The Tough Decisions: Champions "Opening Night"/"Deal Or No Deal" Season Finale/Series Finale

"Opening Night" 

With opening night coming, Michael not only is worried about his play but also if him and Gregg would make a couple. Priya comes for the show but also hangs with Michael and helps him with what Vince can't help. But she's visiting for another reason, that's to ask Vince if he's okay for Michael to go back with her to Cleveland.

At first, he didn't agree, but after watching her and Michael connect so well that he allowed it to happen. But when Michael hears about the news from the dean of the school, makes a counterpoint about the decision. But Priya lets Michael stay with Vince and Matthew.

Meanwhile, Matthew tries to be a bad guy when he tries to give each of the gym staff evaluation reviews. When he helps Dana, he gets her into the staff's group chat, which didn't go so well. But Dana changes with the help from Matthew and now everyone is on the group text chat, including Vince.

"Opening Night" was hilarious but also served some light heart moments between Vince and Matthew on the decision of Michael going back home. Both storylines were each as hilarious as the other, but I very much enjoyed the character development from Matthew. The writing was strong and the performances from the cast was as good as before. Overall, I give this episode a 8.5/10.

"Deal Or No Deal"

As Matthew finally graduates from high school, Vince gets an offer of a lifetime.

With Matthew graduating from high school, Vince has an idea of expanding the gym with a little help from his old high school friend. When Vince meets with him, the tables have turned when he gets an offer to be a manager for a St.Louis Cardinals minor league team.

Vince tells Michael about the offer, they agreed not to tell Matthew about it til after their dinner with Gregg. But that all went down hill when Gregg accidentally tells Matthew about it. Matthew gets upset and attacks Vince, who runs down to the gym. After being separated by the staff, Vince tells everyone about the news and that he's going.

Later on, Michael and Gregg seemed to have broken up, as Gregg is on a new show about family drama. But as Michael talks with Matthew about Vince, he just couldn't forgive him. But a noise coming from Matthew's room got their attention and Matthew shoots the intruder in the leg, that happens to be Vince.

At the hospital, Vince tells Matthew and Michael that he's staying and they continued on to be a family that tries to order nachos from the hospital cafeteria.

This episode was funny, strong and seemed to be close to a finale as it would be if the show had ended. The relationship between Matthew and Vince seemed to be the real focus and the strongest storyline of the episode. The performance between Holm and Favreau was amazing along with Totah as well. Overall, I give this episode a 9/10.

You can catch Champions OnDemand and on the NBC app.

UPDATE: As of Friday, TVLine has reported that NBC has officially cancelled Champions after it's first season. I'm just furious of the news that this show, that didn't get a lot of promotion time, even for the final two episodes that were placed on Friday nights to burn off. Champions is an amazing show, just like Timeless and Great News, and deserves another season. It's got a great ensemble cast, strong writing and character development. But as with Timeless, I'm hoping the show gets picked up by another network or streaming service (COME ON NETFLIX!!!). It's been reported by TVLine that Universal Television is shopping around to other outlets.

Let's hope. Let's hope.

It's Not True: Champions "Nepotism"

This week's episode Michael and Vince learns a good lesson in not favoring someone for a job.

"Nepotism" was another hilarious and brings both characters of Michael and Vince a bit closer in learning from each other. Learning that his play is picked to be shown at his school, Michael is full of joy about it but thinks that he's audition for the role that he wrote for himself shouldn't be audition for anyone else until someone did and Michael wasn't to happy.

Meanwhile, Vince, who's trying to find a way to find help, believes that Matthew can't help with other duties at the gym. Everyone thinks that he's favoring over his brother in given him a real helping job. And after realizing what he has been doing and given advice to Michael about not quieting his play, Vince gives Matthew a position of helping new members fill applications and maybe get someone to help with the gym classes.

This was another funny, strong character development episode given Michael and Vince dealing with about the same issue and helping each other. Whether it's the scenes of Ruby and Brittany begging Vince to get additional help because they are doing double duty to Vince threatening Michael to unquiet his play or he'll be kicked out of the house. Also I loved the scenes between Vince and Dana that seems to be something there than just a working relationship. The performances from the cast was amazing and the writing was so good. Overall, I give this episode a 9/10.

You can catch Champions when they return Thursday, May 25th on NBC.

