To say billiards has its own language is not an exaggeration. While much of the lingo is known only by the sport’s true insiders, at least a few billiards words and phrases have become mainstream. Perhaps, the best example is the idiom “behind the eight ball,” which means to be in trouble or at a disadvantage. 

There is a misconception the phrase originated from the game of eight ball. But, as multiple historians have noted, the game “eight ball” was not described by that name until circa 1940, whereas the phrase “behind the eight ball” shows up as early as 1923 in a column published by the Buffalo Evening Times. More likely, the idiom derives from the game of kelly pool, which emerged at the turn of the 20th century. 

The phrase saw its peak use in the mid 1940s, though it still remains popular today. Scan the news headlines and you’ll see the phrase used in all sorts of contexts.  “Is Bradenton (FL) ‘behind the eight ball’ with utility rates?” (Bradenton Herald). “Rand Paul says GOP behind the eight ball in mid terms” (Washington Times) “As fentanyl crisis evolves, experts say US is still ‘behind the eight ball’” (Al Jazeera). “Liverpool baseball digs out from ‘behind the eight ball’ for first playoff win” (Syracuse.com).

Given the idiom’s ubiquity, it’s not surprising that “behind the eight ball” eventually made its way onto movie and TV episode titles. The trend likely began with the Ritz Brothers’ 1942 film Behind the Eight Ball, which is not about billiards, and has continued ever since. There is Behind the Eight Ball (about a speakeasy boss who doesn’t play nicely);  “Behind the Eight Ball” (from the reality show Yukon Gold about a mining crew); “Behind the Eight Ball” (from the short-lived 1960s series Broadside); “Behind the Eight Ball” (from the equally short lived Australian series Willing & Abel); Behind the 8-Ball (about a coke addict whose life is crumbling) ; and on and on. I’ve opted to ignore such non-billiards titles and focus my review on only those Behind the Eight Ball films and shows in which billiards is relevant to the story.

“Behind the Eight Ball,” Top of the Heap (1991)

If you were playing Before They Were Stars Bingo, you might have scored well turning the channel to this “Behind the Eight Ball” episode. Joining Matt LeBlanc (in his pre-Friends role) is Joey Lauren Adams (pre-Dazed and Confused) and Pamela Anderson (pre-Baywatch). But, if you were looking for a decent billiards episode, Top of the Heap is truly bottom of the barrel. Complementing the robotic acting and cringeworthy jokes is a real heap of billiards gaffes, such as pocketed balls reappearing on the table or the game of 9-ball played incorrectly.  My advice: skip the view, read my review.

Behind the 8 Ball (2010)

The only full-length film on this list, Behind the 8 Ball is 102 minutes of soapy, saccharine, sentimental stupidity. Directed by Mike Graveline, this Canadian film, featuring a cast of unknown actors, tells the story of Sam Evans, a 35-year old coffee shop owner, who shortly after losing his mother learns that his estranged father, who he has not seen since he was four, wants to rejoin his life.

Interesting premise, but the film derails quickly as it takes Sam and Dad maybe one shared beer before they’re BFFing over a game of pool. Dad is a professional pool player – or at least, a road player – who refers to the pool table as his “church,” and lectures Sam that “pool is a game of precision and heart” and you need to “pick a cue like you pick a woman.” But, if Sam is a billiards beginner, it doesn’t take this tenderfoot more than a couple of days before he and Dad are competing together in a local pool tournament. 

Fast-forward a couple of weeks and Dad needs to take out a $25,000 loan to compete in the World Players Pool Championship, the “most exclusive tournament in North America” with 40 people competing for a $1 million prize. (We’ll ignore that it is held at a local barroom and is sponsored by Cue Ball Hair Design.) But, when Dad’s coronary artery disease acts up and he needs a coronary bypass, it’s Sam who seizes the cue and proceeds to beat the best players on the continent. 

Rounding out this film’s unwatchability is the poor cinematography of the actual billiards. Most shots are not filmed; only players’ reactions to making shots. The few shots that are filmed are both pathetically easy and recycled across multiple matches. An acclaimed two-table trick shot is made off-camera. And don’t get me started on how these world-class players clearly don’t know how to hold a cue or make a stroke. 

“Behind the Eight Ball,” Mystery Diners (2014)

Mystery Diners was one of many undercover reality shows that covertly monitors employees at work. In this 2014 episode, Kent Lewis, the owner of Uptown Billiard Club in Portland, Oregon, decides to go deep cover to evaluate the questionable tactics of his newly hired social media marketer. His covert reconnaissance also reveals that his bartender is hustling patrons. As I wrote in my review of “Behind the Eight Ball,” Mystery Diners always suffered from a lack of credibility, and for many reasons, this particular episode felt laughably staged. Less humorous is Mr. Lewis’ cloak-and-dagger operation apparently could not save his pool hall. In 2019, they closed after 24 years of operation.

