is about Isla Gordon,who is the daughter of a wealthy
(17:12):
basketball team owner, and sheis put in a position where she
is going to have to suddenlytake over the basketball team.
It's loosely based on the storyof Jeannie Buss, the daughter
of same situation, the LA Lakersdaughter, who took over in 2013
.
Not an exact replica, but it'sloosely based on her story and
(17:33):
just all the trials andtribulations she has as a female
owner of a team dealing in amale-dominant field.
Niq (17:40):
I had no idea.
This was based on a real person.
Jess (17:43):
Loosely based.
Niq (17:46):
Yeah, it probably is very loosely Because, like this
character, isla, before she tookover the team she was kind of
known in the family as like thescrew-up, like she said Party
girl.
Yeah, she didn't get theattention that she wanted from
her dad.
She didn't get the respect thatshe wanted from her dad.
(18:09):
She's had like a love love ofbasketball, but he would really
never kind of let herparticipate and so she kind of
right, because she was a girl,so she would act out and she did
all the typical, like hollywoodstarlet socialite stuff yeah,
marrying someone, quickiemarriages, you know all of the
stuff has a mad brian austingreen.
Jess (18:23):
Yeah, if you live long enough, you get to marry brian
austin green.
Marrying someone, quickiemarriages, you know all of this
stuff.
Who hasn't married Brian AustinGreen?
Niq (18:25):
Yeah, If you live long enough, you get to marry Brian
Austin Green for 20 days Exactly.
Jess (18:31):
That's the price.
Niq (18:33):
So basically her brother like kind of takes her to the
side and he's like hey, you knowyou need to get your life
together.
And so he brings her into thefamily business and he lets her
he to get your life together.
And so he brings her into thefamily business and he lets her,
he puts her in charge ofcharities.
So she's in the family businessbut she's not really doing
anything of consequence.
She's kind of just like hostevents.
Jess (18:53):
But I personally felt like she was doing a good job in
charities she was doing a verygood job in charities, but again
, like her brother is like yougot to get your life together.
But then he also puts her in afield where he's like was very
female dominated within the maledominated field, like it's like
you should do charities.
He didn't ask her what she wasinterested in.
She is very knowledgeable aboutbasketball, but none of her
(19:16):
brothers ever even consider thatshe is right, or I think that
they may know that she'sknowledgeable.
Niq (19:22):
They don't care that she's knowledgeable, they don't take
her seriously at all.
Jess (19:28):
Sandy does not know at all .
That's funny to me because heconstantly says that she's not.
But he's not knowledgeableabout basketball.
He isn't.
I'm not sure that he knows it'sthe oldest brother Cam.
Niq (19:40):
Cam is the oldest.
Cam knows that she'sknowledgeable and doesn't care.
Jess (19:47):
But Ness does not know and Sandy doesn't know.
It's because they haven'tgotten to know that part of
their sister.
Niq (19:54):
I don't know.
I feel like Ness grew up in thehouse with her, because Sandy
has a different mother.
I think that Ness knows thatshe knows about basketball, but
once again, I don't think thatthey care.
I think that they don't takeher seriously because she's a
woman, because their dad didn'ttake her seriously and their dad
(20:14):
didn't take women seriously.
So even though they love her,like they love her there's no
doubt they do love her, but theyreally look down on her because
she's a woman.
I wonder like, yes, I know thatshe had like that history of
like acting out and doing allthat wild stuff, but I wonder,
(20:35):
even if she never did that stuff, I feel like they would have
still treated her the same way.
Jess (20:39):
I agree because it's an incredibly misogynistic family,
including Sandy, because Sandydoesn't even try to find out and
to me, sandy actually says someof the most sexist stuff to her
sandy is the worst.
Niq (20:53):
He's the worst, he, he's absolutely the worst, but we'll.
But the funny thing is like sheis so passionate about
basketball, like the kind ofperson that I am.
If I was her, like I would havewent to college and I would
have studied sports managementor something like that, and I
would have went to work for adifferent team.
Jess (21:14):
Like rival company, absolutely.
Niq (21:16):
That is exactly like I'm like, oh OK.
