The essential episodes of Eastbound & Down
Watch these 15 in order and you've got Eastbound & Down — each pick states its reason.
- 01
Kenny Powers, a brash former baseball pitcher whose career has fizzled out, returns to his hometown but immediately discovers that he is not as respected as he had hoped. He becomes a substitute gym teacher at his former middle school while planning his return to the majors. Power's former teenage flame, April Buchanon, is now teaching at the same school.
- 02
Stevie puts together a DVD of Kenny's greatest moments in the hopes that the major leagues will notice. Later, Kenny attends a barbecue with his "fuck buddy" Tracy at April and Terrence's house where his romantic feelings for April intensify, and she shows the first signs of reciprocation, but an awkward moment gives them pause. Tracy gets Terrence, April's fiance and Kenny's boss, drunk, and he calls Kenny out for being a has-been in front of Stevie, April, Tracy, and all of their friends.
- 03
Thanks largely to Terrence's words, Kenny decides to give up on his dream of returning to professional baseball. Meanwhile, arrogant car dealer Ashley comes back into the picture, along with the player who ended Kenny's career, Reg Mackworthy, whose own career has been sidelined thanks to gambling charges.
- 04
Kenny gets a contract offer from a member of Tampa's front office and in true Kenny Powers fashion, he subsequently burns a few bridges. The Tampa Bay Rays become the first MLB team to lend their official logo to the show; it appears on the 'black' credit card that the team representative presents as his credentials. Just before he leaves town to sign his contract, Powers receives a phone call from the team representative with bad news; he wasn't authorized to offer Powers a contract and did so only because he was high on cocaine. With his major league comeback over before it began, Powers is crushed. Too proud to tell April and his family, he leaves everyone with the assumption that his baseball career is still back on track. He dumps April at a gas stop and is last seen driving away with a troubled look on his face.
- 05
Kenny resurfaces in Mexico under an alias and with a passion for cockfighting, but draws the attention of a baseball manager who wonders if Kenny Powers can still pitch.
- 06
Puzzled by the Mexican fansʼ lukewarm reception, Kenny starts a grassroots PR campaign to burnish his image, but it takes a vintage Powers flare-up to bring the crowd to its feet. Kenny makes inroads with Vida by inviting her to Sebastianʼs yacht party.
- 07
Though Charros fans respond to Kenny, he is warned by Roger about the perils of showboating. Kenny learns he has serious competition in his courtship of Vida.
- 08
Kenny considers a new full-time life working in Mexico.
- 09
Kenny settles some old scores and shows Mexico what heʼs really made of.
- 10
After a great start to his season with the Myrtle Beach Mermen, Kenny returns home for his son's first birthday. April then comes to Myrtle Beach and after a night out with Kenny, she leaves him with more than just a hangover.
- 11
Pro scout Roy McDaniel arrives in Myrtle Beach to ask Kenny to mentor Ivan Dochenko, a promising young Russian pitching prospect. Stevie lays down the ground rules for his return to Kenny's team while grappling with Shane and Kenny's relationship.
- 12
Kenny thinks his son Toby is cursed and might be to blame for a recent run of bad luck, and later tries to bond with Shane's puritanical family. Meanwhile, Stevie is racked with guilt.
- 13
Kenny is shocked when he receives some unexpected visitors, and in a desperate attempt to regain control over his team, he plans the ultimate Independence Day celebration. Stevie struggles with his guilt and makes a confession.
- 14
An overnight trip to a water park is a wholesome treat from Kenny to his family and friends, but it sets the stage for an evening of debauchery.
- 15
At his boss' insistence, Kenny returns a favor. Stevie offers revisions to Kenny's life story. April weighs a big decision.
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