New HBO Show - Winning Time

[IthacaMatt]

Did any of you see the premier episode of "Winning Time - the Story of the Rise of the Lakers", starring John C. Reilly as Dr. Jerry Buss. I saw the first episode the other night and absolutely loved it. It helps to have lived through all of this stuff, but it is so funny, and so on point. Highly recommended.

Here's a link to the trailer:

 

[djcon57]

Did any of you see the premier episode of "Winning Time - the Story of the Rise of the Lakers", starring John C. Reilly as Dr. Jerry Buss. I saw the first episode the other night and absolutely loved it. It helps to have lived through all of this stuff, but it is so funny, and so on point. Highly recommended.

Here's a link to the trailer:

I liked it.

but having met Frank Mariani a couple times, he’s not the Newman like character they made him. Makes me question some of the authenticity.

 

[Guinness]

Adrian Brody as Pat Riley? Come on man!

 

[IthacaMatt]

Adrian Brody as Pat Riley? Come on man!

Trust me, you will enjoy the hell out of this. Sharp funny writing so far, admittedly after only 1 episode.

 

[Symphony Steve]

I'm hooked. Just watched the first episode. While some of the performances are dead-on accurate, some of the others are hilarious, although not so apparently accurate. Some people are PO'd at the Jerry West treatment. Not me. Says it right up front--fictionalized. Oh, and Jack Kent Cooke was always a bleephole. No inaccuracy there.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I'm hooked. Just watched the first episode. While some of the performances are dead-on accurate, some of the others are hilarious, although not so apparently accurate. Some people are PO'd at the Jerry West treatment. Not me. Says it right up front--fictionalized. Oh, and Jack Kent Cooke was always a bleephole. No inaccuracy there.

Thank you! Looking forward to having someone to bust balls with, for those of a certain age.

 

[Symphony Steve]

Thank you! Looking forward to having someone to bust balls with, for those of a certain age.

BTW, the guy playing Norm Nixon? It's Norm Nixon's son. I thought he was great.

 

[chugg21]

I generally watch anything that HBO chooses to put in those premium Sunday night slots. That it's about basketball and done by Adam McKay, it was an automatic watch.

Takes something special to get me to actually wait and watch something as soon as it's available and the pilot didn't get me there yet to be waiting on Sunday night at 9 to click play but it's got a chance to get there after another good episode.

Gemstones was the only thing of late that got that treatment. Severance would be there too but comes out on Fridays so that's a bit more difficult.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

I generally watch anything that HBO chooses to put in those premium Sunday night slots. That it's about basketball and done by Adam McKay, it was an automatic watch.

Takes something special to get me to actually wait and watch something as soon as it's available and the pilot didn't get me there yet to be waiting on Sunday night at 9 to click play but it's got a chance to get there after another good episode.

Gemstones was the only thing of late that got that treatment. Severance would be there too but comes out on Fridays so that's a bit more difficult.

tend to agree, I thought it was a bit over the top to say the least but I will keep watching. I am not that selective

 

[sutomcat]

Did any of you see the premier episode of "Winning Time - the Story of the Rise of the Lakers", starring John C. Reilly as Dr. Jerry Buss. I saw the first episode the other night and absolutely loved it. It helps to have lived through all of this stuff, but it is so funny, and so on point. Highly recommended.

Here's a link to the trailer:

I liked it.

The guy playing West doesn't look anything like him and I have a hard time believing he acted like he is depicted.

The guy who plays Jack Kent Cooke is Michael O'Keefe. Yes, the same actor who played Danny Noonan in CaddyShack in 1980. He was well cast and does a surprisingly good job at that legendary figure.

The kid playing Magic is good, has a similar grin and personality.

But my favorite actor in the series by far is John C Reilly as Jerry Buss. Haven't seen him in a serious role much. He is fun to watch playing Jerry.

Without doing any research, wow, it seems to treat the Buss family with great affection. Probably a bit too much.

But it clearly is not meant as a bio type story. There is a lot of humor and silliness and more than anything, it seems to be a tribute to the era.

If you grew up then, you will like it.

 

[nickp91]

Casting John C Reilly as Dr Jerry Buss is spot on Can’t wait for the next episode!

 

[IthacaMatt]

Adrian Brody as Pat Riley? Come on man!

Adrian Brody will be a commanding presence. I'll bet he pulls it off.

As for tomcat's reference to Jerry West, Buss taking Magic was blowing up his team, and who the hell was this clown with the comb-over anyway? He doesn't understand what it takes to win!!

So, yes, that part I can kind of believe. But obviously West became GM under Buss and served them all for a very long time, so I'm sure they all worked it out, as the series will eventually attest.

Success has a habit of making everybody a bit more happy, and a bit more tolerant of stuff that could otherwise rub them the wrong way.

And yeah, the vibe is like "of the era" right down to the graphics, the cars, the outfits. It is all so "on point!" Love it! Off to a great start! It's all going to come down to the writing eventually, and whether we truly grow to like some of these characters. Putting the Kareem from Airplane bit into the first episode was epic.

 

[SWC75]

Take with a lump of salt:

HBO series 'Winning Time' ruffling feathers over portrayal of Jerry West

"Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty" is a 10-part series that debuted on Sunday to an audience of about 900,000 viewers.

theathletic.com

‘A total mischaracterization’: Portrayal of Jerry West in HBO’s ‘Winning Time’ sparks criticism

Longtime Lakers trainer Gary Vitti spent two days last year as an actor and consultant on the set of "Winning Time." That was enough.

theathletic.com