Review by Lucas Camacho
Tommy Lasorda, the Hall of Fame long time manager of the Dodgers, knew all too well the sacrifices it takes to get on a major league baseball roster. After all, his time as a major leaguer was incredibly brief as he was replaced quickly by another Hall of Famer, Sandy Koufax. It’s the nature of MLB, and Tommy learned that the hard way. The point I’m making is that there are sacrifices, agonizing decisions, and moments that make or break a career that goes into not just making a MLB baseball team’s roster but claiming the title of World Series Champion.
That’s what we have in the new Apple TV+ documentary series “Fight for Glory: 2024 World Series” and it’s behind the scenes look at the big showdown last year between two of MLB’s most storied franchises: the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees. It has some dramatic moments in the three-episode series, and for good reason. The Dodgers and the Yankees are the most iconic playoff rivalry in MLB (and right on par with the NBA playoff rivalry between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics).
Watch the Trailer Here:
The thing about doing a documentary about a recent event is this: we know what happens. Unless you’re not a sports fan or baseball isn’t your cup of tea, you know what happened in the 2024 World Series: the Dodgers beat the Yankees 4 games to 1. So, here’s the trick: you have to tell the story in a way that draws an aura of suspense. It increases anxious feelings in the audience and gets them wanting to watch more to see how it ends (even though they probably already know how it ends). I personally thought this series did a great job in that regard, as the editing and storytelling was remarkably well done to create the suspense that audiences will feel.
We also got to see the raw emotions from the players themselves. I thought the first episode where they centered around Dodger star Freddie Freeman was very well done. Many Dodger fans know this, but last season saw Freeman leave the Dodgers due to his youngest son, Maximus, being diagnosed with Guillain-Barré Syndrome; a rare condition in which the immune system attacks the nervous system. For those unaware of Maximus Freeman’s condition, this part of the documentary is sure to tug a few heart strings and may cause people to shed a tear or two. It’s no wonder Freeman’s walk-off grand slam in Game One was considered well deserved.
Those that watch will also enjoy the research the documentary team did, particularly the fun fact about Dodger manager Dave Roberts. When the Dodgers went up 3 games to none, the team showed Robert’s fielding questions about the fact that only one team came back from a 3-0 deficit in the MLB playoffs: the 2004 Boston Red Sox…who Dave Roberts played for back when he was a player. It added a level of suspense to a series that was, for all intents and purposes, over with all the Yankees having left to play for was their pride (and to avoid being swept in front of their home fans).
Overall, the series provides exciting behind the scenes look behind another thrilling chapter in the historic rivalry between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees. The clips featuring the families and stories of some of the key members of both teams give fans of baseball another perspective to look at last year’s juggernaut World Series. The team behind the documentary did a fine job, from the graphics to the pace they used to set whatever tone they wanted the audience to feel. They spent a lot of time on the 10th inning of Game One and the (either legendary or infamous…depending on who you ask) 5th inning of Game Five, and for good reason. These were the moments that decided the series, and, even as I stated before that we already knew what was going to happen, you still got the feeling of anxiousness and the chills leading up to the moments that broke the Yankees and elevated the Dodgers. This is a series I recommend for any baseball fan or anyone curious about the amount of work that goes into playing for a World Series title.
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“Fight for Glory: 2024 World Series” Episodes for Preview
Episode 1: A Game for the Ages
One of the most anticipated showdowns in decades delivers in the opener with a wild ending that makes history and leaves fans speechless.
Episode 2: Pressure Is a Privilege
LA’s hot start takes a gut punch when Shohei Ohtani is injured in Game 2. Facing elimination, NY is desperate for a spark from Aaron Judge.
Episode 3: Sleeping Giants
After heroics from hometown kid Anthony Volpe force a Game 5, NY looks like its formidable old self—with hopes of rallying hanging by a thread.
