Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty was a phenomenon during its first season. The HBO series which details the rise of the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1980s, drew critical praise for its ensemble cast and fast pace, and criticism from the real life people who inspired the story. In both instances, the attention led to strong ratings and multiple award nominations.
The magic seems to have dimmed in season 2. Despite maintaining solid reviews, Winning Time has plummeted in terms of ratings. Deadline reports that the show’s viewership has dropped 30 percent from season 1, with only 629,000 viewers tuning in for the season 2 premiere. It’s not a cause for panic by any means, but it is unexpected given the general uptick of season premieres for popular HBO shows.
The White Lotus, for example, drew 944,000 viewers during its season 1 premiere, then jumped up to 1.5 million for the season 2 premiere, as the show had amassed a dedicated following. That’s an impressive 63 percent increase, according to Variety. The same goes for Succession, which managed a 10 percent increase between its season 3 and 4 premieres. So what’s the problem with Winning Time?
Well, the aforementioned criticisms might have caught up with the show. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, a centerpiece of the Lakers team during the 1980s, published a blog post tearing down the first season of Winning Time for its blatant inaccuracies. “The characters are crude stick-figure representations that resemble real people the way Lego Hans Solo [sic] resembles Harrison Ford,” he wrote. “Each character is reduced to a single bold trait as if the writers were afraid anything more complex would tax the viewers’ comprehension.” Abdul-Jabbar is played by Solomon Hughes in Winning Time.
Jerry West, the former Lakers GM, was similarly annoyed. West’s attorney issued a statement to Winning Time producers Adam McKay and Kevin Messick criticizing his characterization on the show. “[It] falsely and cruelly portrays Mr. West as an out-of-control, intoxicated rage-aholic,” the letter states. “The Jerry West in Winning Time bears no resemblance to the real man.” West is played by Jason Clarke.
Another possible cause for the declined ratings is the narrative shift away from season 1 star John C. Reilly. The Oscar nominee was, for many, the glue that held the show together, so the fact that he’s relegated to supporting status in season 2 (so far) may have turned some fans away. Rolling Stone criticized the show’s return for this exact reason.
To be fair, we’re still early in the game. There’s several more episodes left in season 2, and the ratings rose steadily throughout season 1, so it’s possible the same could happen here. Max Borenstein, the showrunner, is confident that the material in season 2 is far more interesting than its predecessor.
“You’ve got Magic, who becomes a father for the first time. Kareem welcomes a new son and is seeking to do it differently, be a bit more present,” he told GQ. “Jerry Buss, obviously, he has this family and he’s trying to kind of be a father that he never had. And he’s bringing his son to the equation, who we get to explore more deeply this year.” Only time will tell if fans connect with Borenstein’s pitch.