Parents' Guide to

Back in the Game

By Joyce Slaton, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Coarse Little League sitcom boasts cute cast, tired jokes.

TV ABC Comedy 2013
Back in the Game Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

See all
age 10+

Based on 1 parent review

Bigchris
Bigchris Adult
September 8, 2013
age 10+

Don't expect the middle

I got a free preview of this program though it was cute there are some content issues "a kid tells the couch he likes her boobs " two same sex kisses agin by kids talk of periods and some language i personaly don't think it should be on right after the middle due to this content but if u feel your kid is mature enough to handle it I say try it it's well worth it
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

In her youth, BACK IN THE GAME's Terry Gannon Jr. (Maggie Lawson) was a promising softball player. That was before she hooked up with a loser who gave her a son but destroyed her chances at playing college ball. Now, determined to give son Danny a better life, she's moved back in with her father, washed-out ball player and alcoholic Terry "The Cannon" Gannon Sr. (James Caan) and agreed to coach a Little League team made up of kids awkward enough on the ball field that they couldn't make any of the "good" teams. With her rich, flighty pal Lulu (Lenora Crichlow) bankrolling the team, and rival David Slingbaugh just waiting for her to fail, Terry wonders what she's doing Back in the Game.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (2):

Haven't we seen this story before? Like, several times? The Bad News Bears was made into two separate movies, and even a TV series in the late 1970s. It even seems like James Caan's character is a retreat on the washed-up boozy coach played by Walter Matthau and Billy Bob Thornton. Of course, in Back in the Game, things are changed up by throwing a female coach into the mix, a sassy single mom who actually cares if her own son succeeds both on the baseball diamond and in his life. But the endless weiner jokes and pratfalls still seem like they'd fit in perfectly with the 1970s Bad News Bears. Could we have some fresh jokes, please?

Still, James Caan can land a joke and it's great to see him. And the actors playing his grandson, daughter, and her dizzy best friend are telegenic and charming. Perhaps if this family comedy injects a bit more heart into the proceedings and loses a few penis jokes, it'd be a decent whole-family viewing bet.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about whether the action in Back in the Game is realistic or heightened for comic effect. Is the effect comical? Do people act like television characters or like real people?

  • Which of the characters in Back in the Game are we supposed to like? Which are we supposed to dislike? How are these characters presented differently: dialogue, costumes, camera angles, music, etc?

  • What type of person envisioned and wrote Back in the Game? An older person or a younger person? A man or a woman? Someone who is well-educated or less so? What about the show brings you to these conclusions?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended tv lists

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate