Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty (2022–2023) User Reviews (176)

Cancelled even before reaching the peak?

[kububeach · 8/10 · 19 September 2023]

The decision to cancel the show is still mindbogglng to me. I thought they received positive reviews from critics and fans.

Anyway, I really enjoyed the show. I might be biased as I'm a big Lakers' fan. But I think the combinaton of well established stars (Reilly, Brody, Clarke) and the least known ones did work. I really like Quincy Isaiah acting as Magic, it's perfect. The different pace between first and second season might be confusing but it's not a major flaw. The cinematography is also very good and it fits the narrative of the show. It's Lakers, 1980's Lakers, the showtime.

Again, I'm still annoyed with the show cancellation. I thought there could be more saucy stories or plots to be developed in the following seasons.

Way better than I thought I would be

[ellipseanostalrius · 8/10 · 9 March 2022]

I wasn't even going to watch it. From the trailers, I thought it would be campy and irritating, but it's not.

The comedy bits are actually well developed through excellent dialog, not just pratfalls and such. There is serious subject matter touched on as well. It is really well cast. The actors cast may be caricatures of the basketball players they represent, but they are enjoyable caricatures, highlighting their most endearing or confounding traits.

I see many people do not like the portrayals of their all-time favorite basketball stars because they are not exact. I had no aspersions this was going to be a fact-based drama, I thought it was going to be more of an "Airplane" shtick-filled, goof fest.

I don't know how accurate it all is, because clearly some of the scenes are entirely fabricated (Clearly!). Some of the setups are for the comedic or dramatic effect and that's totally fine.

Overall, well directed, great cast, great writing. I recommend this to anyone, not just basketball lovers.

An entertaining show but...

[schappe1 · 8/10 · 9 May 2022]

I've now watched all ten episodes of what will now be the first season and was wonderfully entertained by this audacious, fast-paced show. I love the scenes where Jerry Buss addresses the audience and was sorry that there were fewer of them after the amazing opener. The cast is wonderful. John C. Reilly is perfect as the ever-smiling but often troubled Dr. Jerry Buss, (I doubt Will Ferrell would have been as good). Sally Field is wonderful as his mother and Hadley Robinson as his under- appreciated daughter, Jeannie, (who now owns the team), and Gabby Hoffman as Buss' chief assistant are also excellent. Quincy Isaiah and Solomon Hughes both look and act like Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The coaches, Tracy Letts as Jack McKinney, Jason Segal as Paul Westhead and Adrien Brody as Pat Reilly, all do a good job and the many other roles seem well-cast.

I'd give the show a '10' except for the portrayal of Jerry West, which has bene heavily criticized by everyone who knew Jerry and by Jerry himself, who appears to be ready to sue the producers. I've only seen Jerry West on TV but he always seemed like a polite southern gentleman. That he would have to be more than that to be the competitor he was is not surprising. I've read that he had a lot of inner turmoil but not that he was the temperamental, profane, self-involved jerk we see here. It made me wonder how much of what we see in this series is true and how much of it is not. There's such a thing as literary license and that may be necessary to turn the cacophony of life into a story but that doesn't excuse character assassination.

I also question the characterization of Paul Westhead as a weakling who doesn't realize that he's going to have to argue with the referees. Westhead had been the head coach at LaSalle for 9 years before this and had successful teams there. That's not the NBA but Westhead shouldn't have been that far over his head coaching the Lakers. He'd never been an assistant to Jack McKinney before the 1979-80 season yet he's depicted as a long-time McKinney loyalist who is told by Jack that McKinney hired him because he knew that Westhead would never be a threat to his job or to leave for another. This just doesn't seem right.

Postscript: They have now cancelled this show after the second season, which finished with a summary of what happened in subsequent seasons. Thus, the show dramatizes only half of the Laker's dynasty and none of the post dynasty era where Magic acquired HIV, (the subject of the first scene in the premiere) and lost to Michael Jordan's Bulls in Magic's last finals appearance. This is hugely disappointing, but I suppose that it was an expensive show to produce and since the ratings were down, I guess they felt they had no choice. It thus ends with a Celtics Victory. I'll bet Red Auerbach is puffing on his cigar, wherever he is now.

