Clubhouse (2004–2005) User Reviews

Better than a lot of stuff out there - especially reality TV

[bsl05 · 8/10 · 27 September 2004]

This show has a few clichés and a few over the top, Dawson's Creek-like moments (a 16-year-old talking about way back when life made sense?), but overall it seems like a decent show. Most of the characters seem very real, and the story seemed to move along well in the pilot - ending with a good lesson in the end. I just hope every episode doesn't turn out to be life-altering like the first, that would just be too much drama for this vehicle. Jeremy Sumpter does an excellent job as a teenager with a passion for baseball, I believe a lot of us could relate to his awe and sometimes tunnel vision for the team that he always wanted to a part of.

Pulled too quick

[ump28 · 20 November 2004]

From the beginning, I liked the show despite the flaws. I am not some teenage kid in love with Jeremy. I am a mid 30's man. The point being is that the show could have been written better but had some moral points that are identical to today. I read the post about drinking beer in a stadium. Come on! Kids at 16 years old are doing this. Is it right? NO. I like the show and wish that CBS would make more of an attempt in making it a success. This show and other shows like 7th Heaven and Everwood depict normal family life in their own unique way. I like watching shows like the CSI series or NYPD blue but I also like a break from immoral type lifestyles to more family and kid friendly shows. In the episode with the hazing and Jeremy kissing and drinking beer, a very fundamental and important lesson that all children should learn from is despite all of the hazing and being punched in the mouth, he did not resort to violence to get even. Placing the other guys necklace where he did may not have been right but not physical revenge was used. Maybe some other network will pick up this show and give it a chance that it deserves.

i saw the premiere last night... sooo good.. i think I'm hooked

[gymnastbabe27 · 10/10 · 27 September 2004]

me and my sister saw the premiere last night... it was so good we were glued for the whole thing.. hahaha..i think I'm hooked for the season!!.... they have some really good actors in this thing.. the head coach guy and the player that likes pete were very good and the plot has already got me but i don't really understand how they'll keep it stretched for a whole season.. there will probably be some big twist tho..i cant wait till Tuesday.. finally Jeremy sumpter who is he? i can tell hes going to be big!! he was soo good we fell in love with his character right away.. cant wait for the next episode.. GO Jeremy!

'Aimee

Check it out if you haven't all ready...

[rlo157 · 10/10 · 3 October 2004]

This is a good family show with a great cast of actors. It's a nice break from the reality show blitz of late. There is nothing else quite like it on television right now either, unless you count Joan of Arcadia as being similar because it has a teen lead character too. Anyway, Clubhouse is worth a look because Jeremy Sumpter gives the main character (Pete Young) a kind of likability and naiveté that is appealing without being overly sweet and cuddly. Dean Cain, Christopher Lloyd, Mare Winningham and Kirsten Storms round out the rest of the main cast members, and each is terrific in their role. I really like Kirsten Storms as Pete's sister Betsy; she is quite a pill, but she still cares about her mom and brother, even though she hates to show it. It may take a few episodes to really find it's legs, but Clubhouse is easily one of the best shows to come along in a good long while, so check it out people--you'll be glad you did!

Good show and will only get better...

[rlo157 · 10/10 · 1 October 2004]

To anyone who might think this show isn't for them, please give it a try. Network television has degenerated into shows that are clones of clones or are reality based shows featuring some often unreal people. This show is a return to family oriented TV where the emphasis is on learning some life lessons, learning what real friends and family are about, and maybe even learning a little bit about our national pastime. Jeremy Sumpter is one of the most appealing young actors in show business today, and he is perfectly cast as the young, slightly naive new batboy for the fictional New York Empires (great name!). Dean Cain, Christopher Lloyd, Mare Winningham, and Kirsten Storms round out the main cast, and they are all exceptional. This show deserves a chance to catch on and be seen. Hopefully it will stick around for a few seasons and we can watch Pete Young (Sumpter's character) learn and grow.

