Looking through Disney+, viewers often see the same shows — the classics. However, Disney+ recently launched a new show, “Win or Lose.” The show follows a middle school co-ed softball team, The Pickles. Each episode gives the viewer a different perspective on some of the characters’ daily lives and how their performance is affected by what is going on in their lives.
The animation is bright and playful, so it could be deemed just another kids’ show. But “Win or Lose” is much more than that. It speaks to essential topics like anxiety, anger, loss of love and stress. It’s not only relatable to young children—anybody can enjoy this show and feel connected to many of the characters.
Episode One: “Coach’s Kid”
Laurie is a shy, anxious kid. When her dad signs her up for softball, the anxiety manifests as a big monster that only she can see. Her dad, who also coaches the team, tries his best to support her, but her lack of confidence causes her to perform poorly and even accidentally hurt their MVP, Kai.
Not only does Laurie have anxiety because of softball, but she also has anxiety whenever she switches between her parents’ houses. Throughout the episode, viewers can see her anxiety grow as the monster gets bigger. Laurie feels this extreme anxiety always whispering, so she tries her hardest to get better to prove she’s not only on the team because she’s the coach’s kid.
When it’s the championship game and Laurie has two strikes, she goes over to her dad and he assures her that he’ll love her no matter what. When Laurie goes up to bat one last time, she takes one for the team and ends up getting hit in the face with a softball and gets to go to first base.
Episode Two: “Blue”
This episode follows Frank, who is an umpire and history teacher. Frank is Australian and is known for his tough personality. No matter what, Frank never backs down from his calls, as his metaphoric shield protects him. However, there’s one thing that does break Frank—his heart.
He was semi-recently in a long-term relationship with one of his colleagues, but he didn’t feel ready to commit, and they broke up. Frank was left heartbroken and tried to look for love until he realized he wasn’t over his ex. He then tried to get her back, but it was too little too late, as she was engaged to someone else. He was heartbroken, so his shield wore off. Frank spent the time sobbing and making questionable calls at the championship game.
Episode Three: “Raspberry”
This episode revolves around a star catcher on the team, Rochelle, who has a single mom and is struggling financially. The bad news for Rochelle is that the team fee went up to $1600, which her family can’t afford.
Rochelle is devastated and tries to find a way to pay for the extra cost, but she realizes she can’t make enough money in time for the next season. Rochelle feels like the world around her is melting, but one of her teammates offers her money to give them homework answers.
Rochelle feels divided because she says she isn’t a cheater, but when she realizes money is involved, she starts an underground company to give kids homework answers. She starts making money quickly and soon only has $200 left. Her classmate offers to pay $200 to help him cheat, and Rochelle agrees.
Rochelle gets caught and realizes she can’t get her $200 in time for the fee. Rochelle takes a drastic measure and decides to sell the brand-new cleats her mom got her. She ends up going to a high school party and gets in trouble, as the high schoolers try to steal her keys to her work. She ends up running away and gets lost.
Episode Four: “Pickle”
Episode four gives viewers a look into Rochelle’s mom, Van’s, life, as she struggles to keep a job and take care of her children. Viewers see how Van uses social media to keep her positivity high. Throughout the story, Van is trying to find a job as well as follow her dream of becoming a social media influencer. Van’s energy lights up the workplace, but when an emergency comes with her children, she loses her job and tries her best to handle Rochelle and her siblings.
Episode Five: “Steal”
Ira is one of the player’s brothers. He’s shy and portrayed as weird, as he is looking through the world with a kaleidoscope. His older sister is preoccupied with softball and boys, so he feels left out.
He tries his best to get his sister’s attention, but he realizes he needs to make friends. Ira becomes close friends with mysterious high schoolers who lead him to steal money and food from the Snack Shack and break his kaleidoscope.
Towards the end, Ira realizes that his sister, Taylor, was right and that he should’ve been friends with them. He tries to apologize to the shop lady before the group of high schoolers apologizes to him, which causes a goose chase over the shop’s cash box.
Episode Six: “Mixed Signals”
“Mixed Signals” follows Yuwen and Taylor’s love story as they team up in softball. Yuwen is a confident pitcher, and Taylor recently wanted to become a catcher. They do everything together, and Yuwen starts to open up; his overly confident facade becomes transparent to Taylor as she realizes Yuwen isn’t the confident jerk he always seems to be.
Problems in their relationship start to arise, and Yuwen becomes jealous of Taylor talking to one of their male teammates. Their relationship becomes turbulent as Yuwen starts to become apathetic, causing Taylor to worry.
Everything for them starts to fall apart as Yuwen becomes cocky and arrogant and won’t work with Taylor, who is playing catcher, to win the game. Taylor realizes this and rage quits, letting the other team score a point. Yuwen and Taylor break up in public, leaving both upset and unfocused.
Episode Seven: “I Got It”
Kai is the Pickles’ star player. They recently moved into town and played baseball. Kai lives with their dad and grandma. Kai’s dad was a Division One baseball player and encouraged Kai to follow in his footsteps. Kai sees a softball team and wants to join. They decide that playing softball will be an awesome chance to make friends in their new town.
Kai automatically fits in and becomes a star player of The Pickles, but this comes with a lot of pressure. Whenever Kai makes a mistake, they feel themself sinking, but when everything is right, they see themself floating.
Kai carries the championship game after their injury, but they are pushing themself way too hard. During a late-night practice, Kai is hit in the face with a softball, and they fall weirdly, which leads to extreme pain in their ankle. Kai pushes through until the championship game, but on the final base, Kai almost breaks their ankle and ends up losing the game because the umpire made the wrong call.
Episode Eight: “Home”
“Home” follows the coach as the parents of the softball team are hungry for a win. They want to replace him, but as a newly divorced dad, the softball team is his whole world. He feels that the team is his proposal, and since the parents want to replace him, he feels betrayed. In the final game, he gets angry and begins to blow up at the umpire, showing the parents that he’s unfit.
“Win or Lose” is a great show for everyone because of the message and perspective of each character and the animation. Seeing into many characters’ lives is a unique idea that is great for everyone of all ages. Viewers are hoping to see more episodes of “Win or Lose” because of the amazing animation, characters and storyline.