Directed by acclaimed filmmaker R.J. Cutler and with executive producers including five-time World Series champion Derek Jeter, Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, the series takes viewers deeper than ever into the Fall Classic, capturing the intensity, drama, and defining moments of the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees as they reignite one of baseball’s most storied rivalries in pursuit of a World Series Championship.
R.J. Cutler shares, “Our goal was to make a truly cinematic experience that celebrates the drama, emotion and beauty of baseball at its highest-stakes moment: The World Series. We wanted to put the audience right in the guts of this story– the tension, the triumph, the heartbreak. As in life, the game of baseball is never over until the final out— you feel that in this series and your heart pounds with every twist and turn.”
“As a lifelong baseball fan, I recognize the inherent drama in almost any MLB game, but with the Dodgers and Yankees in a World Series matchup and the remarkable director R.J. Cutler covering every aspect of the clash between these two great franchises, I knew it would yield a world-class documentary,” says Ron Howard.
“‘Fight for Glory: 2024 World Series’ brings fans inside that journey like never before, capturing the intensity, sacrifices, and defining moments that make this game so special,” adds Derek Jeter. “As someone who has lived these moments firsthand, I’m proud to help share this story and give viewers an unprecedented look at what it truly takes to be World Series Champions.”
With special access to superstar players, managers, and their families, “Fight for Glory: 2024 World Series” immerses both new and die-hard baseball fans in an unforgettable journey through the 2024 World Series. The series weaves together the milestones, high stakes, and gripping storylines that shaped each team’s quest for the championship, told through the perspectives of players, coaches, fans, journalists, and those closest to the action. The showdown begins with a history-making opener, setting the tone for one of the most anticipated World Series in decades. But the momentum shifts in Game 2 as Shohei Ohtani’s injury delivers a devastating blow to the Dodgers, while the Yankees, on the brink of elimination, look to Aaron Judge for a spark. Just when the Dodgers seem poised to close it out, hometown hero Anthony Volpe’s heroics force a dramatic Game 5, where the Yankees begin to look like their formidable old selves—though their hopes of a comeback hang by a thread.
Building on over 80 years of MLB chronicling the World Series, “Fight for Glory: 2024 World Series” takes fans deeper than ever before, offering a cinematic, all-access experience. Through exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, raw emotion, and high-stakes drama, the series expands the perspective on baseball’s biggest stage, bringing audiences closer than ever to America’s favorite pastime and the relentless pursuit of its ultimate prize. With unprecedented access to stars like Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, and Aaron Judge, the series captures the intensity of the game from the dugout to the clubhouse, offering a rare, unfiltered look at what it takes to compete at the highest level.
The project is produced for Apple TV+ in partnership with MLB Studios (“The Clubhouse: A Year with the Red Sox,” “The Turnaround,” “Once Upon a Time in Queens,” “Moneyball,” “42”) and Brian Grazer and Ron Howard’s Imagine Documentaries (Apple’s “The Dynasty: New England Patriots” and “The Super Models”), R.J. Cutler’s Emmy-Award Winning This Machine, a part of Sony Pictures Television (Apple’s “Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry,” “Dear…,” “Martha,” “Elton John: Never Too Late”), and five-time World Series champion and executive producer Derek Jeter, alongside his production company, CAP 2 Productions. The series is directed by Emmy Award-winning, Oscar-nominated filmmaker Cutler, with executive producers Jeter, Cutler, Howard, Grazer, Sara Bernstein, Justin Wilkes, Marc Gilbar, Nick Trotta, Trevor Smith, Mark Blatty, Elise Pearlstein, and Justin Yungfleisch.
Apple TV+ offers premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries, and kids and family entertainment, and is available to watch across all your favorite screens. After its launch on November 1, 2019, Apple TV+ became the first all original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service in its debut. To date, Apple Original films, documentaries, and series have been honored with 553 wins and 2,564 award nominations and counting, including multi-Emmy Award-winning comedy “Ted Lasso” and historic Oscar Best Picture winner “CODA.”
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