Well, you know, I would haveembarrassed you, but in a
different way, have embarrassedyou but in a different way, like
I would have been like the bestand you would have like
literally begged me to come jointhe team, and I would have
never do it.
Jess (21:32):
No, I would absolutely be working for your arch nemesis
Boston.
Oh not, if I gotta live inBoston.
Kate Hudson can live in Bostonjust fine you can't live in
Boston, just fine, I cannot livein Boston that would be.
Niq (21:53):
That's what my plan would have been like.
I can show you better than Ican tell you kind of plan, but
that's not the route that shegoes.
And hey, everybody has theirown way but that's true.
Jess (22:07):
But she also doesn't have support from really anybody
because even like their mothers,their mothers are kind of a
mess too.
Right, like yeah, you barelysee them, but their mothers are
a mess too.
So like nobody was like getyour life together, go, go do
something.
They were like you're rich andyou're beautiful, that's all you
gotta be.
Niq (22:26):
I never saw.
Did they show any of the moms?
Jess (22:28):
on the show they showed her mom briefly as a child and
her mom is like crying andshriveling and she's trying to
Kate is well, kate or Isla istrying to reassure her mom that
her father's coming back homeand the mom is crying a puddle
of mess and basically she'sparenting her mom at like eight.
Okay, yeah.
Niq (22:52):
So basically, isla ends up taking over the team and when
she gets the team, the team isin bad shape.
They're like looking likethey're not going to make it to
the playoffs.
Like they've got like atroublemaker on.
The team is in bad shape.
They're like looking likethey're not going to make it to
the playoffs.
Like they've got like atroublemaker on the team.
They've got like a legacyplayer who is like kind of
mentally checked out when itcomes to the team and like
(23:14):
they're losing their sponsors.
Like the team is, it is a messand I feel like as soon as she
gets the role, sandy, who is heryounger brother, starts
plotting against her and heropes Ness in.
He does, and I was kind of likeNess, out of all the siblings,
(23:36):
is very emotional.
He seems like very emotionaland very caring.
I was kind of surprised that hejumped on the bandwagon with
Sandy so fast.
Jess (23:48):
Yeah, me too.
Me too, I was not expectingthat from him.
And he just seems to genuinelycare about each of his siblings,
like genuinely.
So I'm like why would you joina bandwagon with Sandy?
And it's obvious, Sandydefinitely knows nothing about
basketball.
Of the whole family, he knowsthe least.
So why are you listening to him?
Niq (24:06):
Yeah, I didn't understand that either.
And so, like, as she's gettingacclimated to the role, she
makes some mistakes, but shealso actually like, does some
really cool stuff.
Like they're telling her.
You know, they come to her andthey're like hey, you need to do
X, Y, Z.
They don't even come to her andsay hey, we have this problem.
How do you think it should behandled?
(24:28):
What do you think we should do?
A lot of times they come in,they're like we need you to sign
this paper and this is what'sgoing to happen.
And so they're telling her whatto do.
Jess (24:35):
They're not asking.
Niq (24:36):
Right, even though she's in charge.
Right I love is that she's like, oh, okay, and then, instead of
doing what they ask her to do,she goes and she actually learns
about the situation and shetries to find, like, the best
solution, which is notnecessarily what they tell her
to do, and most of the time itworks.
Jess (24:56):
Most of the time?
Yeah, it doesn't always.
Which also she's in a very newrole.
She went from charities to likethe.
What's her title?
Niq (25:05):
President or CEO.
Jess (25:08):
Yeah, she's the president and the CEO, so you get to learn
and make mistakes in thatposition for most humans.
That's how.
Niq (25:16):
I.
Jess (25:18):
Yeah, but only certain people get to make mistakes.
Niq (25:23):
I felt like when she did good things, like they were just
like, they were like whatever,it was very neutral.
They weren't like, oh my god,that's really great.
But when she did something,when she made mistakes, they
were like, see, look at you,that's why you shouldn't be here
right and like the way theywere scheming behind her back
was so that bothered me.
Yeah, I'm like you were herbrothers, are you serious?
(25:45):
It did.
Now I'm gonna also say I don'treally understand what her job
is like.
Oh, like she's the president ofthe team, but it just seems
like she's she deals with like alot of things that are like
minutia that I feel like sheshouldn't have to deal with.