The Birds and the GED: Champions "Matt Bomer Poster"

With Matthew carrying a deep secret, Vince thinks that Michael having a Matt Bomer poster in his room leads to a discussion of the birds and the bees.

"Matt Bomer Poster" was hilarious, smart and very clever with a strong character development of the characters. When Vince sees a poster of Matt Bomer in Michael's room, he worries that he's doing something that leads him to having the talk. But after trying to make it fun and all, Vince tells Michael that when he's ready to have the talk, he'll be ready.

But a shocking moment comes when learning that Matthew didn't actually graduate from school. When Michael learns about it, after spying on him, he helps Matthew study for the GED but fails and tells Vince about it. But Vince helps Matthew put him back into school again.

I'd very much enjoyed this episode a lot. From the awkward moments between Vince and Michael talk about the birds and the bees to the funny moments of Matthew and Michael dealing with the GED and school issue. Overall, I give this episode a 9/10.

You can catch Champions Thursdays at 9:30/8:30c on NBC.

Family Disappointment: Champions "Grandma Dearest"

When Michael ask Vince about his grandmother for school, but what Michael doesn't know is that Vince's mother hasn't have a clue that he exist yet.

As Michael tries to get Vince to introduce him to his grandmother. But in exchange to see Vince's mother, Michael helps Vince with his gym's website.

It takes the whole episode to understand that Vince and Matthew's mother isn't the right person to have a relationship. When they get ready for her visit, she shows up a no show but her husband comes and tells them her excuse. When Michael sees that he understands and decides that it's up to her to see him instead of him.

Meanwhile, when updating the Champions website, Michael recruits one of the gym members to be part of a website video of her journey. But when they get things ready, their recruit becomes a no show thanks to Ruby going on a date with her and abandoning her. It all became good thanks to the rest of the gm crew getting their recruit back and filming the video but also added to it with her asking Ruby for her hand in marriage.

"Grandma Dearest" was another hilarious and strong written episode I've enjoyed this episode a lot. The cast was amazing once again. Overall, I give this episode a 9/10.

You can catch Champions Thursdays at 9:30/8:30c on NBC.

Making Friends and Celebrate: Champions "Vincemas"

When Vince and Matthew plan on a weekend camping trip for Michael, it may not be the kind of trip for Michael to go.

"Vincemans" was another installment of great character development, writing and performance from he cast. The episode deals with how Michael tries to fit in and make news friends because Vince gives him advice and wants him to be like he was in high school, but it leads to Michael joining an Indian group that aren't really who they seem to be, mainly going clubbing at night for example.

Also with Vince planning to be gone for the weekend, Ruby and the crew plan for a "Vincemas" event but Vince learns about it and makes one hilarious of a scene when coming up behind a partying Ruby about how Vince isn't hear.

Overall, I give this episode a 8.5/10.

You can catch Champions Thursdays at 9:30/8:30c on NBC.

Playing the Favorites: Champions "My Fair Uncle"

Just as questions are being asked about how Vince and Matthew are taking care of Michael, until an unexpected guest makes his a visit.

Questioning how Vince takes care of Michael, the school has him and Matthew read Michael's paper about his daily morning that describes his father gets to sleep with a ton of women. Matthew tries to get Vince to hold off on dating for awhile, but when an attractive woman comes up to Vince about wanting to go out with him, he turns her down.

But that would change when Michael's uncle makes a visit and asked to hang out with him and take him around New York. At first it didn't seem right to see how an uncle treats his son better than he can but when Vince gets a message from that girl earlier, he accepts the offer.

Just as Michael is having a great time with his uncle, Matthew jealous calls Priya about it and learns that her brother is a user of drugs. He stops Vince and the get going to get Michael back just in time as Michael was asked to pee in a cup for his uncle.

Later on Vince apologies to Michael about the way that he has been around him since living with him and Matthew and will hold off dating for a while. But at the end when Dana comes in with the new plunger, there were something between them that could spell out romance.

"My Fair Uncle" was another strong episode that had good character development and down right hilarious moments. So much mentioning of the Broadway show Mean Girls, for which if Tina Fey sings at the end: I want to go to there and see. I really thought this was such a good episode and performance for Andy Favreau as Matthew. Overall, I give this episode a 9/10.

You can catch Champions Thursdays at 9:30/8:30c on NBC.

Changing Ways: Champions "Lumps"

When the gym has a declining in female members, Vince has to complete against an all female members gym.

