Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty: Championships Aren't Won, They're Taken
April 8, 2022 1:13 PM - Season 1 (Full Season) - Subscribe
(trailer, homepage) The professional and personal lives of the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers, one of sports' most revered and dominant dynasties - a team that defined an era, both on and off the court.
I completely agree, I watched the first episode on a whim and really enjoyed it.
posted by Eddie Mars at 12:28 PM on April 11, 2022
posted by Eddie Mars at 12:28 PM on April 11, 2022
I'm really enjoying this show. It's fun seeing the part I was missing when I was only following the games.
posted by kingless at 4:47 PM on April 11, 2022
posted by kingless at 4:47 PM on April 11, 2022
In between all the nudity and gratuitous name-dropping (did they really need to get someone to do a bad Richard Pryor impression?) there's been some great, great character-focused stuff in here.
Jerry West steps down as coach because he can't stand losing, and because he's got even less control over the outcome than he did when he was a player, and because what he really wants to do is go back out on the court and play, except his body won't let him. Jack McKinney struggles with reconciling the purity of the system he's got in his head with the messiness of implementing it in the real world with athletes that may not be bought in.
I think they've done a great job with Kareem — he starts out just looking like a needless asshole, but eventually they fill in the picture: he's just a habitual contrarian with a strong moral code and a deep desire to make his fame mean something in a broken world.
My biggest gripe is the glacial pace; it took us five episodes just to get to the season opener. But it just got renewed, so they've got time to tell the story in detail. There are a number of liberties taken with the timeline, so it'll probably irritate you if you're a purist. But any expectations of strict historical accuracy probably go out the window the first time a character suddenly starts addressing the camera in the middle of a scene.
posted by savetheclocktower at 5:04 PM on April 11, 2022
Jerry West steps down as coach because he can't stand losing, and because he's got even less control over the outcome than he did when he was a player, and because what he really wants to do is go back out on the court and play, except his body won't let him. Jack McKinney struggles with reconciling the purity of the system he's got in his head with the messiness of implementing it in the real world with athletes that may not be bought in.
I think they've done a great job with Kareem — he starts out just looking like a needless asshole, but eventually they fill in the picture: he's just a habitual contrarian with a strong moral code and a deep desire to make his fame mean something in a broken world.
My biggest gripe is the glacial pace; it took us five episodes just to get to the season opener. But it just got renewed, so they've got time to tell the story in detail. There are a number of liberties taken with the timeline, so it'll probably irritate you if you're a purist. But any expectations of strict historical accuracy probably go out the window the first time a character suddenly starts addressing the camera in the middle of a scene.
posted by savetheclocktower at 5:04 PM on April 11, 2022
John C. Reilly has such a thankless task with all those portentous little speeches to camera; it says a lot about his talent that he pulls it off so well.
(Also I don't know what it says about me that the sex scenes don't bother me but the T&A of the opening credits drove me nuts, but there you go. Hated that.)
posted by grandiloquiet at 9:11 PM on April 11, 2022
(Also I don't know what it says about me that the sex scenes don't bother me but the T&A of the opening credits drove me nuts, but there you go. Hated that.)
posted by grandiloquiet at 9:11 PM on April 11, 2022
I have zero interest in basketball, and am enjoying this show. Reilly is really good, but Quincy Isaiah steals the entire show. That guy has real screen charisma. Can't wait to see what other things he does. The guy who plays Jerry West is superb. He doesn't even seem like an actor. It's amazing.
My main criticism is that there's just too much stuff going on. Too many plots. Adrian Brody seems way, way out of place. Scrawny and with a distracting fake mustache and wig. A lesser known actor would have been better. And admittedly, this is a show about men. The women actors do a fine job, but their parts are underwritten. Also, at least so far? Sally Field is barely in the show at all.
posted by SoberHighland at 9:34 AM on April 12, 2022
My main criticism is that there's just too much stuff going on. Too many plots. Adrian Brody seems way, way out of place. Scrawny and with a distracting fake mustache and wig. A lesser known actor would have been better. And admittedly, this is a show about men. The women actors do a fine job, but their parts are underwritten. Also, at least so far? Sally Field is barely in the show at all.
posted by SoberHighland at 9:34 AM on April 12, 2022
I like but don't love this. The actor who plays Magic is really, really great and is basically keeping my interest in this show.
posted by jeoc at 5:27 PM on April 12, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by jeoc at 5:27 PM on April 12, 2022 [1 favorite]
So....I guess we're just not going to address the nurse's sexual assault? And now that Sally Field's character has died I hope the nurse isn't completely swept under the rug.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 7:48 AM on May 2, 2022
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 7:48 AM on May 2, 2022
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posted by geoff. at 2:34 PM on April 9, 2022