The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers

Now a hockey powerhouse, the Mighty Ducks junior team is selective about who makes the roster. After being cut and told he is wasting his time, 12-year-old Evan Morrow, at the urging of his mother, forms a new team of underdogs with the help of original Ducks coach, Gordon Bombay, who has since become the despondent owner of a low level ice rink. ==Cast and characters==

Main • Lauren Graham as Alex Morrow, Evan's best friend who helps start the Don't Bothers. He lives with his two moms next door to the Morrows. He is also friends with Winnie, the cocoa girl at the Ice Palace. Nick co-hosted The Wraparound podcast with Mary Joe prior to joining the team. • Swayam Bhatia as Sofi Hanson-Bhatt, the original Ducks coach and owner of the Ice Palace. He was found to be in a dark place when the Don't Bothers start playing at the rink and reignites his love for the game. He later becomes assistant coach of the Don't Bothers and briefly coach when Alex is fired before being reinstated. • Naveen Paddock as Jace Cole (season 2) a former NHL player who runs an intense hockey training camp called the Elite Performance Ice Center that the Ducks signed up for the summer and Jace's father Recurring • Dylan Playfair as Coach T, the condescending head coach of the Mighty Ducks who cuts Evan from the team, before trying, albeit unsuccessfully, to bring him back. He regularly taunts the Don't Bothers and refers to them as a "bunch of clowns". • Em Haine as Winnie Berigan, an employee at the Ice Palace. She is friends with Nick and is often seen talking to Alex. She is also known for having many boyfriends. • Lia Frankland as Mary Joe, host of The Wraparound podcast and Nick's former co-host. Her father, Terry, takes over from Nick when he joins the Don't Bothers. • Amy Goodmurphy as Paula Ganz, Nick's mother • Jane Stanton as Sherri Andrews, Nick's other mom • Eddie McClintock as Rob Griffen, the rocker father of main character Evan (season 1) • Stephnie Weir as Marni (season 2), Coach Cole's administrative assistant at the Elite Performance Ice Center • Connor DeWolfe as A.J. Lawrence (season 2) • Timm Sharp as Coach Toby (season 2) • Tiffany Denise Hobbs as Coach Jackie (season 2) • Rich Eisen as himself (season 2) • Margot Anderson-Song as Gertie Willins (season 2) • Noah Baird as Cody "Fries" Lawrence (season 2), A.J. younger brother who is under A.J.'s shadow • Jaden Micah Wolfe as Franklin (season 2) • Joelle Better as Rambo Tate (season 2) Guest stars • Matt Doherty as Lester Averman, an alumnus of the Mighty Ducks (season 1). • Elden Henson as Fulton Reed, an alumnus of the Mighty Ducks (season 1). • Garette Henson as Guy Germaine, an alumnus of the Mighty Ducks (season 1). • Vincent A. LaRusso as Adam Banks, an alumnus of the Mighty Ducks (season 1). • Marguerite Moreau as Connie Moreau, an alumna of the Mighty Ducks (season 1). • Justin Wong as Ken Wu, an alumnus of the Mighty Ducks (season 1). • Kirk McLean as Official (season 1). • Nate Torrence as Gabe Nordlinger (season 2). • Cam Fowler as himself (season 2). • Aaron Lohr as Dean Portman, an alumnus of the Mighty Ducks (season 2). ==Episodes==

Series overview Season 1 (2021) Season 2 (2022) ==Production==

Development By 2018, Steve Brill and Jordan Kerner, who respectively served as writer and producer for the 1992 film The Mighty Ducks, pitched to ABC Signature head Tracy Underwood an idea for a TV series based on the film, which was approved for development. On January 22, 2018, it was reported that a half-hour The Mighty Ducks TV series was being developed by ABC Signature Studios, with Brill set to write and executive-produce the series. On November 6, 2019, it was reported that Josh Goldsmith, Cathy Yuspa, George Heller, and Brad Petrigala will co-executive-produce the series alongside Brill. On February 17, 2023, Disney+ cancelled the series after two seasons. Casting In February 2020, Lauren Graham and Brady Noon were cast in the series as the lead roles, with Emilio Estevez returning to reprise his role as Gordon Bombay, in addition to executive producing, as well as directing an episode. Swayam Bhatia, Taegen Burns, Julee Cerda, Bella Higginbotham, Luke Islam, Kiefer O'Reilly, Maxwell Simkins, De'Jon Watts were also cast in undisclosed roles. In November 2021, it was reported that Estevez's season 2 option would not be picked up due to creative differences and a contract dispute. On January 24, 2022, Josh Duhamel was cast in a starring role for the second season. On March 25, 2022, Naveen Paddock joined the cast as a new series regular while Margot Anderson-Song, Noah Baird, Stephnie Weir, Connor DeWolfe, Timm Sharp, and Tiffany Denise Hobbs joined the cast in recurring roles. Filming Filming for The Mighty Ducks was scheduled to begin on February 18, 2020, and end on June 11, 2020. Filming took place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. In August 2020, it was announced that filming could officially begin after Disney TV Studios made a deal with British Columbia unions about testing the cast and crew members for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Filming officially resumed in September 2020 and concluded on December 17, 2020. Filming for the second season began in early 2022. ==Release==

The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers was released on Disney+ on March 26, 2021. The second season was released on September 28, 2022. The series made its linear premiere on Freeform on January 1, 2023. ==Reception==

Critical response On Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds an approval rating of 87% based on 39 critic reviews, with an average rating of 6.8/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Game Changers doesn't quite flip the puck, but it has enough heart and good humor to make The Mighty Ducks proud." On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 72 out of 100 based on 16 critic reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Caroline Framke of Variety said Game Changers manages to be a solid follow-up, stating the series manages to provide a sharp update to a timeless story without relying too much on nostalgia, and praised the performance of the actors. Robert Daniels of Polygon applauded the humor of the series, claiming it offers a hysterical critique of present-day youth sports, and stated it manages to be a light-hearted family-friendly show. Joel Keller of Decider wrote that Lauren Graham represents the best asset of the show, praised the performances of the cast members, and complimented the writing, saying the dialogues are sharp and entertaining. Daniel Fienberg of The Hollywood Reporter praised the performances of the actors, complimented the series for its inclusive messaging, and found it sincere and emotional at times, despite calling the narrative flaccid. Ashley Moulton of Common Sense Media rated the series 3 out of 5 stars, complimented the depiction of positive messages, stating the show promotes perseverance and positivity, and found agreeable the presence of role models, citing the gender and racial diversity across the main cast. Accolades ==References==