Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty (2022-2023)

Strongly emphasized but very entertaining series about the Lakers. Main downside: too little basketball. The nonsense surrounding business and the soap opera-like developments in the background of Jerry Buss in particular are not nearly as interesting. On the other hand, there is a lot of beauty that only HBO can produce. For example, short but beautiful images of Indiana where Larry Bird grows up. But above all, of course, the exciting Showtime Lakers with a still very young Magic and all the troubles surrounding it.

Fantastic casting with a convincing Magic Johnson, always the charmer, zen master Kareem Abdul Jabbar and a very gruff but nicely intense Larry Bird. Brody looks too little like Pat Riley but he makes Pat an interesting and complex man to watch. Jason Clarke is very entertaining as hothead Jerry West although he was a lot calmer in real life. All examples of "how do we put even more drama in it". Paula Abdul could have gotten a little more attention as the leader of the cheerleaders. Those girls gave the whole tent a pole. And in what city could Showtime be better reinvented for basketball than LA?

As for the fourth wall: it is used much more (and much too much) in the first season. Also, here and there, unnecessary politics is brought into it (for example, with a sneer at the Donald or about the oppression of black by white, quite ironic when you see how many millions these dark guys rake in while it was a close call that Jerry Buss would have gone completely broke).

This season ends with the finals in 1980 against the Sixers of Doctor J, Julius Erving. An impressive piece of basketball history.

Translated from Dutch · View original

Wasn't blown away by the first season, but this second season - despite being shortened from 10 to 7 episodes - was a lot more enjoyable. Perhaps because there is less unnecessary filling, but the season flew by; partly due to the excellent editing (quite a few years are covered) and appropriate music. Episode 2.05 was mainly excellent; If I turn to Wiki to find out all the details, you've got me.

Too bad the plug is out; this really needed 1 more season to honor the series title.

Translated from Dutch · View original