‘Win or Lose’ Review: Pixar’s Disney+ Series Should Have Been a Home Run

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In Disney‘s newest series, Win or Lose, they aim to provoke thoughts about how our perceptions of characters as heroes or villains can change based on perspective. For instance, a teacher once deemed a bully might turn out to be kind-hearted when you get to know them better. Similarly, the popular kids one person admires could appear rude or arrogant to someone else.

According to that measure, it excels wonderfully. Pixar’s animation is strikingly beautiful, brimming with light and texture so vivid it seems tangible on your screen. The characters are unique yet familiar; you empathize with each one deeply. The storytelling is inventive, infusing scenes with intricate details that give depth to the narrative.

By those criteria, it surpasses expectations. Pixar’s animation is stunningly beautiful, full of light and texture so vivid you can almost touch it on your screen. The characters are distinctive yet relatable; you feel a connection with each one emotionally. The storytelling is creative, weaving intricate details into the scenes that add layers to the plot.

Both versions maintain the original meaning while using natural, easy-to-read language.

Almost a grand slam, but marred by an unfortunate blunder, turning what could have been an undeniable victory into a bittersweet success.

To kick things off, let’s focus on the positive aspects. In “Win or Lose”, each of its eight episodes follows a different character connected to the Pickles, an adolescent girls’ softball team. The story unfolds during the week preceding the championship game, revealing their individual journeys. Creators Carrie Hobson and Michael Yates go beyond the surface by delving into not just what transpires for each protagonist but also portraying their inner, subjective emotional experiences.

In this story, the worries that burden young outfielder Laurie (Rosie Foss) take form as a large, gray mass resting on her shoulders, similar to an animated depiction of anxiety. Meanwhile, the imaginative daydreams of 10-year-old Ira (Dorien Watson), who is his teammate’s brother, are portrayed as vibrant superhero cartoons sketched in a playful, childlike manner. These creative touches (with Laurie’s anxiety representation being especially reminiscent of an emotionally charged spinoff of Inside Out) have been skillfully adapted to suit the shorter, half-hour runtime.

Taken together, these stories create a puzzle with interconnected pieces, where a supporting character might star in one story and be the main focus in another, or a significant plot element reappears later as an insignificant detail. It appears that all these events are building towards some significant incident at the climactic game, hinted at in an opening sequence of children’s screams and adults’ excitement set to the music “Ave Maria.

In essence, each episode sent to critics concludes at a predictable emotional peak, possibly for a joint resolution in the final installment. This strategy adds a sense of momentum and prevents the series from appearing as just an unconnected collection of scenes.

Regardless of the outcome, the clever tactic of ‘Win or Lose’ is to draw us in closer. It subtly hints at Laurie’s house being packed with moving boxes, but only for her father, piquing our curiosity about the unseen challenges happening elsewhere. It aims to catch your attention on how frequently Rochelle (Milan Elizabeth Ray) seems disappointed by her struggling single mother Vanessa (Rosa Salazar), yet also highlights Vanessa’s tireless efforts and heartfelt concern from her perspective. The show is waiting for you to recognize the varying interpretations of the coach’s (Will Forte) motivational speeches, and to ponder what these differences reveal about the listeners.

Once you’ve gotten through a few initial chapters, you might find stories lurking in unexpected places: Perhaps the proud pitcher or the sunny barista, even the lockbox at the snack shack, all harbor their own tales. This method fosters a sense of patience and empathy, inviting both young and old to delve deeper than initial impressions, promoting the importance of staying open-minded and compassionate.

It’s even more frustrating that it seems like Disney has chosen to place a boundary on such empathy.

According to an earlier report by The Hollywood Reporter, the studio made a change to a storyline featuring Kai (Chanel Stewart), a transgender character, amidst disagreement from several Pixar employees. Instead of removing Kai from the series entirely, they chose to rewrite her as cisgender. The episode focused on Kai was not provided to critics, and so far in the episodes we’ve seen, she has had minimal impact on the storyline. As a result, it remains unclear how the last-minute alterations affected Kai’s character development, how integral her trans identity was supposed to be to her narrative, or what implications this change may have on our perception of her as a character.

It would have been beneficial if a touch of empathy had been shown towards a transgender child, and others who may identify with her or have loved ones in similar situations, given the current circumstances. Transgender children deserve support and understanding, as well as stories that emphasize this fact. Unfortunately, the series’ decision not to address these issues goes against its professed values of open-minded exploration.

The piece titled “Win or Lose” is remarkable in numerous aspects – intelligent, entertaining, aesthetically pleasing, and often emotionally stirring. It’s unfortunate that the organization responsible for its release failed to embody the very principles it conveyed.

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2025-02-19 11:24