The pilot episode of Spar was directed by Anthony Vander, who co-wrote it with Kate Napoli. The boxing-centric drama follows Isabel (Nicola Roffe), who is clearly running away from someone when introduced. She makes her way to a gym, hoping to train to be a boxer. The other boxers, Jason (Andre Fyffe), Dwayne (Edwin De La Renta), and Anthony (Jordan Pitt), are training their butts off, but Coach Barry (Gary Swan) isn’t sure if any of them are really ready. Who is Isabel running from? Is boxing her true calling, or is it just for self-defense purposes?
Spar is very well-edited for a 25-minute television episode. There are flashes of Isabel’s face beaten to a pulp. She goes from standing on a corner to looking out the window of a taxi (or rideshare vehicle) seamlessly. The sequence after the sparring match at the end is exhilarating, confirming what’s happening with all the main players.
“Is boxing her true calling, or is it just for self-defense purposes?”
Roffe is amazing as the determined but vulnerable lead. Swan is tons of fun as the coach, while De La Renta, Fyffe, and Pitt are all likable and easy to root for. Due to just this one episode being available for review, I cannot speak to the characters’ arcs, nor if the cast properly plays into backstory yet to come. But as presented here, everyone does an admirable job.
Spar has enough interesting characters and story threads to make for an engaging show. The direction is very stylized, and the editing is perfect, especially since this is an independently produced series. The cast is good, and should this move forward as a complete series, I see it finding an audience.
For more information, visit the official Spar site.
"…Roffe is amazing as the determined but vulnerable lead."
