As far as fans of A League of Their Own are concerned, Prime Video is enemy number one this week. The fan-favorite baseball series, based on the 1992 film of the same name, was canceled again after initially being renewed for a shortened second season. The move has angered fans, the cast, and the show’s two co-creators, especially since Prime Video blamed the cancellation on the ongoing SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes.
Of course, I am one of those fans who was outraged when the news broke. The news felt like getting hit with a stray pitch! Though the series is not the first to have a renewal offer canceled, it is still surprising given how much critical acclaim the series has received. In my opinion, Prime Video has never valued the gem that is A League of Their Own, and there are so many fantastic stories and lessons that deserve more screen time, which is why I hope it finds a new home.
Intersectional Feminism
Of all the character arcs in the series, I was most moved by Max’s. Unlike the white and white-passing women in the league, Max is barred from joining because she is Black. It doesn't matter that she can pitch circles around the women; the coaches and team owners only see the color of her skin. Instead of giving up, she keeps fighting until she lands a spot on the All-Stars team in the Negro League.
Though television has come a long way, it often still struggles to truly show how both race and gender impact a person. However, this show displays the complexities of being a Black woman during this time in a nuanced and caring way.
For Max, being a woman is only one obstacle she must reckon with while trying to chase her dreams. Being a Black woman brings up its own unique challenges that many of the other women in the show don’t have to deal with. A fact that is true in the real world, even today.
Intersectional feminism is one of the reasons Max’s storyline is so important, and why the show should continue somewhere else. It’s incredibly moving, and it showcases a very real part of American history that is often overlooked. I certainly can’t bear the thought of not getting to see Max continue to chase her baseball dreams.
Queer Representation
While there have been a handful of movies and TV shows that center on LGBTQ+ men in recent years, sapphic love stories are still few and far between. Thankfully, creators Will Graham and Abbi Jacobson sought to change that by authentically creating queer characters for their show. This was a change that was not only needed but also completely authentic, given there were actually queer women who participated in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.
Unlike shows set in the modern day with queer characters, A League of Their Own had to reckon with how to tell these stories in a time when loving a person of the same sex was illegal. Even though it’s been months since I watched the show, I still can’t shake the feelings I got watching Episode 6, where a bar is violently raided by police solely because it’s a gay bar.
It’s not just those hard-hitting scenes that make A League of Their Own’s queer representation worthy of it finding a new home, because the series also shows how wonderful queer love can be. Characters like Lupe and Jess are as unabashed as they can be about their lesbianism. It’s a joy watching Carson uncover her sexuality away from her husband. Overall, there’s just so much joy in watching these women get to have fun, wholesome love without it always being bogged down with trauma. Television definitely needs more sapphic shows, and what better place to start than by finding A League of Their Own a new home!
Women Supporting Women
Not only is A League of Their Own about women romantically loving women, but it’s also a show about women platonically loving women. It’s sad to say that female friendship is underrepresented in television, but it’s the truth. All too often, women characters are pitted against one another. Sure, there’s a level of competition going on in A League of Their Own, given they’re competing for spots on a team and playing baseball to win, but at the end of the day, they all want each other to succeed.
I think the friendship between Max and Clance is one of the most authentic and real portrayals of female friendship I've seen. Though they might not have the same interests, they’re always there to support one another. They’re loving and protective, and they even have the privilege of being able to call each other out when they’re in the wrong. I mean, Clance loves Max so much that she hides her pregnancy from her because she knows if Max knows, she won’t go off and chase her dreams. That’s true friendship!
Even characters like Lupe and Esti, who don't exactly hit it off in the beginning, forge a solid friendship over the course of the eight-episode season. And there’s no denying the platonic love between Greta and Jo.
Female friendship is so powerful and so important, and every young woman in the world deserves to see how great it is. Do you hear that streamers and studios? You could help if you just picked up A League of Their Own.
The Showrunners, Cast And Crew Actually Love The Series And It Shows
Above all else, A League of Their Own deserves to find a new home because the creators, cast, and crew actually want to keep telling these stories. In Hollywood having the full support of the people behind a show is not always a guarantee. However, this one certainly does. The series' co-creators have both been outspoken about their love and support for the show. Graham provided an uplifting message to the fans upset about the cancellation, while Jacobson called the studio "cowardly" for dropping their show. The same is true for stars of the series, including D'Arcy Carden and Kelly McCormack, who both shared Instagram posts celebrating the one-year anniversary of the show ahead of the unfortunate cancellation.
I don’t know why Prime Video would want to take away such a beloved project from a cast and crew who poured so much of their blood, sweat, tears, and heart into it. Hopefully, someone else will recognize the power this team holds and give the series a new home.
If you’d like to help save A League of Their Own, I suggest revisiting the first season using a Prime Video subscription. I know I’ll certainly be rewatching, in addition to posting about the show on social media until it finds a new home. After all, you’re not out in baseball until you get three strikes — A League of Their Own is only on two!
