HBO’s ‘Winning Time’ won’t be winning trophies
To viewers who might not know much about sports, “Winning Time,” one of HBO’s newest miniseries, does a great job of introducing the core members of the Los Angeles Lakers basketball dynasty of the 1980s. The cold open of the first episode starts off with a flashback scene of Magic Johnson’s HIV diagnosis, which marked an early end to his basketball career. This sets the tone for the rest of the series, which details the ups and downs of a big-market sports franchise.
Since the miniseries is a biopic, it has very serious and tense moments. Jerry Buss, the then-owner of the team, is portrayed by John C. Reilly. From the moment Buss first enters the screen, it is clear that he is the main character and comedic relief of the show. The audience finds him partying at the Playboy mansion, seemingly without a care in the world. Reilly’s portrayal of Buss is not one of a serious businessman; rather, he treats everyone like a guest at his party. This carries over into the overall plot of the show, as much of the conflict revolves around his risk-taking and lack of planning.
“Winning Time” also does a great job of incorporating basketball into the scenes. Johnson, played by Quincy Isaiah, is shown playing 1-on-1 with his teammates, working on drills and pretending to narrate game-winners. Isaiah, without an advanced basketball background, transforms into the superstar point guard, dribbling around the court just like Johnson once did. This accuracy extends beyond the court, as Isaiah also captures Johnson’s larger-than-life personality and movie star smile.
This show is not without its shortfalls, however. Normally, shows about sports do not normally require headphones, but this is an exception. Without much warning, the scenes often switch between everyday conversation to very auditory sex scenes, which make things awkward when watching the show near family members. It is clear that many members of the Lakers organization engaged in very intimate lifestyles, but the way that they force sex scenes into the show is rather over the top. However, to be fair, what’s an HBO show without forced nudity?
Additionally, although the significance of each character is made clear early on, many of them seem to have very exaggerated personalities. The events of the show rarely ever paint Buss or Johnson in a negative light, and although Buss finds himself in the center of conflict, he is almost always the protagonist in the situation. The same cannot be said for the supporting characters, often thorns in the side of West’s plans for the Lakers. Jerry West, the manager of the team, is depicted as an insecure diva, frequently butting heads with Buss and talking down on Johnson’s basketball abilities.
Overall, “Winning Time” is far from the best show on HBO. If viewers want an exciting sports story, then this is the show to watch, as it brings audiences 40 years into the past for unfiltered entertainment. However, it is certainly as disorganized as the Lakers organization, with messy narratives and unnecessary sexual content. Fans of “Euphoria” can certainly soothe their HBO Max itch, with new “Winning Time” episodes streaming on the site on Sundays at 9 p.m.
