'A League of Their Own'
This eight-part series makes a couple of nods to the beloved 1992 film, including a Rosie O'Donnell cameo and a twist on the immortal line about no crying in baseball. But creators Abbi Jacobson and Will Graham have a more ambitious game plan. Jacobson, one-half of the "Broad City" team, plays a small-town catcher who must confront her own racial prejudices and sexual orientation as she tries to lead her Rockford Peaches to a championship. The writers' social agenda often overshadows the action on the diamond. But the cast of seasoned pros, including a terrific D'Arcy Carden ("The Good Place"), will keep you rooting for the team no matter your political leanings. Friday, Prime Video
'I Love My Dad'
Come for the clever idea, stay for the icky execution. Patton Oswalt stars as a man, estranged from his adult son (writer/director/star James Morosini), who catfishes him, pretending to be a beautiful young woman. It's intriguing to see the men get to know each other via texts and social media and Oswalt is terrific as the negligent pop. But the cringe factor is high when Morosini visualizes their online interactions in scenes that feature "father" and "son" envisioning each other naked and having sex. Friday, On demand
'I Am Groot'
The "Guardians of the Galaxy" may be on leave, but Baby Groot is still causing mischief. These clever three-minute shorts owe more to Harpo Marx than Stan Lee, with our vocabulary-challenged hero surfing on soap bars, battling a bonsai tree and challenging his "twin" to a dance-off. Bradley Cooper's Rocket Raccoon makes a cameo. Disney+
'Never Have I Ever'
When we first met Devi two seasons ago, she was paralyzed by the death of her father and her fear of boys. It was easy to be on her side. Our allegiances to her get tested in this third season as Maitreyi Ramakrishnan's character reveals more superficial, self-centered tendencies. That may upset viewers who thought they had fallen for a standard teen rom-com. But give Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher credit for creating a hero inspired by real life rather than a John Hughes movie. Friday, Netflix
'Licorice Pizza'
Cooper Hoffman and Alana Haim make smashing movie debuts in Paul Thomas Anderson's sorta romance about creative oddballs who find each other. Like "Boogie Nights," another perfect movie from Anderson, "Licorice Pizza" captures bursts of life on the fringes of '70s Hollywood. But unlike "Boogie Nights," it's a song of innocence. Energy and youth burst from every vivid frame, with its characters often shown running to their next adventure. Prime Video
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