Episode Guide
The Pilot My Two Dads Ethics The Sponsor Matty Gets A Girlfriend Zen The Strike Death The Road Game The Scout One man’s trash is another man’s treasure but when it comes to Netflix’s latest adult animation Hoops, it’s hard to find any glittering jewels here. From the constant shouting, cursing and crude jokes, Hoops is a one trick pony and if that one trick amuses you then you’re going to have a good time. The story itself revolves around high-school basketball coach, Ben Hopkins. Fed up with always being a pushover and losing every game, he sets out to grow his team. The first mission – recruit the tallest kid in school Matty. Along the way the drama on the field is complimented by plenty of off-court issues including Coach Ben’s constant drama surrounding his wife Shannon (or ex-wife but he refuses to sign the divorce papers). This conflict eventually bubbles up and takes a pretty unbelievable turn – and not in a good way either. Each of the kids get some form of an arc too but they’re largely overshadowed by Ben who makes it very clear early on that this is his show. Therein lies the biggest problem of the series. There’s little in the way of redeeming features for Ben and it’s hard not to believe he’s the most toxic person in everyone’s lives. From his constant meddling with the team to the over-the-top use of profanities, Ben is a really difficult character to get behind. Despite a push to give him more to deal with late on, his persona doesn’t really change through the entirety of the show. When it comes to comedy, Hoops throws in as many genitalia jokes as possible. While there’s nothing wrong with that, after 10 episodes of constant humour in this category it does become tiresome and numbs its effect. That’s before even mentioning the animation and visuals which feel like a grotesque hybrid between Bob’s Burgers and Rick and Morty. The result is something that tries to capture the charm of both shows but misses the mark completely, feeling like a reminder of greener animated pastures elsewhere. Hoops shows its shallowness constantly and this will most certainly make Netflix’s latest adult animation an acquired taste. If you’re not sold after the first couple of episodes, it’s unlikely you’ll stick it out to the end. In its attempt to strike a 3 pointer, Hoops shoots a serious airball that misses the mark in a big way. For some, this will be entertainment enough but for everyone else, Hoops is unlikely to be an animation to remember.