Like okay, so for a lot ofthings that are like minutiae
that I feel like she shouldn'thave to deal with, like what?
Like okay.
So, for example, like whenshe's like dealing with like
(26:09):
Travis, who is like the playerwith the bad attitude, and then
she's dealing with like theplayer that's mentally checked
out.
I'm like Ness, who is hermiddle brother, is the GM of the
team.
He should be doing that, buthe's not checked out.
I'm like Ness, who is hermiddle brother, is the GM of the
team.
Jess (26:24):
He should be doing that, but he's not competent enough.
Niq (26:27):
You know.
But I'm just like, why is shedoing like to skip to the end of
the show when she's takingTravis to rehab?
I'm like you don't have anassistant coach.
Where's the team doctor?
Someone else should be able totake this man to rehab.
Why didn't?
Jess (26:48):
you.
I'm like, honestly, you shouldjust be having a driver drop his
behind off at rehab.
But at the most, jackie, whowas her assistant, by this time
her youngest, her illegitimatebrother that they find out on
the show I wouldn't trust Jackieto do that.
I wouldn't trust Jackie justbecause I who becomes her sister
.
I wouldn't trust Jackie justbecause I think he's so young he
could be talked into anything.
But yeah, ness could have donethat.
(27:09):
I don't know if he would have.
I think the issue is that shedoesn't have people that she can
trust.
Niq (27:15):
Right, a legacy big NBA team, you should have support
staff.
Jess (27:22):
You should not be having to do every little thing, Little
thing, and I think how she endsup doing that is she didn't
have people she could trust.
Because she starts interveningwith Travis in the first place
because he pisses off a sponsorthat she worked her behind off
to get and so getting sponsorsgetting like millions of dollars
in the team.
That makes sense that thatwould be her job.
Now, I don't know what abasketball president does either
(27:44):
.
I don't feel like that shouldbe her job.
Niq (27:47):
I don't know we're talking about millions.
What is the marketingdepartment for?
The marketing department shouldbe funding sponsors.
Jess (27:55):
I don't know If I'm giving your team millions and millions
.
I want to speak to the personin charge.
They're giving like seriousmillions.
They're not giving like youknow no, I can.
Niq (28:06):
I'm not saying she shouldn't be involved at all,
but like I feel like she, likethey should be finding her list
of people they should be settingher up and then she just have
the meeting.
They should be like I got youthey lost their sponsor because
of something her older brotherdid and they're like well, we
don't have a sponsor, what arewe going to do?
(28:27):
And she's out here making coldcalls.
Jess (28:32):
That's crazy.
It is crazy, but it's again themess that they left her in that
she has to do all this andbecause she can't trust them At
every moment they're trying toundermine her.
And because she can't trust him, at every moment they're trying
to undermine her.
So I get to the point where you, I get, where she gets to the
point where she's doingeverything because I gotta make
sure it gets done.
So I gotta talk to thisknucklehead player because y'all
already want to trade him and Itold you not to trade him and
(28:54):
so your answer is going to if Igive you not to do directly.
So that's why.
But she ends up having to doeverything and, like I said,
although I agree with you,somebody else should have been
driving Travis to rehab.
I'm like all them dudes wouldhave drove him right back to
that gang.
Niq (29:13):
But that's why you give like you is someone like the.
Jess (29:17):
You get like the assistant her not the assistant, because
her title is higher than that,but her best friend who works
with her right.
Niq (29:25):
I think she does like marketing maybe.
I can't remember what her titlewas, I think she's head of the
marketing department orsomething like that, because she
used to be her dad's assistantand then she transitioned over
to what she does now.
But yeah, I just I'm like you.
Then she transitioned over towhat she does now.
But yeah, I just, I'm like you.
You can't effectively lead ifyou can't effectively delegate.
Jess (29:51):
Yeah, but I also feel like it's not her fault fully that
she can't delegate and she's notwrong and not trusting them.
You know, maybe after, afterbeing there for some time,
she'll be able to build a teamand they'll build some trust
with her.
But, like, I think that's thethe hard part of being either a
woman or minority in anyposition is that everything your
existence gets questioned everysingle second, even when you're
(30:13):
making sense, and that's what'shappening to her.
