On his first day at the prestigious Westbrook School for Girls in Disney +’s Big shot, John Stamos’ disgraceful basketball coach Marvyn Korn is confronted with Yvette Nicole Brown’s non-nonsense Principal Sherilyn Thomas: ‘Coaches here are not just teachers,’ she tells him. “They are expected to be role models.” But is Korn able to set a good example?
The Voltal and ER vet plays the infamous sports figure in the middle of the David E. Kelley-produced drama series, which began Friday. The opening montage reveals the irreparable act that fired him through the NCAA: In a moment of anger, Korn throws a chair at a referee and ends his Division I career in one fell swoop. When his agent (played by guest star Adam Arkin) is unable to get him another job in Division II or [shudders] Division III basketball, Korn accepts a performance at the aforementioned high school for girls, which turns out to be his most challenging job to date.
Of course, Korn does not make things easy for himself – or anyone else for that matter. After introducing himself to the Westbrook Sirens, he warns that he is not always a kind person. “If I call you stupid, I’m giving you permission to ignore it,” he says. ‘But if I tell you why you are stupid, i want you to pay close attention. He is ashamed of power forward Destiny Winters (he finally apologizes, but insists that shedding five pounds will help her reach her full potential on the track); scolds the shooting guard Samantha “Giggles” Finkman, who suffers from Pseudobulbar affect, almost because she laughed during his introduction; and suspended star player Louise Gruzinsky for chatting back.
Korn climbs on a slightly better footing with his assistant coach, Holly Barrett (Gleesee Jessalyn Gilsig). After their first practice, Barrett asks Korn for a ‘get to know’ beer. They discuss the fine line that Korn has to walk now that he is coaching teenage girls, and commit their bond over their shared failed marriages: Korn was too dedicated to work to make time for his family; Barrett cheated on her husband, who checked their relationship long before her relationship.
As might be expected, Louise opens up a whole can of worms. Her father, the wealthy businessman Larry Gruzinsky (Battlestar GalacticaMichael Trucco), paid for Westbrook’s basketball court. And his latest donation demanded big: He insisted that Westbrook hire Coach Korn in hopes of reversing the Sirens’ luck and shaping Louise into a desirable Division I candidate. Larry confronts Korn about his decision to suspend his daughter before the big game against Laguna, but Korn is adamant in his decision – at least for now. Barrett tells Korn that someone under Louise’s arrogant exterior is quite fragile, but Korn only believes it until he sees it with his own eyes. He even has a backup plan in place: he wants Giggles and fellow teammate Carolyn “Mouse” Smith to work together to fill Louise’s shoes. He encourages them to get to know each other and develop a steady chemistry, but there is already a history: mouse bullied Giggles and acted on it because he misread the situation.
Before the match day, Louise Korn almost runs into the parking lot. She’s too emotional to drive. She pulls down and tells her coach that her dad put a lot of pressure on her to go into Stanford or UCLA. If scouts attend Friday’s game and see her standing on the bench, they’ll wonder if the team’s rising star does not have basic leadership skills. Korn, who may or may not have his own daddy edition (more on this), sees Louise for who she really is now, and agrees to get her dressed for the match. She still can’t play, but she can make scouts think she’s pulled a thigh muscle.
After a full week of two days, it’s time for Westbrook to show Laguna what they are made of. But at the end of the first half, the Sirens are behind. The home team goes back to the locker room, where Coach Korn opens for the girls as part of a much-needed pep talk. He tells that he himself was not much of a player, and that his father regarded him as an embarrassment. (A ha! #DaddyIssues) “These words drove me more than any other words not to be,” he says. ‘But the irony of these words is that it made me lose, throw tantrums and chairs … But at the end of the day, after every game, I could look in the mirror and tell myself that I did everything did what I could to try to win – that I did my best. And that’s all I ask of you. Try your best … You do not have a chance to fight unless you fight. ‘
The ladies give it their all, but they are still six points lower, with 40 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Barrett pulls Korn aside and encourages him to put Louise in the game. He made his point and the girls proved themselves. They need them closer. Louise marks in, but misses the win that won the match. The final score: 56-53. She looks at the plots and sees Larry. There is nothing but disappointment in her father’s eyes.
After the game, Korn tells his players that he expects to beat Laguna next time – “but we’re just getting started.” While on the road, Sherilyn pulls him aside and tells him “the loss was better than any victory we’ve ever had.” Clearly, his methods work.
At the end of the night, Korn returns to his hotel room and receives a call from his teenage daughter Emma. He fills her in his first game and assures her that he was true to himself – without rip off any heads. “Dad, I have a feeling this thing might be good for you,” she says. Korn agrees.
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