On Our Streaming Radar this week, we have a Texas-set drama returning for a second season, the first major comedy centered around America’s fastest-growing sport, and another look behind the curtain of one of the most fascinating forms of sports entertainment.
Let’s start with The Dink, a new comedy streaming on Apple TV. It’s the first feature film I’m aware of that’s built entirely around the phenomenon of pickleball, the sport that’s become popular with players of all ages. The title refers to the signature “dink” shot, a soft tap that drops just over the net and into the kitchen.
The film features a terrific ensemble cast led by Jake Johnson, Mary Steenburgen, Ed Harris and Ben Stiller. It follows a prestigious tennis club whose members are being pressured to convert more of its tennis courts into pickleball courts to meet growing demand. The old-guard tennis players aren’t about to give up their territory without a fight, leading to a winner-take-all showdown that will determine the future of the club.
Jake Johnson stars as “The Hammer,” a former tennis prodigy whose promising career was derailed by injury. Now teaching lessons at his father’s club, he’s pulled into the battle over the courts while developing an unlikely friendship with a passionate pickleball player played by Mary Steenburgen. Their relationship goes in directions you probably won’t expect, and Steenburgen once again proves she can elevate just about anything she’s in. Ben Stiller also steals several scenes as an eccentric doctor with some… unusual tendencies.
If you’re looking for a lighthearted sports comedy, The Dink is definitely worth checking out on Apple TV.
Next up is Ransom Canyon, returning for its second season. The Texas-set neo-Western has often been described as a softer, more romantic cousin to Yellowstone, blending sweeping family drama, complicated relationships and small-town secrets against the rugged landscapes of the Lone Star State. Based on the bestselling novels by Amarillo native and Texas Tech graduate Jodi Thomas, the series once again stars Josh Duhamel and Minka Kelly.
After establishing the people, rivalries and romances at the heart of this close-knit Texas community, the second season has an opportunity to dig even deeper into the relationships that made the show connect with viewers in the first place. Expect more romance, family conflict, and questions surrounding love, loyalty, and legacy; all wrapped inside a story that feels distinctly Texan.
Finally, WWE: Unreal returns to Netflix for its third season. The documentary series continues pulling back the curtain on the world of WWE, breaking the traditional wall of kayfabe that defined professional wrestling for generations. While fans have long understood that match outcomes are predetermined, Unreal reminds viewers that the physical demands, sacrifices and emotional investment are anything but scripted.
This season chronicles the farewell tour of one of the greatest WWE Superstars of all time, John Cena, while also spotlighting the next generation of talent, including Oba Femi, Bron Breakker and Trick Williams.
I had the opportunity to speak with Trick Williams about the series, and you can hear what he had to say below.
The Dink is streaming now on Apple TV, while Ransom Canyon Season 2 and WWE: Unreal Season 3 are both available on Netflix.