As Good As It Gets

[XTheXXTruthX · 10/10 · 1 May 2022]

Top level TV. Everything about it oozes quality, passion, attention to detail.

Script, cast, characters, relationships, direction, music, costumes, choices on the tools used to film.

Authenticity in an era of phoney, talentless garbage.

Beautiful.

I'm hurt by the cancellation

[townsendmd · 10/10 · 24 September 2023]

One of my favorite shows of all time is cancelled by so called lack of viewers? Can someone tell me how does that work. I'll be the first to say I did not want to watch the show until it was completed cause it would make my nerves bad waiting for the last episode. So how do you claim viewership is low before ppl like me, who loved the show, even saw it. All the garbage that's released on HBO, and they have the audacity to end this series prematurely. The run way was so deep for this show. Anyways, it just goes to show that there were powerful ppl behind the scenes that didn't want this to go as far as it appeared it would go. I believe Jennie Buss and Magic Johnson had a lot to do with the show's demise, as if their lives wouldn't have been entertainment. She had no problem letting the depict her father a certain way, but as soon as she was coming up in the story, Jeanie shut it down. It's pathetic honestly. I just want to encourage everyone to go watch the show still. It's a beautifully told story. Maybe a little bit dramatic on how they described people's personalities, but that's all for entertainment. I've yet to hear any criticism about this show besides from the characters being played in it. The just didn't like how they were portrayed. Since, the show was supposed to be about entertainment in the end, they absolutely did a fantastic job. Shame on HBO for canceling the show. After I watch the season two I'll be canceling my subscription. I can't support a company who's that shallow and can be bought or manipulated by an outsider.

This show rules!

[HeywoodJablome1976 · 9/10 · 14 March 2022]

I don't understand the negative reviews. John C Riley kills it!!

I came into this with really no expectations at all.

I wasn't excited and a bit skeptical.

But so far I'm loving it.

The guy who plays Jerry West really shines as well and somewhat hilarious.

And breaking the fourth wall was a genius idea.

10 times better than watching the lakers this season, 9/10.

HBO are morons

[tradeintheshade · 10/10 · 22 September 2023]

Maybe the best sports show I've ever watched. Wonderfully written and wildly entertaining.

The first season was fantastic and I was so excited for the second, but obviously highly disappointed to see how they had to end it.

So much garbage out there and something so fantastic gets canceled?

This shows the absolute lack of foresight to see ratings beyond the now.

This could have been a classic for the ages that would be watched over and over like Breaking Bad or Game of Thrones but in the sports genre.

The casting and writing are all top-notch. I recommended this show to anyone that will listen.

Best thing they put out since Game of Thrones.

HBO=Has Been Organization.

Only into Basketball a little and love this series

[UniqueParticle · 8/10 · 7 March 2022]

Adam McKay is a masterful director to start off the series, most of his projects are great especially the drama ones, Step Brothers and Anchorman are excellent as well. Winning Time is better than I expected it's fun, very well made all around and powerful acting that is captivating! I don't even know much about basketball would still recommend the series.

Such a great show

[rosege-17382 · 10/10 · 26 September 2023]

Just finished the end of S2. I loved this show. It was so well cast. I know all the characters but my gf knew nothing and we both thought it was great. Whoever cast Magic and Bird did a great job (and all other characters).

Such a shame it didnt get to tell the whole story which it deserved to.

I hope somehow someone can revive this as it really deserves a full run.

I wonder how they make the decision to keep or cancel because I can't imagine this wasnt super popular.

Season 2 kept the same high quality as the first. I feel it was cancelled before many could discover this show.

Anyway please rethink a season 3!

Rollicking mini-series is sure to show you a good time

[paul-allaer · 7/10 · 16 March 2022]

As Episode 1 of "Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty" (2022 release; 10 episodes of about an hour each) opens, it is "November 5, 1991", and Magic Johnson finds out he has tested positive for HIV. We then go to the "Playboy Mansion Los Angeles, 1979" as we are introduced to real estate developer Jerry Buss, who has set his sights on buying the LA Lakers from then-owner Jack Kent Cooke, among rumors that the NBA is not doing well and "might not exist in five years". At this point we are 10 minutes into Episode 1.

