The best of IFC’s Brockmire season 3

IFC’s Brockmire gave sobriety a chance in the third season. Rebuilding his career, and life, took some real work. With a little help from his friends, Jim Brockmire is again broadcasting from a major league booth.

Coming back from a decade long hiatus is tough in any profession. To do so after becoming a national punch line is incredible, a borderline miracle. Brockmire’s process of taking a self-inventory and finding a higher power was unique to the program. Still, he did eventually find meaning in his life’s journey.

Brockmire also found that he could have healthy friendships and even a romantic interest, all without alcohol acting as a social lubricant. It turns out that Brockmire values the sanctity of baseball over the sloshed feelings from liquor. He also values his friends.

His friendship with Matt the Bat Hardesty grew throughout the season, culminating in Brockmire finding his higher power. The final episode and Hardesty’s final resting place was as fitting as it was touching.

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Brockmire’s friendship with Gabby evolved from a career-ending disaster into a great broadcast booth tandem. Gabby was thrown out of her domestic situation but was able to find a comfortable home as the counter-balancing thoughtful side of the broadcast team.

Lastly, there is Charles. Newly minted millionaire Charles has been a loyal friend. The Brock Bottom podcast is a big reason for Jim’s newfound confidence. Charles needed advice that could only come from a cornucopia of bad Brockmire experiences.

The endless binge drinking bender was supposed to be finished. For all of season three, he was on a mission and had a purpose. To end the season, he had a drink. Now, the question of a fourth season is hanging like a curveball between the mound and the plate. It all depends on Georgia laws apparently.

The third season was dependent on Brockmire checking himself before he wrecked his last chance in life. ShowrunnerJoel Church-Cooper admitted as much saying:

"“To push it to another season, to me, felt like we were going to start repeating ourselves, and start going down an unrealistic path…Having him face the consequence of ‘you’re going to have to get sober or you’re going to have to die.”"

Jim dropped the booze for most of the third season, but kept the humor and crash nature that made him a lovable character. Throughout the series, tough issues have been addressed and the sacred parts of baseball have been exposed.

Church-Cooper knows that Brockmire had to remain a deliberate character even when coming out of depression.

"“I think we’re trying to show both extremes. We have a scene dedicated to baseball’s religion, and then we have a bunch of other things pointing out the ridiculousness of devoting your life to the game and the current state of the game.”"

It’s a weird game, this thing we call life. Finding a meaning, a purpose bigger than one’s self, is essential for happiness. This insight is not cheap, but must be earned. Brockmire finally found his enlightenment in his final conversation with Matt the Batt.

"“That’s a god I could believe in: a baseball god.”“Yes. The kind of God that demands that all churches be parks.”“A God that forces you to play outside on a nice day.”“And doesn’t keep time because our actions should determine our fate and not some stupid clock.“A God who keeps us humble by making us play a game that’s steeped in failure. That’s the kind of God that I’d worship.”"

Hopefully, there will be more offering from the church of Brockmire. If not, the third season was a great sendoff A third perfectly thrown strike by IFC, with just the right notes upon impact with the audience’s catchers mitt.

Would you want to see a season 4? Be sure to tell us in the comment section below!