Gauntlet 2.1 - Off-Season

Gauntlet : Off-Season
Genre : Sports / Drama
Showrunner: Antoine Fuqua
Writer : Matt Parker

Cast: William Fichtner, Josh Duhamel, Trevor Jackson, Eric Roberts, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Jared Keeso, Jessie Buckley, Saffron Burrows, John David Washington and Tom Wright

Plot: Ken Heath (William Fichtner), head coach of the Memphis Pharaohs, sits in his office at the team's practice facility going over the tape of the team's loss in the first round of the playoffs. The team's owner, Leonard Palmer (Eric Roberts), enters the office. He tells Heath not to sweat the early exit too much. No team can expect to win without their starting quarterback and running back in the playoffs. Heath says he has to learn what not to do next time. Palmer tells him that the goal this off-season should be to load up on more offensive firepower so that the team won't be so reliant on just two players to produce the lion's share of the scoring. Heath tells him he plans to address just that come free agency. Palmer then tells Heath that he has one more trick that should help things out on the offensive front and calls out for someone to enter the office. Stan Swift (Jared Keeso) then enters the office. Palmer introduces Heath to Swift, who he has hired to be the team's new offensive coordinator. Heath is angry, believing that Palmer has hired his eventual successor as head coach. Palmer tells Heath to calm down. The team struggled to put points on the board late in the season, so he went out and hired the best young offensive mind in all of college football. Swift tells Heath that he's a big fan of his and hopes to learn from him in the upcoming season.

Tim Collins (Josh Duhamel) is at an event with his girlfriend, Memphis Mayor Sharon Matthews (Saffron Burrows). She takes him around the party to help raise funds for her upcoming campaign for Governor of Tennessee. Collins drinks heavily to get himself through all of the glad-handing. The guests at the party all ask Collins if he is going to re-sign with the Pharaohs now that his contract has expired. Collins simply tells everyone that it isn't entirely up to him.

Lincoln Tatum (John David Washington), the former running back for the Pharaohs, holds a workout for teams to see that he still has some gas left in the tank following his serious knee injury. He injects steroids before the workout. Even with the help of performance enhancing drugs, Tatum has clearly lost a step. The scouts and coaches in attendance are not impressed by the workout and nobody seems interested in offering him a contract or even a training camp spot. Tatum storms into a locker room and throws out his steroids. He then throws away his cleats and leaves the building.

Jefferson Thomas (Trevor Jackson) is in the middle of a transcendental meditation class led by Gwendolyn Marsh (Jessie Buckley). After the class, Thomas introduces himself to Gwen and thanks her for leading such a good class. She is surprised that someone like him would be in her class, but he tells her that he is trying to improve his focus for work. She asks what he tells and he tells her that he's a professional football player. He asks if he can buy her lunch or coffee to talk to her more about meditation. It of course doesn't take long for the two of them to end up back at his apartment having sex.

Coach Ken Heath attends the AFA Draft where he meets the new AFA Commissioner, Vernon Wallace (Tom Wright). Heath hadn't heard about the change, and Wallace reveals that the former commissioner Ted Watros, was ousted by the owners earlier in the week. Heath sits down at the team's table in the draft room, where he is caught off guard by a surprise visit from Palmer and Swift. The Pharaohs have the 10th overall pick in the draft. Heath tells Palmer and Swift that the safe choice at number 10 will probably come down to a defensive lineman. All the buzz around the building is centered on Michigan State quarterback Alex Wright (Patrick Schwarzenegger), known almost as much for his swagger off the field as he is for his success on it. Wright is expected to be one of the first couple of picks in the draft, but as the draft begins, team after team pass on drafting the top quarterback in the draft. When the Pharaohs are on the clock, Palmer demands that Heath draft Wright. Heath is worried that he is slipping in the draft because team's know something they don't. Palmer won't hear any of it. Wright is a potential franchise quarterback with star power to spare. Heath relents and drafts Wright 10th overall. Wright heads up to the stage where Commissioner Wallace hands Wright a Memphis Pharaohs jersey. Wright is then ushered over to the Pharaohs' table where he excitedly greeted by Palmer and Swift. Heath is more apprehensive, but welcomes Wright to the team.

Tim Collins is at home with Sharon when he sees the news of the Pharaohs drafting Alex Wright. Collins tells Sharon that it is a sign that it is probably time to finally hang it up and retire. Just then, Collins' phone rings. He answers it to find Coach Heath on the other end. Heath asks if Collins has heard the news yet. Collins says he has. Heath insists that it doesn't mean they don't want Collins on the team, but that the pick was made over his head by Palmer. Heath asks if Collins would be willing to re-sign and help mentor Alex Wright. Collins tells Heath that he'll honestly have to think about it.

One thing I enjoyed from the first season was the character interaction and how well the different personalities went well together, but I'm not entirely convinced by the new additions to the cast and how well they'll bland in. I know Jared Keeso and know he can deliver, but can Patrick Schwarzenegger can keep up alongside veterans like William Fichtner and Eric Roberts ? I guess I'll have to just wait and see

I really have to give it up to Matt Parker who managed to write a realistic, precise and balanced script. In the first season, I could see where the series is headed, but this season, it looks like we'll have a bit suspense going on and new dynamics to explore. A good addition to an already strong series

The new additions to the cast create a interesting dynamic within the team what will surely add substance to create colorful drama like Matt Parker and Antoine Fuqua. It remains up in the air if the series can retain its wild charm for its second season, but from the looks of it, I'm on board!