Eastbound & Down (2009)

Eastbound & Down follows Kenny Powers, a once-dazzling major league pitcher whose career collapses when his fastball fades and his ego explodes. Years after burning bridges, Kenny returns to his small North Carolina hometown to teach physical education at his old middle school — a humiliating step down that sets the stage for a wildly funny, often crude, and surprisingly tender ride. Watching the show you’ll experience broad, in-your-face comedy driven by Kenny’s outrageous bravado, savage one-liners, and frequent self-sabotage. Episodes mix sports scenes and training montages with awkward social encounters, profanity-laced tirades, and stunt-driven physical humor. At the same time, the series drops into quieter dramatic beats: Kenny’s attempts at redemption, his complicated relationships with family and ex-teammates, and the small-town dynamics that both wound and sustain him. Tonally the series is a dark, character-centered satire of celebrity, masculinity, and the American sports dream. Over the run you see Kenny oscillate between grandiose delusions and moments of genuine growth; supporting characters ground the chaos and provide emotional stakes. The pacing is episodic but builds through season-long arcs that blend laugh-out-loud moments with surprising vulnerability. If you watch Eastbound & Down you should expect raucous, often uncomfortable comedy that’s also surprisingly human — ideal for viewers who like their comedies loud, a little cruel, and ultimately about a flawed person trying (and failing, and sometimes succeeding) to find himself again.

Actors: Danny McBride, Steve Little, Katy Mixon

Genres: Comedy, Drama, Sport

8.2 /10 8.2 /10