Heated Rivalry took center ice last year. Next up to bat for queer sport representation in film and television? Welcome the under-achieving 2SLGBTQ+ softball team, the Brovaries, of CBC’s new mockumentary-style sports series Slo Pitch! What started with humble beginnings as a web-series has become a fast fan favourite, especially for Dykeloops – a collective of community members organizing safe, accessible and fun events for queer-folk in Kamloops.
Everyone wants to belong somewhere, and with aging and adulting comes challenges to finding spaces to belong to. Slo Pitch tells the story of a determined and newly-single softball coach, as she leads her team of 2SLGBTQ+ underdogs through the highs and lows of beer-league recreational sports. It has been praised for its witty-script and realness in portraying queer characters in a mundane environment, a stark contrast to shows like Yellow Jackets or Euphoria–both of which have since ended production, leaving the future of queer television uncertain.
Dykeloops, combining the historically derogatory term dyke and the city, Kamloops, is exactly as it sounds: a safe haven for lesbian and queer folk to come together and find community. One of the brains behind Dykeloops, Jorja, shared that humour is a driving force in the queer community, which is why the new show is so comforting, “[The characters] all sort of just come together to share this third space where they’re just there to play ball,” they said.
Much akin to the characters on the show, hobbies are difficult to maintain and it is even more difficult to find a community. “As I get older, I realize I need hobbies and want a third space. It’s something that’s so important. I like watching shows where there is an aspect of community, because it’s so comforting.” Jorja said.
Slo Pitch producers, Gwendolyn Cumyn and Karyn Knox, had always wanted the show to resemble something like a “frat-bro comedy,” where the conversation wouldn’t be restricted to identity, queerness or subdued sexual desire.
Don’t worry–there are still cheeky romantic sideplots, including an episode where players commit to a non-fraternizing contract which, expectedly, falls apart.
The show is definitely unafraid to throw curveballs, and features a full ensemble of eccentric and lovable characters. For instance, Mel (Amanda Cordner) is the stoic first-baseman of the Brovaries who has just been forced to return to the minors after failing at going pro. They aren’t allowed to talk about it. Under the tough and mysterious exterior, Mel just wants to be part of the team. There’s also the comedic relief of the show, Boris (Karyn Knox). Boris is considered the German beer-hound of the team, who arrived in Canada four years prior and has since not refiled her tourist visa, leading to her search for a wife that can keep her in the country. Spoiler, she has a crush on the team’s closeted sponsor. But despite the romance and drama, the teammates are united by a platonic love for one another, beer and ball.
“I would love to see more shows with platonic friendships being portrayed,” Jorja said. “Personally, I love buddy comedies and would love to see more of that. I’d love to see like butch or stud friendships.”
CBC has had a winning-streak for producing internationally-acclaimed programs such as Schitt’s Creek, Kim’s Convenience, Little Mosque on The Prairie, and more recently, North of North. CBC’s storytelling landscape is one that has been inspired by lived-experiences of those across the Country, and with Heated Rivalry being such a great success, the net is wide open for Slo Pitch to take a shot as the next new thing in the queer sportsTV scene.
“As a queer person, [the show] feels comforting. It feels like just something nice to come home to and watch,” Jorja said. “I like how there’s multitudes to it; it can show some stereotypes and tropes that are popular, [but] I think it can make us think about them critically, like how often we see [them] in the media.”
Parallel to one another, Slo Pitch and Dykeloops share a common denominator: community. In the past, the group has hosted social events in hopes to bring queer friends together. Looking towards the future, Dykeloops has considered the possibility of doing more initiatives within the community, “We’re trying to focus more on [movie nights], but I think we also want to focus on, like, clothing swap and that type of stuff where it’s like we kind of all get together to talk… It’s so important to have that allyship within the community.”