This article is about the episode from The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers. For other episodes, see Game On.
"Game On" is the series premiere of the Disney+ Original Series The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers, and the first episode of the series overall. It was released on Disney+ on March 26, 2021.
Plot[]
It's the first day of the season for the Mighty Ducks and their first training session. The game is narrated by Nick and his associate, who have their own podcast. Evan arrives at the training session late due to his mother's job as a Paralegal, but he manages to join the game and take part; Evan discusses hanging out with his fellow team mates after the game.
Alex, Evan's mother, finds herself speaking with Stephanie — a fellow work colleague — and the other mothers at the tryout, of which all commend Alex on how dedicated to work she is. Alex finds herself on the outside with the other mums and behind with college preparation for Evan, but she doesn't seem to mind despite Stephanie making it a big deal. Shortly after the game, the coach of the team delivers some bad news to Evan, he has been cut from the team. Despite pleas from Evan, the coach explains that he is simply too small to play in the 12-14 league, despite having the heart to win. When Alex learns of the news, she explodes on the ice rink, remarking how absurd the long hours of practice and cost of the clinics are, but her remarks are mainly ignored by the other mums and Alex leaves the training session with Evan.
Later that night, Nick heads over to Alex's house for a follow up interview with Alex for his podcast. Alex is reluctant to give a statement, given she doesn't want to make a bigger fool of herself than she already did, but Nick convinces her that she was right in her opinions, and that other people may feel the same too. Nick is able to plant the seed of creating a new hockey team in Alex's mind, and she surfaces the idea to Evan. Evan is reluctant to get on board with the idea, initially believing it to be convoluted and complex, but Nick remarks that the rules are pretty simple.
With the idea planted, Nick and Evan attend school the following day and approach numerous students about joining their new team. The students are reluctant, given they do not wish to quit, or rival, The Mighty Ducks. Evan finds himself outcast and unable to sit at the dinner table with the other Mighty Ducks as a result of his actions, but Nick believes that he can attain some other members by air dropping a message to everyone in the dinner hall. Unfortunately, their message and plea for team mates goes ignored.
Struggling to recruit anyone in their immediate circle, Evan and Nick go in search of a fellow video game hockey player, "Koob". They find him furiously playing video games in his basement, but find it difficult to convince him to join their team, with Koob reluctant to believe that he would be any good in real life. Nonetheless, when Nick and Evan begin throwing material objects at Koob, he is able to defend against them all without problem.
At work, Alex is handed a bunch of leaflets by Stephanie and asked if she can surface a deal given by the development company to the residents of an apartment block: they vacate and receive three months free access to the buildings new gym when it opens. Alex thinks the deal is a bad one, but nonetheless tries to sell it to the tenants of the apartment block; all of the tenants turn her away, remarking that the deal is not worth their time, a notion to which she is in agreement with. Noticing a nearby ice rink — and having had no luck with securing a location for the boys new hockey team — Alex decides to take a look. Inside she finds the director of the ice rink, but he is reluctant to allow a hockey team to play on the ice given his prior experience in hockey and his unfavourable attitude. When Alex informs him of an unclaimed surplus of money in the hockey budget for the year, however, the director agrees to allow the hockey team to call the Ice Palace home, but makes it clear that he will have no part in the running of the hockey team.
At the Ice Palace, Evan and Nick begin practicing for their appearance at the game the following day. Evan becomes increasingly annoyed when he realises that nobody wants to join his team, and the ones that have are bad at ice hockey. In the office, Evan becomes increasingly annoyed at Alex, blaming her for her idea to start the team. This is witnessed by Gordon Bombay, the owner of the Ice Palace, who tells him not to take out his anger on his mother as she is trying to make a better life for him. After an awe-inspiring speech, Nick decides that he must go to school and recruit people for the team.
At school, Nick talks with the canteen full of students about his new team. Whilst he agrees that they will not win the majority of their games, Nick explains that they will have heart and support one another which is much more than the Mighty Ducks have ever done for him. With this, numerous students begin remarking that they will join the team and, despite the majority of them having no experience, Evan is happy to invite them along to practice the following day.
The following day, Evan and his team attend the registration for the hockey teams. Their team are initially laughed at, citing that they aren't very well put together or thought out, but Alex makes a speech and names the team the "Don't Bothers"; despite a few laughs from the audience, the team are registered to play in the season.
Afterwards, Alex talks with Gordon at the Ice Palace, and it becomes clear that she used to be a dancer. He asks her to perform, but she is reluctant, citing that she hasn't danced in a long time therefore is bound to be rusty. Nonetheless, she dances for Gordon and the children who watch from the sidelines in awe.
Cast[]
Main cast[]
- Lauren Graham as Alex Morrow
- Brady Noon as Evan Morrow
- Maxwell Simkins as Nick Ganz
- Swayam Bhatia as Sofi Hanson-Bhatt
- Julee Cerda as Stephanie
- Luke Islam as Jaden Koobler
- Bella Higginbotham as Lauren Gibby
- Taegen Burns as Maya Kasper
- Kiefer O'Reilly as Logan LaRue
- De'Jon Watts as Sam
- Emilio Estevez as Gordon Bombay
Guest starring[]
- Dylan Playfair as Coach T
- Brian Sacca as Dan Ducksworth
- Em Haine as Winnie Berigan
- Lia Frankland as Mary Joe
Co-Starring[]
- Hayley Lee as Ruby Reddick
- Antonio Cayonne as Brian Hanson
- Camillia Mahal as Amara Bhatt
- Collin Joe as Trent
- Nevaeh McGillion Queen Bee
- Paula Almeida as Adidas Guy
Trivia[]
- It is revealed that Alex was a former dancer on the ice.
- Gordon's reasons for helping the ice team seem purely financial, however there are hints that this could change in the future.
- Gordon Bombay, a character from the original franchise appears in the series; Emilio Estevez reprises his original role.
Gallery[]