Niq (30:15):
So she's like, dang it, I'll just do it myself so like
you see her like kind of excelin this job and enjoys this job,
but you also see, like it'skind of draining her, like she's
losing herself, she's losingher work-life balance.
It takes a toll on herrelationship.
Now I'm going to say this whenit comes to her relationship, so
(30:38):
as we're watching the show,before we even ever learn that
she's in a relationship, she hasa scene with the head coach,
who's played by jay ellison, andas soon as, like they start the
scene, I said, oh sorry, jayellis.
As soon as they start thisscene, I'm like, oh, wow, the
(30:59):
chemistry is popping off so long.
I'm like, oh, there's a loveinterest and he is, and he is.
But then, my shock, you thenfind out that she has a fiance.
I don't remember his name, I'mgoing to call him Schmidt from
(31:20):
New Girl girl because, like, ifhe ain't Schmidt, I don't
remember his name.
Jess (31:25):
I'm going to call him.
Niq (31:25):
Schmidt, I don't either Girl.
Jess (31:27):
If he ain't Schmidt, I don't know who he is.
What is it, lev?
It's so freaking easy.
Niq (31:32):
His name is Lev.
Her fiance is played by Lev,who is so sweet and so adorable
and so likable.
He's so sweet to her, he'sadorable.
There is literally no chemistrythere.
There's no, I was gonna say Idon't feel like they're a good
fit.
Jess (31:48):
I like him.
I like him.
He's a nice guy, but I don'tfeel like he's a good and for
the most part he does everythingright he does, but they're just
not.
Niq (31:57):
There's no.
What I enjoy is sometimespeople make it seem like
rom-coms because they, like thetopics are lighter, that there's
no skill in creating a rom-com.
But for kate hudson to be ableto have like this intense
chemistry that is popping offwith jay ellis and then get to
(32:21):
love and make it completely no,chemistry is actually a skilling
of itself.
Jess (32:28):
Yeah, it is because I will say this, the guy who plays
love Max Greenfield.
I feel like he look kind ofcute in this movie.
Niq (32:35):
He's so cute.
He's always been so adorable.
He has like an adorableness.
He's not to me like, oh, he's asexy guy.
Jess (32:43):
There's one time I was like oh, max, I've never seen
you like that before he'shandsome, he's sweet, he's very
sweet.
Niq (32:50):
He plays a good guy and you could like see how in another
show he would be the guy thatthe woman was falling like in
love with.
But like the way that it's justlike they are almost like
roommate, like BFFs, it justdoes not give up.
Jess (33:07):
They feel more like BFFs.
Niq (33:08):
They do they do, they do.
And that's why I was like, oh,how is?
I'm like, how are we breakingthis up?
It's like, from the first thingyou know, like the countdown to
they break up right, and sothen, like you watching, like
okay, so you like you find outthey're engaged and you're like,
really, and then, like you likefind out, like they're throwing
their engagement party andshe's like talking about
(33:29):
converting to judaism, which Ithought was very interesting
because how is it that, like thetwo major rom-coms, both
involve women, like considering?
And it's interesting because inthis show it was a throwaway
kind of situation compared toNobody Wants this, where it was
(33:50):
like one of the main focuses.
He was like, oh, you remember,you told me you would convert to
Judaism.
She was like, oh, I did.
She was like I said that.
She was like, I mean, I guessyou know, she didn't give it
like it was like no thought.
I'm like do you even know whatyou're signing up for?
Whereas, like in the other show, like you really see, like the
(34:14):
other character like reallyspend time in the community,
like start really kind oflearning and understanding what
it means to be Jewish, what itmeans to have that faith, and
like you see, it's actuallysomething that she needs for
herself, like without theconnection to like her boyfriend
, like you see her develop thisrelationship with Judaism and
(34:36):
this show it was just like itwas like a plot point, but it
was like such a like not majorplot point, because then, like
he's like a plot point, but itwas like such a like not major
plot point, because then, likehe's like you don't even have to
do it.
She's like, oh, okay right.
Jess (34:49):
I'm like it was harder for her to decide whether she was
going to convert when sherealized she was going to lose
her inheritance.
Niq (34:56):
I feel like that.