AWESOME!! AWESOME!! AWESOME!!

[Xx2Good2BeTrUxXx · 10/10 · 30 September 2004]

Okay, this show is nothing but AWESOME! It has a great story line and plot and great actors and actresses. Jeremy Sumpter is so hott and he is perfect for the role! He is gunna be big in Hollywood. He has a bright future ahead! This show better last a long time because I really love this show, and I hope that it has a lot of success! It is so interesting. I have been waiting for it to come out for about 6 or 7 months and it's finally here, and it's great! I tape it, too. I can watch it whenever I want now! Too bad its only on once a week though. I wish it was on at least twice a week because now I wish that it was Tuesday every day! Hope you all like this show!

~Ashley~

if you liked Clubhouse, check out the book it was based on!!

[jeffreydamico · 21 November 2005]

CBS pulled the plug on Clubhouse way too early. A friend gave me the book that Clubhouse was based on. It's called "BAT BOY" by a guy named Matt McGough who was actually a bat boy for the Yankees. It just came out a few months ago, after the show got cancelled (kind of weird timing). As good as the show was, the book is even better.

A lot of the stories from Clubhouse seem like they came straight from the book -- the prank the players pulled on Pete his first day of work, and the potato cannon, and meeting girls at Yankee Stadium, and lots of other inside stories about the Yankees locker room and growing up in New York. Not much about his sister Betsy the JD, but that was actually my least favorite part of the show by far.

I even met Matt at a reading he did in New York last weekend. He didn't know if they're planning on releasing Clubhouse on DVD. But he did say that the book has a website, www.batboybook.com, and that he'd try to post any update.

Clubhouse hits a home run!

[aussipride42 · 8 October 2004]

Ever since I discovered Jeremy Sumpter was the star of 'Clubhouse' I was hooked. I was excited for the premier, and it was amazing. I discovered that Jeremy isn't just super hot, but hes an amazing actor, too. He makes his character completely realistic and I love his facial expressions. When he was crying in the pilot, I cried too. The rest of the cast is amazing, too. Kirsten Storms' character; Betsy, adds humor to the show with her drinking problem and disregard for the rules. The only thing that annoyed be about the first two episodes, was how similar they were. In both, Pete was put in a situation where he has to decide whether to help the team, and possibly get in trouble, or stay out of it and become hated by them. If the show continues like this, I can see the ratings going down. Overall, Clubhouse is a great original show for everyone, its definitely different from the typical teen dramas. From the die-hard baseball fans, to the squealing fangirls, Clubhouse can be enjoyed by all.

Clubhouse.

[boulevard_of_broken_dreams5 · 29 December 2004]

I think that Clubhouse was a very well thought out good T.V. show and I am sad to here that people think that about it...I think it has potential to go on. Clubhouse has many very good actors including Jeremy Sumpter... I think that canceling this show is a bad thing for him along with all the other good actors in this T.V. show. If you could just understand that putting this show down isn't very respectful and i ask people not to do it. Clubhouse IS a good T.V. show and should remain on T.V. for a while to see if people pick up on it and have more advertising that its there... Not a lot of people knew about it...Make it more known if you want it to succeed. Thank you for letting me comment...comment me back if it is in anyway possible.

Jeremy Sumpter & Hayden Christensen

[shulma2002 · 23 May 2005]

The young actor reminds me of actor Hayden Christensen, who plays Anakin Skywalker in the "Star Wars" films. Does anybody else see they resemble each other? I actually thought it was the same actor! This was a fine series. Some stories were corny but several were thought provoking. Two episodes come to mind. In one, Pete sees a player using drugs. He is seen and threatened by the player. Pete must decide whether to keep his mouth shut or tell. He decides to tell. He keeps his job and also wins the respect of the team. Another good episode was when Pete and his friend must undergo an initiation. Pete showed his integrity when his friend got hurt. This was a good series and like "American Dreams" on NBC, got canceled.