After seeing that there has been a decline in female membership at the gym, Vince learns that another gym has taken most of their members in an all female gym called Lumps. Vince tries to talk with the owner but wouldn't come to terms of what he was asking so that lead to sending Ruby into the gym to try and convince the members to join champions. But it didn't turn out the way they had hope for as Ruby wasn't just a member but also a trainer as well.

Vince learns from Michael what the gym really needs (mainly television that airs SVU reruns). Meanwhile, Michael tries to get out of math, due to his poor grades, but when getting help Dana it just turns to helping her relationship issue.

"Lumps" was a good half hour of fun and entertainment that's filled with laughter throughout the episode. The performance from Holm, Feimster and Totah were amazing as each had their best moments whether it's Vince talking to Michael about math or trying to win back the female members as his gym. Ruby trying to convince but gets convince herself to join Lumps and Michael trying to skip math lessons and helping with his knowledge of relationships. Overall, I give this episode a 8.5/10.

You can catch Champions Thursdays at 9:30/8:30c on NBC.

Coming Clean and Moving On: Champions "I Think I'm Gonna Tolerate it Here"

Just like they say when you keep a secret, it's always about to come out sooner than later.

As Vince tries to figure out how to fix the mess he made of selling the gym without having everyone that works there know about it. He learns that he and Matthew has to pay a fine of up with $5,000 to regain the gym. But when Michael, who's been staying in their apartment too long, steps out and sees Brittney along with the other gym workers. Soon the flood gates break as the coworkers of the gym learn about Michael and that the gym being sold as well.

While dealing with the gym, Vince figures out that Michael was raised spoiled with his unclean habits and such. After getting eaten by the couch, Matthew gives up Vince's king size bed to Michael, while Vince and Matthew sleep in the other bed, together. It draws tension between them and Matthew decides to move out staying with Ruby.  But after a morning with Michael,Vince comes to terms and not only brings Matthew back home but gets the group together and apologies to all and gets an idea for how they can get the money to pay the fine....from Matthew and Vince's childhood hoops shooting machine. For which opens up for Michael to have his own bedroom.

"I Think I'm Gonna Tolerate it Here" is another brilliant half hour comedy of humor and heart. From the great writing, strong character development, the performance from the cast members was just amazing, mostly Fortune Feimster as Ruby shines in this episode. Overall, I give this episode a 9/10.

You can catch Champions Thursdays at 9:30/8:30c on NBC.

The Show to Watch: Champions "Pilot" Series Premiere

The latest NBC comedy series, Champions premiered last Thursday and it's with all strides as the best new comedy of the season.

Created by Charlie Grandy and Mandy Kaling, the pilot opens up as Vince, a gym owner in Brooklyn, NY along with his brother, Matthew, is about to give up his life for a new one in Florida. But when Priya, an ex high school girlfriend, comes by with a surprise that he has a 15 year old son, Michael, who needs to find a place to stay during the audition process at the Academy of Arts.

After taking him in, things don't go that well when Michael feels that Vince doesn't want him around and that he spilled the beans about selling the gym in front of his brother. Vince comes to terms, finds Michael and gives him the courage at his audition, even though he was a half hour late. When the Academy accepts Michael and tells Vince that there's a place for Michael to stay, he tells them that Michael will be staying with him, but will keep the address in mind for later.

I'm in love with Champions. It's one of the best new shows on the season. The pilot was well written and perfectly told of about these characters of who they are, what their conflict is and their triumph of over coming with inspiration and humor. The cast is amazing from Anders Holm and Andy Favreau, Fortune Feimster and Mindy Kaling, but it's J.J. Totah who shines as the star of the show. Overall, I give this episode a 9/10.

You can catch Champions Thursdays at 9:30/8:30c on NBC.

Champions New Comedy Series

From the creators Mindy Kaling and Charlie Grandy comes a new comedy series, Champions. Vince seems to live the simple life. He's a charismatic gym owners and living the bachelor's dream with his younger brother, Matthew. But as his high school fling Priya drops off their 15 year old son Michael changes everything.

Starrng Anders Holm (Workaholics), Andy Favreau, Mouzam Makkar, J.J. Totah (Spiderman Homecoming), and Fortune Feimster (Life in Pieces and The Mind Project).

You can catch the series premiere of Champions Thursday, March 8 at 8:30/7:30c on NBC.