“Behind the 8 Ball,” Timber Kings (2017)

Talk about a sweet deal. Richard, the owner of the Laughing Loon Pub in Williams Lake, British Columbia tells the team at Pioneer Log Homes that if they make him a customized cedar pool table, he’ll give them an extra pour of his signature craft beer. At least, that’s the setup for the “Behind the 8 Ball” episode of Timber Kings, a Canadian reality show about the team at Pioneer Log Homes, which makes some of the most exquisite, sought after log homes around the world. This fourth season episode is light on drama or tension, save for a temporary setback when the reinforced bed is a smidgeon too high for the bumpers, but it’s impossible not to respect the craftsmanship and innovation, including using magnum shells for the diamond inlays. The episode is available to stream on Tubi.

Behind the 8 Ball (2019)

In 2019, Behind the 8 Ball won the Award of Merit at the Southern Shorts Awards Festival. While I couldn’t find the film online, I tracked down the festival’s director, who connected me to the film’s director Alejo Perera. In 14 years of writing this blog, I’ve connected with many, many film directors, and every one of them – except one – was happy to share their film with me. But, Mr. Perera replied to my inquiry quite differently. “You do not have permission to publish or list the film in the 8 Ball on the Silver Screen webpage. Please stop making efforts to obtain it.” Was the film that bad? So, my search continues. If you know anything about the film’s whereabouts, let me know.

“Behind the 8 Ball,” Bar Rescue (2021)

Like many hospitality establishments that emerged from COVID to reopen their doors, Griff’s Bar and Billiards in Las Vegas financially struggled. It didn’t help that the owner, Mark Griffin, who had a double lung transplant, got sick and needed to rely heavily on his general manager, Gary. Mark suspected the issue was not his 26 pool tables spanning 10,500 square feet; the problem was food and alcohol. What’s an owner to do but “pull back the doors, bust open the books, and make a call for Bar Rescue.” 

That’s the premise of the 2021 “Behind the 8 Ball” episode. Unlike the “Empty Pockets” episode from 2013, this one doesn’t focus on revitalizing billiards. It’s all about food quality (and unit costs), operational efficiency, a signature cocktail menu, and a management shakeup.  (Host Jon Taffer’s prescription is a little surprising, since the pool tables always appear empty, but I guess that interfered with the story arc.) There is one innovative, billiards-themed drink introduced – the Pool Cue Punch – but looking at their drink menu today, that cocktail has since been replaced with other pool potables, including the South Dakota Kid, the Color of Money, and the Duchess of Doom. “Behind the 8 Ball” is available to stream on Paramount+.

Behind the 8-Ball (2021)

Aside from its mention on IMDB, there is no trace of Zaman Khan’s short film Behind the 8-Ball about a man (Vincent) who experiences some strange occurrences in his home during his pool game. If you know anything about the film’s whereabouts, let me know.

Behind the 8 Ball (2024)

Unfortunately, I’m not going to recoup the 11 minutes I spent watching the 2024 short film Behind the 8 Ball.  The premise is intriguing: a professional gambler schemes with a naive pool player, but they come into conflict with a secret society controlling the world with pool. Even if I gave a pass to the poor acting and writing, I’m retching  over the repeated use of the miniature, portable pool table. The only interesting moment is when the rack of the billiards balls is equated with other similar triangular symbols, such as the Great Seal of the United States with its floating Eye of Providence, the Freemason logo, and the Triquetra (or the Irish Trinity Knot). The movie is viewable from the director’s website. But, remember that the triangular shape also appears as the universal warning icon, as in, “Warning: Do Not Watch.” 

Mr Doom: Behind the 8 Ball (2025)

In 2023, I interviewed Leif Johnson about his forthcoming movie Mr Doom. At that time, the film had no subtitle. Now, fast-forward to the film’s release in 2025, and the film’s marketing has appended the subtitle Behind the 8 Ball. It’s a baffling and ultimately pointless decision. For starters, the film can stand on its own. As I shared in my review, it’s an enjoyable homage to The Color of Money – a film that thankfully avoided any “behind the eight ball” addendums. Mr Doom is also a unique title within the billiards movie genre. Unless some poor sap mistook it for a 38th entry in the MCU, I’m pretty confident the film didn’t warrant a marketing tagline that screams, “I’m about billiards!”

Behind the 8 Ball (2026)

The most recent entrant to “Behind the Eight Ball” zeitgeist is the high school student film Behind the 8 Ball released this May. That’s not a typo. The film was made by Olio Road Productions, a film production company created and run by Jeremiah Follis, a teacher at Hamilton Southeastern High School in Fishers, Indiana. An extension of the school’s Film Studio program, Olio Road Productions assembles students from across the high school and tasks them with every component that goes into making a full-length movie. Casting, acting, set design, scriptwriting, costumes, makeup, music, artwork – it’s all done by high school students over the course of the school year.  This year’s film is about a financially troubled high school senior who bets her future on a pool tournament, only to discover the real game is deciding what kind of life she wants to live. While I have not yet connected with Mr. Follis to watch the film, a trailer is available on the company’s website.

By this point, I hope you no longer feel ‘behind the eight ball’ about your knowledge of movies and TV episodes spawned by the popular phrase. I also hope it’s many years before I’m telling you about the next Behind the Eight Ball film, but I suspect it will likely only be months (or weeks). As for me, I’m going to resist the temptation to now explore the etymology of the phrase “behind the nine ball,” especially if the atrocious billiards movie Behind the Nine is any indication of what lies ahead.