I have mixed feelings

[nptman · 8 November 2004]

I've seen three episodes of "Clubhouse", and I honestly have mixed feelings. I think Jeremy S. has real talent (he's 15 for cryin' out loud!) But, the script has a few loose ends. I'm just not seeing a connection between these two teens. I like the family connection between Pete and his Mom, it's genuine. Pete driving the Ferrari was a bit much, though i bet he enjoyed it. LOL. Who wouldn't? Anyway, I just can't see what age group this show is appealing to. I guess everyone, not sure though. So bottom line: can't see a bright future for this show, but I still have hope. I'll be watching this Saturday to see if my opinion changes. It's got a touch of everything, but it's just not enough. It could still change, though. Good luck to "Clubhouse"!!

Jeremy gets abused.

[gkeith_1 · 12 October 2004]

Oh wow, I didn't expect our Peter Pan to get abused with hazing when he becomes a batboy in Clubhouse. But that's what happened tonight on the show that I watched. I hate seeing Jeremy on the punished end from a bunch of cruel boys who most bizarrely terrorized Jeremy and his buddies. This is so terrible. I realize Jeremy was quite young to be a lead in a feature film, like Peter Pan, but I say make Jeremy the star of more feature films and get him out of TV -- if the writers are going to make him the butt of teenage idiots getting their jollies by humiliating Jeremy. I much better liked Jeremy as the lead character of Peter Pan, where HE led a bunch of boys, and where HE fought the bad guys and won, and where HE taught people to fly, etc., etc. This Clubhouse is getting pretty depressing, what little I have seen, and the Christopher Lloyd character comes off as a slimy senior citizen who shouldn't be in the same room with our sweet Jeremy. The mother is ugly, and the sister should be taught some manners.

It's OK, if you're a Dean Cain fan

[c4436_soulsister · 30 October 2004]

I've watched about 3 episodes of this show, and too much emphasis is being placed on the kid. How much do 16-yr. olds know about the fast-paced world of sports? This is too family-friendly, I wish this would be on cable TV, to show the REAL underbelly of baseball, especially the fame, potential for substance abuse, the bad behavior, etc. For example, could you see a 16-yr. old batboy take life lessons from Darryl Strawberry or Dwight Gooden? Not hardly!

Clubhouse soft sells baseball trials and tribulations and turns it into this softball, cushy, feel-good family show. Dean Cain made a another career boo-boo, when he starred in this show. Maybe if he made peace with Teri Hatcher, maybe he could have a spot on the MORE successful "Desperate Housewives".

Faltering

[me43 · 13 October 2004]

I've checked out this show, because of Dean Cain being in it, and must say it is losing my interest rapidly. What are the producers thinking when they allow minors to drink beer on Stadium property? Alcohol seems to be featured in every episode... "nay, madam, I know not 'seems'" to quote the Executive Producer, Mel Gibson, in one of his earlier roles. (Hamlet) In other words, the illegal use of alcohol is featured in EVERY show so far! Not only is it redundant, it is offensive. Last I checked, Gibson was into a family mentality these days. He's missing the boat here.

I had hopes from the pilot, due to it's "do the right thing" slant, but it has rapidly gone downhill from there.

Watching two inept minors kiss was laughable at best, and disconcerting at worst. There is no real chemistry betwixt the two, and I kept wondering how we went from a gleeful 'thimble' in PP, to this non-chemistry laughability. The line about him being a good kisser was a riot. And is it just me, or is Sumpter looking different in each show?

The continuity gal ought to be fired, as every show so far has had glaring mistakes. The pilot had "Conrad Dean's" poster signed with "Dean Cain's" normal signature, any Little Leaguer; but most definitely any guy from the Minors would be wise to the old "bat-stretcher" and "batters box key" gags by the time they made it to the Majors.

Being dumb enough to pull out a bag of steroids and syringes when one is only looking for a bit of paper, makes me wonder what the kid's IQ is.