She really was like I'm goingto lose my inheritance, you know
that'll be fine, and I'm justlike we would have to talk about
that.
I'd be like, hey, lev, sit down.
Sit down, baby girl.
How much money does your familyhave because we got to make?
If it don't make dollars, itdon't make sense.
Jess (35:17):
Like we need to figure this out, it don't matter and
you went a completely differentway, because I would have went
to a lawyer and be like is thisa clause, I can fight, and if
it's not a clause, I can fight.
Sir, I'm not converting.
Niq (35:27):
I just feel like her reasons for converting were like
weird.
Anyway, I, I, I just think youdon't, you didn't even take the
time to like learn about thereligion, learn about the
culture, like you're just likeokay.
So if you would do that, likeyou would convert to anything.
She doesn't feel strongly aboutit.
Jess (35:49):
Yeah it was.
It was more about she, like herboyfriend love, made a lot of
sacrifices for her, which he did.
He was a good guy, he, you know, and she felt like she never
made any for him.
So this was going to be thething that she, that she gave up
for him.
But it wasn't about her and I'msaying that because that's kind
of a weird reason Like, yes, ifthey were going to stay in a
(36:10):
relationship, you do need tofocus on him more, like you do
need to make him more a part ofyour life, because she just kind
of lives kind of parallel tohim.
But that's not the thing.
Niq (36:21):
But that's not the thing, that's not the thing, even if it
is, take it seriously, give itthe respect enough to learn what
you are like signing up for sothat you can do it
wholeheartedly.
Because, like, what?
Like you're the way that shewas so nonchalant about the
situation oh yeah, sure I'll doit.
Like, are you really going tolike be involved?
(36:44):
Are you just going to be like,okay, yeah, I've converted and
then like, not actually carry onthe traditions and get involved
in the community and understandthe culture so you can pass it
on to your kids?
You know what I mean.
Like the way she so halfheartedly agreed, I just feel
like it was almost disrespectful.
That's how I felt.
(37:07):
But, like I said, it was a smallplot point, kind of thrown away
like immediately, just as soonas she said she would do it, he
was like, oh, you don't have todo it, and she jumped out at the
chance to like not get involved.
I was very surprised.
So, like, they end up like shemisses like a very important
event of his and they end upbreaking up as they should,
(37:28):
because she really does notrespect their relationship, give
their relationship the respectthey deserve.
She doesn't give him the loveand attention that he needs and
he.
I feel like he blames it on herhaving the new job, but I feel
like that dynamic was already inplace.
Jess (37:43):
That dynamic was definitely already in place.
He does like the only thing.
That's what I'm saying.
For the most part, he does mostthings right.
The one issue I had with him inparticularly where I felt like I
didn't, I didn't like his takeon, it was when okay, so it is
after.
I want to say it's when she isin the news, because people are
(38:04):
saying that she slept withTravis because they went out to
dinner, right, and so he's likeyou know.
Basically he's like, oh, I knownothing would happen between
you and Travis.
And then she's like something Idon't know if his office found
out or everybody finds outsomething he was like I just
didn't know that this was goingto be a part of your new job and
I was like you don't understand, because you don't know what
it's like for a woman to dostuff.
(38:24):
You know what I mean.
Like her father can takeplayers out to dinner and it's
nothing, but she takes it out inisolation and she's literally
just taking out a player todinner to have a difficult
conversation with him.
You know, to almost like youknow, cuss him out a little bit
and say, hey, get your stufftogether.
But because she's a woman andthat I'm like, I don't know, I
felt some kind of way about thatbecause I'm like I know there's
(38:46):
no way for him to understandthat because he's a man, but I'm
like, but that's the part ofthe job that's not her fault.
Her like not showing up to yourstuff, her not taking your work
as seriously, you know her nottaking you as seriously, which
cause that started before thejob.
Right, yeah, that's stuff thatyou need to call her on, but
stuff that just literally onlyhappens because she's a woman
(39:07):
and she has no control over, shehas no control over people.
Writing a story about hersitting at dinner with one of
her players she had no controlover the player kissing her,
right, right, you know what Imean.
Cause, like what happens?
She takes the player out todinner.
