Running Point Netflix Cast: The 2000s Nostalgia TV Trend

So, I did what any lover of early 2000s pop culture would do: I gave her latest project a shot. Although I wasn’t exactly enthralled by a basketball show, I ended up watching six episodes in a row because spoiler: this is much more than just another Netflix comedy.

Running Point, as its title suggests, stars the always impeccably dressed and never without drama Kate Hudson. Recently promoted to President of the Los Angeles Waves, a popular basketball team in California, Isla (played by Kate) must run the family business with one major obstacle: she has no idea how to do it. With all eyes on her and the pressure of leading a sports empire that’s always been run by men, Isla must prove that women can thrive in such positions. And she has the help of many to accomplish this, starting with her siblings.

So when my screen landed on Justin Theroux, who plays Isla’s big brother, I had to pause because I knew a good cast was on the way. Also joining the family are Ness (Scott McArthur) and Sandy (Drew Tarver), and then there’s the long-lost Latino brother, Jackie, played by Fabrizio Guido, giving Isla the spotlight as the show’s female lead.

Or so I thought… until Brenda Song showed up. My jaw literally dropped. One thing is seeing one of my favourite bridal flick actresses back on screen (Bride Wars never gets old), but it was pure 2000s nostalgia when her iconic “Yay! Me” character from The Suite Life of Zack & Cody returned as Isla’s sidekick.

That’s the thing about bringing back actors – they grow with you. I used to ask my dad for a pink unicorn, London Tipton-style. Now, I’m cursing at my coworkers just like Ali (Brenda’s character).

But let’s not forget Isla’s love interest, paediatrician Lev Levenson, played by none other than Max Greenfield, also known as Schmidt from New Girl. This time, he’s not just the guy who dates around anymore. Instead, he’s a “handsome, kind doctor in his forties, never been married, and interested in dating women his own age,” as Sandy puts it on the show.

Throwbacks in 2025 TV series

Adam Brody, now a mid-30s heartthrob in Nobody Wants This (which returns for season 2 this year), and Frankie Muniz, waking up our inner child with his return as Malcolm in Malcolm in the Middle, are just a couple of names making a comeback in Hollywood. But my question is, why now?

Since 2021, we’ve seen a resurgence of our favourite stars on TV. Reboots are everywhere, and more and more sequels to stories we loved in the 2000s are being released. From teen shows like iCarly on Paramount+ and Raven’s Home on Disney+, to adult comedies and dramas like And Just Like That on Max, bringing back the iconic Sex and the City girls, or Frasier on Paramount+, with Kelsey Grammer returning to his most famous role. We also saw the resurrection of That ’70s Show with That ’90s Show on Netflix and the unexpected return of Dexter with Dexter: New Blood.

Nostalgia is at an all-time high, and streaming platforms know it. The 2000s generation is now in their 30s, with the disposable income and time to indulge in the shows and characters they grew up with.

That’s what makes Running Point so interesting. It’s not just a basketball show; it’s a chance to reconnect with a genre and a cast that feels both fresh and familiar. With guest stars like Macaulay Culkin and Scott Disick, the show is a fun throwback to the past. Running Point might just be another comedy, but it brings back beloved characters and actors while showing us how they’ve grown over the years, and we’ve grown with them.

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