In the second episode, there was that dreadful National Anthem mangling; the forgotten bit of bling in the form of the gold-chained "CT ice pendant" (brought back in episode 3, but doing a show, then no-show routine with maddening regularity,) and the whole Pete stealing the bat and sinking it in the water deal. OK, so now we know Pete is dishonest, a liar, and eager to start drinking like his slutty big sister.

Clubhouse is rapidly becoming a show to miss.

Show had possibilities but..........it just didn't happen.

[Valmont19 · 19 October 2004]

I watched the pilot and thought it was an OK show, a little far fetched but this is just the pilot. Now the show has been on for a few weeks and I'm just not that impressed. This show does not belong in prime time. I think it would fit better on TGIF or Saturday morning. Actually the TV Guide Channel even labels the show as a kids show. Sure it's nice to watch a show that isn't about sex, drugs or who can eat the most worms but come on a kids show in prime time? Even Seventh Heaven has better plots that this. I saw the movie "Peter Pan" with Jeremy Sumpter and enjoyed the movie minus his so so acting skills. I'd have figured that since it had been a year since Peter Pan he'd have gotten his acting skills fine tuned, but he didn't. The lisp is OK for some scenes but during real dramatic scenes it's hard to concentrate on the scene with Sumpter talking. When he speaks he just doesn't get the emotion in his voice. When he moves, or stands he looks like a kid that is posing for the camera and looks unnatural. It's like watching a great bunch of actors who are very believable and then Sumpter enters and it's like he's all by himself acting alone. All and All 4/10. I don't think this show is going to make it. Sorry

Great characters, potential to be a new "Wonder Years"

[phalen-1 · 26 September 2004]

The series has great possibilities. Interesting character development and family relationships. The writers have lots to say about friendship, growing up, finding ourselves and making sense of the world. And baseball? We can all relate. This could become a classic like "Wonder Years"...but it needs some time to develop. The promotional spots didn't seem to hit the right target - most viewers probably stumbled upon it. The title doesn't explain the story line (nor does the text of the promos) - and if people know what the show is about, they will give it a chance. You've got teens, a single mom, ballplayers, the missing dad, the surrogate dad, the sister who seems out of control...but really loves her mom and brother more than they know. Lots of dramatic possibilities.

Good show that deserved better than 5 episodes

[steve-575 · 8 September 2011]

"Clubhouse" was a well-meaning family series that deserved much more than a 5 episode run. Its biggest problem was that it had limited appeal to a changing television audience. From the start, the odds were stacked against it. Sport-themed TV series rarely ever succeed in the ratings. From past shows such as "The White Shadow" and "Bay City Blues" to more recent series such as "Friday Night Lights", "Sports Night" "Playmakers" and "Lights Outs", none have been able to garner high ratings. It came out around the time that audience tastes were beginning to change. Family-theme dramas such as "Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman", "Touched By An Angel" and "Early Edition" were beginning to wane in popularity. Audiences were leaving the big networks in favor of cable programming. They were tuning in to edgier shows such as "Nip/Tuck" and "The Shield" and crime procedure shows as "CSI" and "NCIS". Finally, add the fact that the producers of the show were not able to secure the license to use Major League Baseball and The New York Yankees team. Not being to use actual baseball teams gave the show a generic feel.

The show centered around a 16-year old boy, Pete Young (Jeremy Sumpter), who had realized his dream by getting a job as a bat boy for the New York Empires. His single mother (Mare Winningham) was a real estate agent struggling to keep the family together. His sister, Betsy (Kirsten Storms), was a rebellious high school senior who tried to grow up too fast. Many of the shows focused on Pete's new-found popularity among his peers, his relationships with the team's All-Star slugger Conrad Dean and equipment manager Lou Russo, and his mom's conflicts with Betsy. The show taught good lessons on relationships and family.

