‘A League of Their Own’ to End With 4-Episode Season 2 at Prime Video

Avid fans of Will Graham and Abbi Jacobson‘s queer take on A League of Their Own have been waiting for an update on the baseball show’s fate. The inaugural season ended in August 2022. Seven months later, Prime Video announced that A League of Their Own has been renewed for a second and final season, but that season will only be four episodes long.

A League of Their Own Season 2 comes after months of renegotiations between the streaming platform and Sony Pictures Television, the studio behind the series, per The Hollywood Reporter. Sources said Sony (which owns the rights to the show) negotiated a lower licensing fee, and then contract negotiations for the four-part season (half the length of Season 1) had to take place for the cast. With the addition of the new episodes, the show will reportedly be billed as a limited series going forward.

The months-long League of Their Own radio silence puzzled fans of the series, especially LGBTQIA+ fans who love the representation it provides. Co-showrunner Graham took to Twitter on March 14, just a few hours before the renewal announcement, to defend the series from those who call it “niche.”

“The one thing I’ll say at this moment: #ALeagueOfTheirOwn is not a small or niche show,” he wrote. “The audience is domestic, but our understanding is that it’s very big. It has outperformed many other shows that have been renewed. Journalists, please stop reinforcing the narrative …”

“… That POC/Queer shows are inherently niche or small if you don’t have data,” he added. “That narrative is racist and homophobic and all the other stuff. Please cover these things with some thought and care.”

… That POC/Queer shows are inherently niche or small if you don't have data. That narrative is racist and homophobic and all the other stuff. Please cover these things with some thought and care.

— Will Graham (@WillWGraham) March 14, 2023

“I should have said, largely domestic!” Graham added in another tweet, then tagging GLAAD and Human Rights Campaign.

Sources told THR that Graham and Jacobson (who is co-creator/showrunner in addition to starring) fought hard for the renewal and that a wrap-up movie was also considered. Prime Video reportedly sought to reduce costs and budget for the possible second season.

Based on the 1992 movie, A League of Their Own follows the journey of the Word War II All-American professional women’s baseball league players (plus those trying to make the team) and their lives on and off the field. Jacobson starred as reluctant team leader Carson Shaw, with co-stars D’Arcy Carden, Chanté Adams, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Roberta Colindrez, Kelly McCormack, Kate Berlant, Melanie Field, Nick Offerman, and more.

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The deal A League of Their Own struck with the platform is uncommon, but it’s a far better option than getting no Season 2 altogether. With its in-depth character development for the lead and supporting characters (even guest star spots from OG film alum Rosie O’Donnell and others had meatier backstories than most), fans developed a love for the entire ensemble. A proper farewell, even if shortened, is better than the sting of never saying goodbye.

Prime Video, like other streaming platforms, doesn’t release exact viewership figures, so only those close to Prime’s inner workings know whether the show was a numbers success. But by audience response, fans and critics alike, A League of Their Own is undoubtedly a hit.

It has a 94% critic rating and 87% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics lauding how it pulls the queer subtext out of Penny Marshall’s 1994 film to the forefront. As a reboot overall, reviewers called it an example of how good a new adaptation can be.

“Abbi Jacobson and Will Graham’s reimagining of Penny Marshall’s 1992 classic film is the rare case of creators understanding exactly what made a story special and expanding the world in a valuable, fascinating way,” wrote The Daily Beast in its Best Shows of 2022 list.

Prime Video

“A shining example of what an adaptation of a classic can be and rarely is… affectionate to its source material and true to its spirit, while at the same time aiming for an entirely new idea,” said Vox‘s review.

TV Insider Senior Critic Matt Roush said, “the series comes alive on and off the baseball field, with a vivid mix of colorful personalities taking wild swings at life, convincing themselves this is all real and that it’s OK to want something and live your dream.” It was also featured in two TV Insider’s Best of 2022 lists (Breakout Stars and Best Episodes).

The period piece also earned recognition from the GLAAD Awards, the Independent Spirit Awards, and the NAACP Image Awards, in addition to being honored with the women’s committee seal of female empowerment in entertainment from the Critics Choice Association, the National Visibility Award from the Human Rights Campaign, and the Voice and Visibility Award from the National Council of La Raza.

What do you think of the show’s fate? Sound off in the comments below.

A League of Their Own, Season 2, TBD, Prime Video