Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty made quite the impression when it premiered in 2022. The first season of HBO’s sports dramedy received mostly positive reviews (though it did garner mixed reactions from the people being portrayed). While Season 1 chronicled the NBA franchise’s first championship amid the “Showtime” era centers on the aftermath. Like the athletes they’re tackling, the writers and EPs Max Borenstein and Rodney Barnes had to step up their game for these new episodes. And interestingly enough, they believe this season runs parallel with a certain Star Wars movie.
I had the opportunity to speak with the two creatives as well as the rest of the cast and crew weeks ago, ahead of the SAG-Aftra Actors strike. Knowing that Rodney Barnes and Max Borenstein are both movie and TV fans, I couldn’t help but ask if they’d looked to any specific resources for guidance as they plotted out Winning Time Season 2. Borenstein quickly made note of an iconic film – The Empire Strikes Back (which we ranked as the best Star Wars movie). Though he clarified that they didn’t actually try to “knock off” the beloved sequel, the season does have shades of it narrative-wise:
This is our Empire Strikes Back season. It's not that we looked at Star Wars, and said, ‘We're gonna knock off Star Wars.’ That’s totally obvious. But structurally, story-wise, the first season of the show, they have a Cinderella year. You know, the team comes together. Everything about it is dramatically insane. It's too crazy to believe that all of that stuff happened and they still managed to win a championship. And then they won, and then we knew that we didn't want to tell the story just about a Cinderella year. It's not a movie, it's a television show. It's about the business of basketball, the family of basketball, the challenges on and off the floor. And so this is the season where the empire strikes back, and they finally come face to face with the rivals. And you know, it doesn't necessarily go as easily and as hopefully as the first year. But that's the reason why they're great is because you know, sometimes you get knocked down, you have to go through that challenge. So this is a season that’s more dramatic, the stakes are a lot higher. And the personal stuff is a lot more messy and complicated.
This really does track, given what’s known not just about the show but about the history of the Los Angeles Lakers. The Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar-led squad sprinted to an NBA title during their first season from 1979 to 1980. But the next year, things weren’t so easy right away. Similarly, 1977’s Star Wars saw Luke Skywalker and his allies coming together in a major way, and the film ended with the Rebel Alliance scoring a victory against the Galactic Empire. But in the 1980 follow-up, things go from bad to worse for the young Jedi and his friends. If we apply that same logic to the HBO dramedy, then things don't bode well for Magic, Kareem or their teammates and coach.
As I continued my virtual conversation with the two creatives on behalf of CinemaBlend, Rodney Barnes opined that the second season can be compared to another movie. This one may not be as well known as the ‘80s sci-fi blockbuster, but it’s definitely appropriate. Fans of high school movies are sure to appreciate the flick that Barnes name-dropped:
Yeah, I would say Cooley High. And the reason that I say that is because you get that feeling of, you know, there's fun. There's a lot of play, but there's seriousness that's underneath. And it is a very specific era that, you know, this game is played in. And you know, for the aspect of the epic, yes, I agree with Max 100% of The Empire Strikes Back. But it's so many different things, and it moves at such a sleek pace, that, you know, to me, that's the direction I’d go in.
You have to appreciate someone who enjoys a classic like Michael Schutlz’s 1975 high school romp, Cooley High. For that matter, it’s hard not to love the fact that Rodney Barnes and Max Borenstein have no problem putting their characters in some challenging situations. Because let’s be honest, there’d be no true drama otherwise. Winning Time Season 2 is primed to give viewers those same sweet moments, but there are sure to be “tough” scenes not unlike what fans saw in Season 1. After hearing these comments, fans are sure to be both excited and nervous about what’s to come.
Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty returns to HBO on Sunday, August 6 as part of the 2023 TV schedule. Episodes will subsequently be available to stream with a Max subscription, and those with that membership can check out Season 1 episodes now.
