Summary
- The cancellation of Winning Time was partly due to a storyline involving Magic Johnson’s relationship with his former girlfriend Cookie, which often detracted from the compelling drama and slowed down the pace of the show.
- The phone conversations between Magic and Cookie, meant to provide exposition, ended up being drawn-out and momentum-busting, taking away time from the primary stories and leaving fans wanting more tension between teammates and management decisions.
- The show’s focus on one relationship outside of the team construct detracted from its main purpose of telling the story of the rise and fall of the Lakers dynasty, ultimately leaving the impression that too much time was spent with characters on the phone rather than on the basketball court.
At the end of Winning Time season 2, HBO Max made the announcement that it would be canceled, and one storyline can be singled out for dooming the show. The full-titled Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty was adapted from a book by Jeff Pearlman entitled Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s and intended to tell the story of the Los Angeles Lakers from when Magic Johnson was drafted in 1979 until his announcement that he contracted HIV in 1991. However, Winning Time was canceled, and its run has come to an end after two seasons.
A hallmark of the show was great acting performances from John C. Reilly, Adrien Brody, Jason Segel, and breakout stars Quincy Isaiah and Solomon Hughes. One of the more entertaining parts of the show was the multiple storylines that followed Lakers’ players, management, opponents, and families behind the scenes to show how the successes and failures of the Lakers impacted them. One particular storyline, however, always brought the propulsive and dramatic story to a halt when it would be featured and should be considered one of the reasons why Winning Time was canceled.
Magic and Cookie’s Relationship Slowed Down the Momentum of the Show
Throughout Winning Time season 2 and up to its finale, large portions of the show were dedicated to phone conversations Magic Johnson would have with a former girlfriend from Michigan, Earletha “Cookie” Kelly. Over his time in college and his rookie season in the NBA, Season 1 showed that Magic Johnson was unfaithful to her many times, and Cookie ended their relationship so she could lead a more normal life in Michigan while Magic lived in Los Angeles. Dealing with the pressure and emotional journey of being a famous athlete, Magic would frequently call Cookie to talk about what was on his mind and also try to convince her to reconcile their relationship.
Winning Time thrived when it was jumping back and forth between the heightened drama of the on-court basketball, the rivalry with the hated Boston Celtics, and the behind-the-scenes tension between owner Jerry Buss (John C. Reilly), new coach Pat Riley (Adrien Brody), and general manager Jerry West (Jason Clarke). With this many strong storylines propelling the stakes of the team and the main players, anytime the audience saw a scene with Magic and Cookie it took away from the compelling drama and slowed down the pace and stakes of the show.
Phone Conversations Provided Exposition But Took Time Away From Primary Stories
Season 1 of Winning Time was 10 episodes and focused on just one season; Magic Johnson’s 1979-1980 rookie season and first championship. Season 2, however, was only seven episodes and managed to cover four seasons. This fast-paced trajectory of the latest season caused it to have to fly through details on occasion, and the phone calls between Magic and Cookie were meant to provide exposition about what was happening in the gaps, how Magic felt, and what his intentions were. What was meant to be a storytelling device to give the audience clues about what they were missing in the fast-paced second season ended up devolving into momentum-busting, drawn-out conversations.
In its simplest form, Winning Time was supposed to be a story about the rise and fall of one of the 20th century’s great dynasties, but too much time was spent focusing on one relationship that existed outside the team construct. Fans of the show wanted to see more tension between teammates, the management decisions, and the rivalry between Los Angeles and Boston, but a different story became over-sized. Right now, it seems unlikely another network will pick up Winning Time for a Season 3, so a lasting impression of the show will be that too much time was spent with characters on the phone instead of the basketball court.
