“Running Point” returned quickly after its 2025 debut, and Season 2 proves the comedy series has plenty left to explore in the world of professional basketball.
Co-created by Mindy Kaling, Elaine Ko, Ike Barinholtz and David Stassen, “Running Point” first came to Netflix in February 2025. Its second season premiered April 23.
The show follows a high-powered family that owns a professional basketball team, the Los Angeles Waves. When sole daughter Isla Gordon (Kate Hudson) is unexpectedly put in charge of the team after her brother, Cam Gordon (Justin Theroux), is sent to rehab, Isla must learn what it takes to lead.
Season 2 picks up where Season 1 leaves off, opening in Isla’s office as her older brother allows her to remain president of the Waves. The season’s main conflict comes from Cam’s attempts to undermine her and his struggle to maintain his sobriety.
Smaller storylines are also woven throughout the season, including the team’s dancers not being paid enough, players adjusting to the new coach, Norm Stinson (Ray Romano) and the Gordon family’s rivalries with other high-powered families and businesses.
I thought these subplots were necessary to the show and were handled thoughtfully because they felt like realistic problems that could play out over time. I was especially drawn to the subplot about the dancers not being paid enough because it reflects a real-life issue, particularly with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. I also appreciated how the show presented both sides of that conflict, particularly the different perspectives of Isla and the dancers. The show presented both sides of that conflict, particularly the different perspectives of Isla and the dancers. The show presented both sides of that conflict, particularly the different perspectives of Isla and the dancers.
The new season does not stray far from the same humor and shenanigans as Season 1, keeping the series lighthearted even while addressing serious topics such as addiction. Early in the season, Cam’s attempts to hide his addiction are shown as comedic moments. However, as the situation escalates and begins to affect the rest of the family, the show takes on a more serious tone.
I appreciated that the writers did not treat addiction as a punchline for too long. Instead, the show becomes more thoughtful as the storyline develops, which made Cam’s struggles feel more grounded and gave the season more emotional weight.
"Running Point” Season 2 also included several celebrity guest appearances, including Octavia Spencer, Lisa Rinna and Macaulay Culkin. I thought those appearances added to the show’s playful tone rather than distracting from the main plot, especially because the series already leans into celebrity culture and the world of a high-profile basketball family. Culkin’s appearance felt especially fun because it also playfully nodded to his real-life relationship with Song.
The returning cast members stayed true to their characters, and I especially appreciated that characters such as Isla’s half brother, Jackie Moreno (Fabrizio Guido), who was revealed in Season 1, and the new coach felt meaningful to the plot rather than random or annoying. Jackie adds to the family tension surrounding Cam’s addiction by helping keep it a secret, while the Norm, the new coach, creates conflict with the players that gives those storylines more purpose.
Despite its strengths, the new season is not without its flaws.
More specifically, the storyline involving Sandy and his boyfriend, Charlie (Scott Evans), from Season 1 felt rushed and random, almost as if it existed mainly to write the character off the show.
I also liked Lev Levenson (Max Greenfield), one of Isla’s love interests, and wish there had been more of him this season, since it also felt as though the show was trying to phase him out. Greenfield is a strong comedic actor, and I felt the show could have used him more effectively, especially since his character felt somewhat one-note in Season 2. Most of Greenfield’s scenes were brief and mainly positioned him as someone there to comfort Isla, without offering much insight into his personal life or career.
More broadly, several storylines felt unfinished, including subplots involving a few of the players. Relationship problems and friction with the new coach were introduced and resolved so quickly they felt underdeveloped. It seemed as though some of the players’ storylines were pushed to the back burner to keep the Gordon family in focus, but I would have preferred to see those characters developed more or removed altogether. Some of these plots could still be explored in a future season, though that may be harder with the relationship storyline since it ends with one of the love interests leaving Los Angeles. If Netflix does revisit those narrative threads, I would want the show to give them more time and weight.
The season ends on a cliffhanger, which leads me to hope Netflix will renew the show for a third season soon. Since its release, the comedy has become a comforting and lighthearted show to play in the background as I go about my day. If you are like me and are just looking for a low-stakes, 30-minute comedy to unwind after a long day, I recommend giving “Running Point” a try.