It is a romantic restaurant,but again she had her assistant
set up the dinner, which youshould be able to do as a person
(39:29):
at her level, and he sets it atthis super romantic restaurant,
and so the player gets thewrong idea.
Again, you would have tried tokiss her, daddy, I don't care
what restaurant he took you to.
I don't understand how he gotthere.
No, she was giving him nosignals.
But again, we shouldn't evenhave to have this conversation
because I'm your boss, right,you know?
(39:50):
Yeah, the issue is he doesn'trespect her being the boss.
The people want to make asalacious story because she's a
woman that can, and so that'sthe one part where I'm like I
wish somebody could call him onthat, because it's like you
didn't think it was going to bea part of it, because you never
had to live this world as awoman.
Niq (40:06):
Right.
So yeah, I was very happy whenthey broke up.
What I was surprised was thatshe went and chased after him,
went to his office and beggedhim not to move and stuff, and
I'm like but you didn't evenreally like him for real, like
what are we doing?
Jess (40:24):
I think she liked the idea of getting married.
She didn't seem that jazzedabout him ever.
She didn't dislike him.
I mean, he's perfectly likable.
Niq (40:32):
But they were engaged for like seven years and then she's
like, oh, there was COVID.
And then she's like, oh, therewas COVID, and then his mom got
a facelift, and then my mom gota facelift.
Do you know how many peopleduring the COVID time just went
and got married and then they'relike, oh, I'll do a wedding
(40:54):
later.
If you really wanted to bemarried to that man, y'all would
be married you could.
Jess (41:00):
You also are insanely rich , so you can pull off a wedding
in like two days right she, Idon't know like it was.
Niq (41:08):
So their relationship was so dry, like every scene with
her.
And the basketball coach's nameis Lawrence Luke.
What's his name, girl, I don'tknow, I don't want, what's his?
Jess (41:22):
name Girl?
I don't know.
I don't want to call his namefrom Insecure.
I'm like he was Lawrence inInsecure.
I see Lawrence in here also.
Jay, what?
His name is?
Jay Brown.
His real name is Jay Ellis.
His name on this show is JayBrown.
Niq (41:40):
I thought you said his name was Lawrence before.
His name was Lawrence show isJay Brown.
Jess (41:42):
I thought you told me his name was Lawrence before.
His name was Lawrence onInsecure.
Niq (41:48):
Why I'm so terrible remembering character names.
I am.
It's just like it's mykryptonite.
Just keep going, I'll correctyou.
Thank you.
Every scene with him is likesizzling.
They have such good chemistry.
Although I feel like he had hisshirt off a lot in this.
(42:08):
I'm like you're the basketballcoach.
Why are you keeping it upshirtless?
That's not normal.
But yeah, so I towards the endof the show.
They kind of have a romanticlink.
But the issue is is that he'sleaving?
He's going to you.
Don't think he's going toBoston like you think he would
(42:29):
stay, okay, but listen, his kidsare going to be in Boston.
Like would you respect him ifhe stays in LA when his kids are
going to Boston and he has ajob in Boston?
Jess (42:43):
no, but I feel like something's gonna if he stays in
LA when his kids are going toBoston and he has a job in
Boston.
No, but I feel like something'sgoing to happen.
His ex-wife is going to getsome kind of brand deal.
His you know what I mean, hernew man is going to get a job.
Something's going to happen towhere them kids and him stay in
LA.
He's not going to Boston.
Niq (43:00):
I don't believe it.
At least we agree that if hedoesn't go to Boston to be with
his kids, we don't respect him.
Jess (43:07):
Or they're going to go to Boston and realize they're Black
and then come back.
Niq (43:12):
The wife in her, the ex-wife in her new man are not
Black, but the kids are.
I don't think they're going tocare, so we'll see what happens.
We'll see what happens nextseason, I don't know.
I kind of the season ends insort of a cliffhanger because
(43:35):
the brother gives her control ofthe team so that he can go to
rehab, and so he pays.
He bribes his therapist so thathe can get out of rehab early,
and I feel like he only doesthat on the strength that, like
I, was actually doing a good jobwith the team.
Jess (43:52):
All of it.