Couple of comments: this series is the brainchild of Max Borenstein (writer of several "Godzilla" movies), with Andy McKay (yes, THE Andy McKay, of "Don't Look Up" and "The Big Short") serving as Executive Producer and also directing Episode 1 for good measure. In fact, having seen the initial 2 episodes to date, this mini-series has the McKay vibe all over it, including character talking directly to the audience, grainy photography (to recreate the 80s vibe), etc. Episode 1 deals primarily with the purchase of the franchise by Jerry Buss. Episode 2 deals primarily with Jerry West's continued and fierce resistance to Magic Johnson. Along the way we get exposed to some of the relics of those times, including ugly scenes of blatant bigotry and racism for the 'good ol' (white) boys' like Jack Kent Cooke, ugh. This mini-series features an all-star cast, with John C. Reilly seemingly having the time of his life as Jerry Buss, but many others such as Jason Clark (as Jerry West), and Adrien Brody and Sally Field (who have yet to appear). Bottom line: this is a rollicking look back to the 1980s when the NBA really starting coming into its own, carried by the Lakers-Celtics rivalry, personified in the Magic Johnson-Larry Bird rivalry. Just sit back and relax: Showtime is here!

"Winning Time" premiered premiered in early March on HBO and once episodes have aired, they are available on HBO On Demand and HBO Max (where I caught it). New episodes air on Sunday evenings. If you are an NBA fan, or simply have fond memories of the 1980s, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

Just relax and enjoy it

[balaw · 9/10 · 5 May 2022]

Very entertaining. Offbeat direction and exaggerated characters keep it full of surprises. Forget trying to compare it to reality or searching for a political stance; it's just fast paced fun and entertainment. Just relax and enjoy it.

great show

[Tljamail · 7/10 · 6 April 2022]

I like the show. The guy who plays Magic is awesome. I do think they could leave some of the explicit sex scenes to the imagination. Some are just not necessary.

Entertaining But Totally Unrealistic

[rogerfarwell · 5/10 · 19 April 2022]

This series is fun. But don't kid yourself. It's not history. It's not really even all that close. For one thing, there are many absurdities in the portrayals of historical figures (Jack Kent Cooke, Larry Bird, Jerry West). But if you want proof that a lot of the story is a total fabrication, just go watch the actual footage of the Celtics-Lakers regular season matchup at the Garden on YouTube. The game was nothing like what is depicted in the series in episode 7. It wasn't the brawling carnival that the show producers have made it out to be and the refs weren't "in the bag" for the Celtics. The Lakers weren't getting pummeled to the floor on every play. In fact, if anything, they dealt more of the punishment than they took. Sure, the NBA had problems with fighting in the 70s but they'd already gone a long way toward cleaning that up by the 1979-80 season. Not only that, the Lakers defeated both the Pacers and the Pistons but the show has them getting blown out. I guess I don't really get why the show's providers felt it necessary to change the history to the point of rewriting the outcomes of the games themselves.

The show styles itself as a sort of historical drama, a documentary that fudges the truth here and there. In reality, it deviates wildly and this leads me to wonder how much of any of this is representative of what actually happened. I started watching the show because I love basketball, I love John C. Reilly and Adrian Brody, and I was interested in learning more about the Lakers rise to dominance in the 80s. I guess I'll have to look elsewhere if I want to actually learn anything about what really happened.

For any basketball fan, this is FUN

[abehkrieger · 8/10 · 21 March 2022]

I don't know if every detail is correct and I don't care. This show is FUN. The depiction of jerry west is hysterical; I wouldn't be surprised if jerry has already sued the show. I never rooted for the Lakers though I always admired their style. This series takes you back to a time when sports was about competition and fun and not about slogans on the court.

So far - it's Engaging!

[Maxax777 · 9/10 · 13 March 2022]

Okay - slight update to my original review - I have finally watched all of it! Both Seasons - and I loved it all! I was personally hoping for a Season 3 - it was a GREAT SERIES!! Only one episode in - but it's engaging!!! They could probably clean it up just a bit - I don't really need a lot of raunch in my basketball - there's a lot more to the story than just sex. There are a lot of elements to explore here - But it's not bad so far!!

