Eastbound & Down Information

Eastbound & Down is an American comedy television series broadcast on HBO, starring Danny McBride as Kenny Powers, a former professional baseball pitcher, who after an up and down career in the major leagues is forced to return to his hometown middle-school in Shelby, North Carolina, as a substitute physical education teacher.

Producers Will Ferrell and Adam McKay received an order for six episodes for the first season from HBO. The series was produced by Will Ferrell's production company, Gary Sanchez Productions. The show premiered February 15, 2009, at 10:30 p.m. Its second season, consisting of seven episodes, began on September 26, 2010. On October 27, HBO announced they were renewing the show for a third season. At PaleyFest 2011, it was announced that the third season, which premiered on February 19, 2012, would be the last. However, on July 2, 2012, it was announced that HBO had picked up the comedy series for a fourth season, which will consist of eight episodes. It is unknown when season 4 will air.

The show's theme music is "Goin' Down" by Freddie King.

Plot

Years after he turned his back on his hometown, a burned-out major league ballplayer returns to teach physical education at his old middle school. Still trying to reclaim his fame he starts on a comeback, righting his previous wrongs, but ends up messing everything up for himself in the end.

While not based on the life of former Major League Baseball relief pitcher John Rocker, the show's creators do cite Rocker's attitude as an inspiration. Former major league pitcher Mitch "Wild Thing" Williams has often been cited as the inspiration for the Powers character.

Cast

Starring

• Danny McBride — Kenny Powers
• Steve Little — Stevie Janowski
• Katy Mixon — April Buchanon (season 1, recurring season 2–3)
• John Hawkes — Dustin Powers (season 1, recurring season 2–3)
• Jennifer Irwin — Cassie Powers (season 1, recurring season 2–3)
• Andrew Daly — Terrence Cutler (season 1, recurring season 2–3)
• Elizabeth De Razzo — Maria Janowski (season 2–3)
• Ana de la Reguera — Vida (season 2)
• Michael Peña — Sebastian Cisneros (season 2)
• Marco Rodríguez — Roger Hernandez (season 2)
• Efren Ramirez — Catuey (season 2)

Recurring

• Adam Scott — Pat Anderson (season 1–2)
• Ben Best — Clegg (season 1–2)
• Will Ferrell — Ashley Schaeffer (season 1, season 3)
• Craig Robinson — Reg Mackworthy (season 1-3)
• Bo Mitchell — Wayne Powers (season 1–3)
• Don Johnson — Eduardo Sanchez Powers (season 2–3)
• Erick Chavarria — Casper (season 2–3)
• Matthew McConaughey — Roy McDaniel (season 2–3)
• Jerry Minor — Jamie Laing (season 2–3)
• Sylvia Jefferies — Tracy (season 1–2)
• Deep Roy — Aaron (season 2)
• Joaquin Cosío — Hector (season 2)
• Eduardo "Piolín" Sotelo — announcer (season 2)
• Jason Sudeikis — Shane Gerald/Cole Gerald (season 3)
• Ike Barinholtz — Ivan Dochenko (season 3)
• Lily Tomlin — Tammy Powers (season 3)
• Alexander Ethan McGee — Dustin Powers Jr. (season 3)

Series overview

Season		Episodes	Originally aired		DVD release
			Season premiere	Season finale	Region 1	Discs
	1	6				2
	2	7				2
	3	8				2

Episodes

Production

Seasons 1 through 3

Production on the second season of the show began in May 2010. The setting moved to Mexico, with shooting actually occurring in Puerto Rico. The new season brought several changes to the cast, including new faces Michael Peña and Ana de la Reguera, who play the owner of a Mexican baseball team and Kenny's new love interest, respectively. Don Johnson appeared in the role of Kenny's father, who Kenny and Stevie managed to track down in Mexico. All of the supporting cast from the first season are absent or only make cameo appearances, with the only exception being Steve Little as Stevie Janowski, who follows Kenny to Mexico. Ben Best is not a writer for Season 2 but returns in a small role as Clegg. Adam Scott returns in two episodes as the now cocaine-free baseball executive Pat Anderson.

Actor Deep Roy joined the cast as Aaron, one of Kenny's new Mexican sidekicks. The Mexican baseball team owned by Pena's character Sebastian Cisneros, the Charros, is coached by a man named Roger played by actor Marco Rodriguez. Co-director Jody Hill described the season as "a cross between the films Amores perros and The Bad News Bears". Hill directed four episodes in season two, while David Gordon Green directed three.

Season 2 premiered on September 26, 2010. Vice magazine reported on August 31, 2010 that "it's worthy of the original and is its own different, more somber beast." The writers had considered setting the second season in America; according to McBride, "at one point, we considered opening on a shot of the big sombrero at South of the Border, so you think Kenny's in Mexico. And then he would have said [voice-over tone], ?I went down to the butthole of the Carolinas.' [laughs] We actually thought about setting the entire season in Myrtle Beach instead of in Mexico. I gotta say, the Myrtle Beach idea was pretty brilliant. It would have really been something. Maybe he ends up there next season. [beat] Who knows?"

It was later revealed at the end of the season that Kenny would be heading to Myrtle Beach to play in the minors for a second chance at playing American baseball and an attempt to get back into the Majors.

Season 3 saw Jason Sudeikis join the cast, and the returns of Matthew McConaughey as Texas scout Roy McDaniel, and Will Ferrell who reprised his role as car salesman Ashley Schaeffer. Ike Barinholtz also joined the cast as Ivan, a Russian pitcher Kenny tries to take under his wing. The show was filmed in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina at BB&T Coastal Field and features Kenny as a member of a team called Myrtle Beach Mermen. The third season premiered on February 19, 2012 at 10:00 pm.

Season 4

In a July 2012 surprise announcement, Danny McBride and Jody Hill confirmed that Eastbound & Down would return for a 4th season.

Reception

Metacritic gave Season 1 a "generally favorable" average score of 62% on reviews from 16 critics.

International syndication

Country	Broadcasters	Time slot	Notes
	HBO	10:30pm	Premiered February 15, 2009.
	HBO Canada/The Score	10:30pm	Premiered February 15, 2009.
Portugal	MTV Portugal	11:00pm	Premiered July 9, 2009.
	Fox	10:00pm	Premiered October 1, 2009.
	Comedy Central	9:30pm	Premiered October 27, 2009.
	C More	8:00pm	Premiered August 11, 2009.
	MaxPrime	10:30pm	Premiered November 17, 2009.
	Comedy Central	10:30pm	Premiered April 30, 2010.
Romania	HBO Romania	11:00pm	Premiered May 29, 2010.
	NRK	10:25pm	Premiered September 15, 2010.
	showcase/7mate	7:30pm	Premiered October 27, 2009.
	YLE	00:20am	Premiered June 5, 2011.
	e2	11:00pm	Premiered June 20, 2011.
	HBO 2	20:05pm	Premiered March 13, 2012.