He also pointed the story thatMarcus, Marcus Now I'm
forgetting the name no Marcuswas leaving or they were going
to trade Marcus Cause, rememberthat was a big thing.
Yeah, the checked out player, so, and he, he is the one who
planted that story with thepodcaster, so he does a little.
(44:16):
Yeah, he, I think he alwaysplanned on coming back and
taking that, but, like, I thinkhe's like, oh, he's coming back
early and so he's trying to sether up for a fall because he
wants to come back early,because she's doing such a good
job so do you think that he'strying to come back early
because he's scared that if hewaits too long they won't give
him back the job?
yes, which I.
(44:37):
Honestly.
I'm like I don't know why youthought she was getting this job
back anyway.
Because, no matter what, if Iwas on that board, you're not
getting this job back, youwouldn't already lost millions
of dollars in a sponsor becauseof you.
Niq (44:47):
Like I don't care, like I hope you do get clean, but
you're not getting your job backbut here's the thing why I
think that they would give himhis job back, one like he was
actually really good at the jobof being president.
Yes, he was.
The team was in a mess when heleft.
The team was, but they didn'tlose the sponsor until his
(45:08):
little drug incident.
Jess (45:10):
Yeah, but that's part of your job is keeping up your
appearances.
The team did have issues.
Niq (45:15):
But when I say he was good at his job, he was well-liked
and well-known to be a goodpresident.
He had a good relationship withthe board.
He had a good relationship withthe team.
He even had a good relationshipwith Marcus, the checked out
player.
You know what I mean.
So the team itself was nothaving a good season, but I
(45:35):
don't think that they wereblaming it on the brother being
president.
The way that they blame everysingle problem on the sister
being president, way that theyblame every single problem on
the sister being president, Isthat fair?
It's not.
Jess (45:46):
Agreed, but they should have been that's what I was
about to say because the teamwas also $2 million over their
salary cap.
The team wasn't a free fall andyou weren't doing anything
about it, marcus, you're takingthese players out to strip clubs
and to do drugs and they likeyou, but they're not performing
well.
Niq (46:07):
So, no, you're not good at your job, you're just likable,
but I think that he was seen tobe good at his job, which is why
I think that when he came, likebecause he's a male and he's
like the head of that family-You're a male and you are a male
that's's like in a black family.
Jess (46:22):
You're a male and you are a male that's allowed to fail up
.
Niq (46:26):
Right.
I think that they would havegiven him his job back, I think.
So I think he started getting,I don't know.
He started getting scaredbecause, like Isla was like an
undeniable success.
Yeah, she was really likemaking waves, like an undeniable
success.
Yeah, like she, she was reallylike making waves, like going
(46:46):
and getting a new sponsor whenhe was the reason why the
sponsor left.
You know what I'm saying.
Like getting Travis in line,bringing in that guy from like
the D league and actually makinghim like a good player you know
what I mean which is reallysaving the money because he's a
good player.
You know what I mean, which isreally saving them money because
he's getting paid dust.
You know what I mean and that'sthe thing.
Jess (47:08):
She traded another player and that's how she got the two
million dollar that they wereover.
She got them under and shebrought in more money with the
sponsors.
So they're even.
Niq (47:16):
They were even in a much better position she's doing an
awesome job and I think thatscared him, because I think that
he thought that she could justplace hold.
Yes, I think she, her job wasjust to keep the seat warm and
if the season turned out bad itwas, they could blame it on her
(47:37):
being there, you know what Imean.
And when she actually took likethat little pile of trash they
gave her and turned it into liketreasure, he's like, oh, I
gotta get out of rehab now, andso I think he's gonna try to get
his job back.
I think that's what the secondseason's gonna be about him
trying to get his job back andit's gonna be very, very
(48:00):
interesting, because what do youhave to stand on?
Jess (48:05):
Nothing, but so okay, have you ever heard of the term the
glass?
Niq (48:08):
cliff?
No, I've only heard the glassceiling.
So okay.
Jess (48:14):
The glass cliff is when a company hires a woman a female
CEO right before when they'reabout.
They already know they're goingto go into a major decline.
A female CEO right before whenthey're about they already know
they're going to go into a majordecline, and that's what she
was.
Yeah, that's interesting, it'sbeen studied, it's been
researched.