Although the show was enjoyable and well meaning, it had plenty of flaws. The talents of Christopher Lloyd who played equipment manager, Lou Russo, were essentially wasted on this show. His character had little charisma and came across as indifferent and uncaring at times. Too bad he couldn't have jumped in the time machine and stopped himself from taking this role.

The show sometimes tried to be too cute to the point where it was corny and unrealistic. Many times, the bat boys and equipment managers seemed to play too much of a role in the team games and news media. They seemed to neglect a lot of things that would be associated with a team clubhouse. I often found myself wondering who was the manager of the Empires and wouldn't you think that he would have more interactions with Pete (It was Joe Ross who was rarely seen)? They never even mentioned anything about the road games. It was almost as if they played all their games at home.

Lastly, the biggest thing going against the show was that it just did not have broad appeal. It appealed to teens because of Jeremy Sumpter and Kirsten Storms. It also appealed to baseball fans because of the premise but most of those fans were probably skipping the show to watch the 2004 MLB playoffs and World Series. However, it had no appeal to the adults who were not baseball fans, which accounts for a big chunk of the television audience. Even the show "Friday Night Lights" which was low-rated but ran for five seasons had broader appeal. It was based on a more popular book/movie, it centered around a more popular sport, it had a better supporting cast and it was much better written (It also starred an older Jeremy Sumpter).

While the show is far from perfect, it is worth viewing. It occasionally airs on the Universal HD network and I would recommend viewing all 11 episodes (5 original plus 6 unaired).

Where to watch it

[yaelburg · 29 December 2020]

I really want to watch this show.. the only thing is.. it's 2020 and I can't find it ANYWHERE.. can someone help me??

Why Cancel?

[Irishclover417 · 11 November 2004]

Clubhouse with Jeremy Sumpter is not only an enjoyable show, it is very realistic. Of course, as a fourteen year old girl many people would think that other teens including myself only like the show because of Jeremy. ( Not that he doesn't help! ) Many parents should be grateful that CBS has a show for teens to watch that is realistic AND appropriate. How many adults would rather have their kids watch 'Life as we know it' which is even more based on drinking than Clubhouse. Or what about 'Desperate House Wives' which is based on the multiple affairs of four women? What kind of things are being aired?

The plot of the story is good, another person commented on the importance of a role model as one plot. This is a very important plot! I do not believe that CBS is really trying to help the show out at all. If they really cared, it wouldn't be such a "flop" in their eyes because Clubhouse has all the right ingredients. Looking at the actors and actresses previous works, they are not lacking star power. Dean Cain as Superman, Jeremy Sumpter as Peter Pan?? Do these not prove for nothing? I also think that Jeremy did a wonderful job in Peter Pan with Jason Isacs and is doing a wonderful job in Clubhouse. Jeremy should read through some scripts and land another leading role in a movie, which seems to be his calling.

One other thing, why should CBS cancel this show when they have already taped over 10 episodes? I believe only 4 have aired and that is a lot of money they are wasting for shows that wont even be enjoyed by the smallest crowd. If they insist on taking Clubhouse off of Saturdays, put it on sometime during the day on weekends. This way, at least us understanding and loving fans of Clubhouse can get what they want!

Cancelled?? NO!!!

[northerngirl1211 · 25 November 2004]

I hear that Clubhouse is being cancelled. IT CAN'T BE TRUE!!! I hope there is some way that we can bring Clubhouse back...it was SOO GOOD!! I DIDN'T DO MY HOMEWORK I WAS SO LOOKING FORWARD TO WATCHING CLUBHOUSE!! IS THERE ANYTHING ANYONE CAN DO TO BRING IT BACK!? Sorry, I am desperate. This just ISN'T FAIR!! They cancelled it because not enough people watched it. The only complaint I had on it was that they should have episodes showing EVERYDAY instead of every TUESDAY, I can't wait that long to see JEREMY SUMPTER!! This is just MEAN! How do you write to CBS? Can you send e-mail? I want the show back!! I Am MISSing JErEmy!!