Now that I've finished the entire series let me say this - IT WAS GOOD!!! I enjoyed it tons!!! And sure, some of the players, coaches, and staff felt like they weren't portrayed 100% accurately - and they weren't consulted during the making of the show! BUT - I don't think anyone was really represented badly - and it's a show - it was good - I really enjoyed it!!!

Great shows get cancelled.

[gsmsalg · 10/10 · 22 October 2023]

Now I freakin loved this show, the atmosphere, mood, music, actors, directors, writers all a total slam dunk. But yet again, HBO pulls the plug. Haven't seen a piece like this since Vinyl. And yeah, HBO put that out of rotation too.

Apparently it's due to lack of viewers and poor marketing. So what does it take to get a great and solid show to run several seasons? Atleast let the cast and writers complete the third season.

But then again, I guess we live in a world now, where there's 19 different reality shows about Kim Kardashian's tail. Or about two overweight sisters competing about who can eat their way into an oversized coffin first.

What can ya say?

Pull the plug!

Just came back after the finale and my 9 stands

[hwseayy · 9/10 · 18 September 2023]

As someone indifferent to sports this was amazing. If you're into visuals and action camera work this is the best. The whole thing looks, sounds and feels so analog but still keeps that depth of modern movies. The story telling is unpredictable and constantly engaging for many reasons. The actors really did their own thing and gave life to the character in so many ways. John C Reilly is a beast who is so entertaining in so many levels and original in so many ways. Sports legends are humanized and shown in such genuine ways. Just top notch HBO, almost like we're back in the The Wire days. Hope the quality keeps coming for ever!

Brilliant pilot

[karan-gupta985 · 10/10 · 8 March 2022]

The first episode is great. Great acting, screenplay and direction. Some series based on sports get boring but this is being told in a fun dramatic way. Hope all the other episodes live up to the pilot.

As a Laker fan...

[asterblasterth · 10/10 · 7 March 2022]

...I had to check this out of course. I must say I am not disappointed for now. I like the way they shot it and breaking down the 4th wall is a nice touch too. It also makes you feel you're back in the '80's. The casting is great not only for their talent but also for their appearance. The resemblance with Magic, Kareem, Dr Buss and Jerry West is definitely there. As a life long Laker fan the story is very recognizable with some dramatization of course.

I think it's an interesting show whether you're a Laker fan or not.

Triple double trouble

[lucifer_over_tinseltown · 7/10 · 12 April 2022]

A flashy mashup of Boogie Nights and the Red Hot Chili Peppers' song "Magic Johnson." Contains no real life Lakers, but with the way they've been playing lately this is surely a big time plus. A cornball cornucopia of combovers, silicone, and illegal fun under the Cali sun. Glamour Professionals, for sure. Trippy camera work with more tricks than Sunset Strip. Snappy scripts with whiplash one-liners abound, as does some damn fine acting by both familiar faces and newcomers alike. It's awesome to see the late, great Jack McKinney, one of the NBA's most beautiful minds, finally get some degree of ennoblement. Most folks don't even remember him, though without him the fast break, showtime offense and Lakers Dynasty simply would never have existed. Watch this and pine for the halcyon days when basketball was a fun team sport and not an ungodly blob of bloated egos sliming up otherwise good wood.

Winning Time: The Rise of Your New Favourite Series

[typicaltomcoolio · 8/10 · 5 April 2022]

As an avid cinephile and hoop head, I understand how my opinions on 'Winning Time' may seem biased. That being said, I think it provides a unique lens for us to watch this roller coaster of a series through.

From a basketball standpoint, the series is fantastic so far. In-game sequences and practice scenes can easily look bad on screen sometimes. Can't have a basketball show without good basketball- that's like having a vampire movie without blood (Morbius); seeing them execute game-play this well is a major green flag. The depictions of iconic figures like the Jerry's, the Buss's, Pat Riley, Magic and so many others, is so fantastically well done, hilariously accurate, and full of dramatic surprises. My basketball history is well above average I'd say, and even I am shocked at some of the cliffhangers and learning new integral parts of the showtime Lakers story. They don't shy away from the explicit dirty details which for me is a joy to see, like the utterly ridiculous nature of the logo himself. And Adrian Brodie as Pat Riley, wow. Hell yeah I'm into that.