Like they'll hire, like if yousee a company that's never had a
(48:36):
CEO, a female CEO, and all of asudden they get a CEO, female
CEO, and then they fall off.
They were already going in thatthat decline before they hired
her.
Niq (48:46):
Wow, yeah, I mean, I think that's why he did it.
In thinking like that, withthat piece of information, it
makes sense why he didn'tpromote one of his brothers in
that spot, even though I feellike they, like he, may not have
known that they were lessqualified.
(49:06):
I don't think that they havelike the problem solving skills
that she has.
I don't think they have thestrategy that she has, you know.
So I do think out of all thesiblings, she was the best
person for the job, but I don'tthink Cam promoted her, thinking
(49:26):
that she was the best personfor the job.
Jess (49:29):
Agreed.
Agreed, like if he had promotedNess or Sandy.
He probably thought they'lljust be his lucky.
They would have went to him foreverything they would have had
to, and so they would.
The team would have continuedto run exactly how he ran it.
But, like I said, I think italready looked like it was going
to go into decline.
We just need to keep somebody'sfamily seat long enough so that
it doesn't go outside thefamily, and then he can pick it
(49:51):
back up when it comes back.
Niq (49:53):
She ended up doing a good job.
Jess (49:55):
Did she ever go?
Niq (49:57):
to camp.
I don't think Did she ever goto camp for anything Because the
guys.
I don't think did she ever goto camp for anything Because the
guys.
They went to camp and visitedhim in rehab and was trying to
get them to help.
I don't think she ever did that.
Jess (50:11):
No, not that I remember, that's interesting.
Mm-hmm, yeah.
And then I'm like and Sandy,I'm like Sandy doesn't know what
a basketball is so like if youthought he could run.
And Sandy, I'm like Sandydoesn't know what a basketball
is so like if you thought hecould run the team.
I don't know why he thought hecould run the team.
I think that's what reallypissed me off with Sandy,
(50:32):
because I'm like, sir, you don'teven know how to dribble, like
what was you going to do?
You literally think that penismakes you better at work.
Niq (50:39):
That penis makes you better at work.
The funny thing is is that hissolution was to get rid of Isla
and then he and Ness co-run theteam and I'm like, okay if
Isla's running the team byherself and Cam was running the
team by himself.
If it takes the two of you torun the team, that means you
guys are half as good If that,if that.
(51:04):
If that Sandy's good withnumbers, but he has no humanity
at all.
Nor does he understand the gameof basketball you don't even
know the game.
But he also has no humanity.
Ness is all humanity, with nowork ethic.
I feel like no common sense.
(51:25):
I don't know, I can't tell whathis job is.
Jess (51:31):
I don't understand what his job is, Girl I don't know, I
don't really know, he's justkind of sitting in that office.
Niq (51:40):
That's how I feel he's just in the.
That's why I'm saying some ofsit in that office.
That's how I feel he's, he'sjust in the.
That's why I'm saying, likesome of the stuff that she's
doing, I'm like shouldn't thatbe the job of the gm?
Jess (51:49):
yeah, but I think, but again, them being men and
allowed to just kind of fail anddo whatever they want to do,
like they're just yeah, youliterally are just sitting in
there warming that office, youare not doing anything of
consequence, but you think youcan run the team well, here's
the thing Ness did not want torun the team, but he was willing
(52:10):
to overthrow his sister.
Niq (52:11):
I know he was led by Sandy.
When Sandy came to him he waswilling to join forces with
Sandy but he was not like I wantto be the boss, but he's always
looking for connection, and soI feel like it was more about
Sandy coming and wanting to dosomething with him.
(52:32):
You know he's like oh yeah,sure we can team up, we can
spend more time together, we cantalk.
That's why I feel like Nessjoined forces with Sandy.
I don't think that Ness desiresto be the president at all,
true, so I don't know.
They it's an interesting like.
The family dynamics are veryinteresting and I honestly want
(52:55):
to get into them more and on adeeper level.
So I think that would be thebest place to start our next
episode.
How does that sound?
Sounds really good.
All right, guys.
Thank you so much for tuning.
In our next episode we're goingto dive deeper into the family
dynamics of the Gordon familyfrom running point.
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