Will the New 'A League of Their Own' 2022 TV Show Have the Same Characters as the 1992 Movie?
Published July 19 2022, 4:38 p.m. ET
What do Madonna (Desperately Seeking Susan), Rosie O'Donnel (The Rosie O'Donnell Show), and Geena Davis (Thelma & Louise) have in common? Aside from the fact that they're all certified gay icons in the realm of pop culture, they all starred in director Penny Marshall's 1992 sports comedy A League of Their Own. It also stars Tom Hanks (Cast Away) and Lori Petty (Orange Is the New Black), among others.
The memorable film follows the triumphs (and hilarious failures) of the first professional women's baseball league — the team deemed the Rockford Peaches —in the midst of World War II circa 1943. Amazingly, it's based on a true story.
Come on, the line "there's no crying in baseball!" is a classic. It's truly a home run. With fantastic one-liners and a cherished cast, it was only a matter of time before the modern streaming service era adapted it.
Coming to Amazon Prime this summer is the series adaptation of A League of Their Own from creators Will Graham and Abbi Jacobson. Yes, you know Abbi from Comedy Central's Broad City, which she also co-created. Abbi also stars in the series adjacent D'Arcy Carden (The Good Place), Roberta Colindrez (Ms. White Light), Chanté Adams (The Photograph), and Kelly McCormack (Sugar Daddy). So, people are already wondering, will the characters in the series correspond to the characters in the movie?
Are the characters the same in the 'A League of Their Own' series and movie?
The official synopsis reads as follows: "A League of Their Own evokes the joyful spirit of Penny Marshall's beloved classic, while widening the lens to tell the story of an entire generation of women who dreamed of playing professional baseball. The show takes a deeper look at race and sexuality, following the journey of a whole new ensemble of characters as they carve their own paths towards the field, both in the League and outside of it."
That's right, folks, it's going to be even gayer this time around.
So, based on the synopsis, the series is going to be more progressive and current, but Abbi Jacobson detailed that there are a “couple nods” to the film in the show, per The Hollywood Reporter. However, regarding the characters, "everyone is unique.”
“I don’t think any characters are really mapped on to anyone. Darcy’s character has a Madonna vibe but is nothing like that character, at all. Melanie Fields’ character Joe is a little bit of a Rosie visual,” she relayed. “In the pilot, we nod to the movie the most, and there are nods as you keep going.”
And the same goes for the series' portrayal of Coach Casey “Dove” Porter — who's played by Parks and Recreation favorite Nick Offerman.
“In some places where you go to watch the film, the description is that it’s about a washed-up player who goes to coach a women’s league, and it’s like, ‘That’s what this film is about?'" Abbi explained, clearly a superfan of the movie. "Tom Hanks is one of my favorite parts of that movie, but with this telling the coach is not and Nick knew that coming. It’s a different portrayal.”
Where and when can you watch 2022's 'A League of Their Own' series?
A League of Their Own premieres on Friday, August 12, 2022, on Prime Video. All eight episodes will be available to stream on August 12, per Collider.
We're beyond ready for Abbi Jacobson's fresh vision. Get your sunflower seeds ready and play ball.