Side note; there are dozens of satisfying cameos depicting countless pop culture legends throughout the series.

From a film making standpoint, my goodness, this show is freaking spectacular. Adam McKay is killing it, Jonah Hill directs a fantastic second episode, and Max Borenstein is truly bringing it with this story. Each episode is so incredibly well paced, with some pretty shocking cliffhangers to boot. Also, do yourselves a favour, and don't go researching for yourself until after you watch; filling in the grey areas and gaps in this teams history from watching has been a helluvah good time. Winning Time features a world of near-perfect casting choices. I was pretty sold on everyone (except Kareem) from the jump. I mean, Hughes is good, but I just watched the Kareem documentary a week before I'd seen the trailer for this and thought to myself, "damn wouldn't it be great to have a dramatization of this, but make it 70s. Dirty, grainy, blaxploitation"- and wouldn't yuh know it, the showtime lakers are getting the treatment. I appreciate the creators for taking the time to flesh out these incredible figures, and really letting us live in them; I didn't expect that at first, but I was thrilled to see everyone get their backstories, especially Kareems. I've been hearing some awesome playlists in most of the shows I've been watching lately, and Winning Time is no exception. From the title track, to Kareems extensive Jazz collection, Britell & Glasper are also nailing it.

In summation, so far so good. It's sexy, it's exciting, it's everything I've been wanting from a series. A blaxploitation inspired sports drama with a lot of laughs, stellar performances, and wonderful storytelling. I've been enjoying a ton of great tv lately, and Winning Time is right up there with the best of them. If you like good filmmaking, you'll enjoy this. If you like basketball, you'll have fun. If you happen to love both, this will probably be your new favourite show.

Over The Top Unnecessary

[andrewmonedero · 6/10 · 29 March 2022]

There are too many scenes in this show that will go off on a quick cut of Magic having sex with a girl. Even with Dr. Bud they threw in an uncomfortable scene to start the episode. I'd understand if it worked well into the episode and story, but the sexual content is one thing that brings the show down for me. If it's done well and mended into the story, great! It seems like a throw in your face just because it's Hollywood with a team we all knew was a money-maker.

Winning time is inaccurate and has dumb writing.

[james-68480 · 5/10 · 20 April 2022]

It's been a decline for the show, the writing is bad and dumb, also it's very inaccurate, all in all it's just a bad show, and I'm gonna stop watching.

The show about SHOWTIME era of the legendary Lakers is ELECTRIC!

[alicanmutlu · 9/10 · 5 October 2022]

I just want to say that this show entertains. It's heavily influenced by Adam Mckay's work as he ls the executive producer in this movie. I would say I'm not politically alligned with Mckay in many ways but I really really appreciate his work. My favorite signature move of Mckay is the way he tell the story through characters, who constantly break the 4th wall, and this show has this feature all over it. Acting is really really good. I specifically love the portrayal of Jerry West because of the malicious reactions it got from real life Jerry West.

Real life Kareem Abdul Jabbar wrote an open letter to the public on basically how their portrayals are super over the top and the work is a disrespect to the people who are still alive today. Think about this, Lakers organization were so freaked about the coming of this show that they produced their own documentary on Appletv with Magic Johnson who is a part owner of the team.

If Lakers are reading this I just want to tell them that this show is making them so much more popular for people who did not see those years but heard about them. This show is not derailing their legacy, its only making them more popular and better known. Hall of famers such as Jerry West, Pat Riley, Kareem and Dr. Buss are all portrayed in an entertaining way in which audience can relate wlth them, but also be enterained by them. Its a good balance.

I don't even like sports...

[chrisw578 · 9/10 · 20 March 2022]

But this show is sooo GOOD!

I've been a fan of John C Reilly since the "Shake n Bake" days and he never fails to deliver some laughs. Jason Clarke does the same as the "angry coach"! Not usually a fan of the vintage effects, but I actually think it adds even more to the quality of this show. Too bad there won't be more than 10 episodes!