HBO’s sports drama “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” made waves with its controversial portrayals of NBA legends and irreverent, fourth-wall-breaking tone as it told the story of the Los Angeles Lakers as Jerry Buss (John C. Reilly) bought the team and Magic Johnson (Quincy Isaiah) joined the team at the start of the 1979-1980 season.
Variety says that HBO renewed “Winning Time” for a second season in April 2022, when only the first five episodes of the first season had been shown. The Lakers beat the Philadelphia 76ers, led by Julius Erving, in six games to win the championship. Buss, Johnson, Paul Westhead (Jason Segel), Jerry West (Jason Clarke), and Pat Riley (Adrien Brody) do the impossible and start a dynasty that will take the NBA to new heights in the 1980s.
Rotten Tomatoes scores for “Winning Time” are in the high 80s, which means that both audiences and critics liked it. However, real-life Lakers legends Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Jerry West were very upset by the show’s many creative liberties.
As the second season of “Winning Time” begins, the show’s creators, Max Borenstein, Jim Hecht, and executive producer Adam McKay, have a lot to work with in the NBA of the 1980s, as well as good storylines from the first season to build on. So, here is what we know so far about Season 2 of “Winning Time.”
What Happens in Winning Time Season 2?
“Winning Time” is based on real events, which author Jeff Pearlman wrote about in his nonfiction book “Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s.” According to co-creator Max Borenstein, Season 2 of “Winning Time” will likely pick up soon after the 1979-1980 season, which Season 1 covered, and show the same amount of time. “This next season will go at about the same pace as this first season,” Borenstein told Deadline.
“It will tell the next part of the story.” Which involves Paul Westhead and Pat Riley, a struggle Magic has the next year, and Jerry West’s next step toward becoming the general manager. “Winning Time Season 2” will also go deeper into the personal lives of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson, whose 1991 HIV diagnosis was used as a frame in the first episode, which was told in flashback and built up to that moment.
Borenstein told IndieWire that in future seasons, he wants to learn more about Larry Bird, a legendary player for the Boston Celtics who was a rival of Magic Johnson (Sean Patrick Small). “We hope to get to the point where we can look at how they became friends and see things from Larry’s point of view,” Borenstein said.
Who Stars in Season 2 of Winning Time?
John C. Reilly has a contract to play Jerry Buss, the flashy owner of the Los Angeles Lakers, for another season. He is part of a large group of actors who play real people from the world of the Lakers during the 1979-1980 NBA season (according to Vulture). To figure out which actors will be in Season 2 of “Winning Time,” it helps to look back at the first season.
If the story picks up soon after the Lakers won the NBA title in 1980, it’s likely that Quincy Isaiah, Solomon Hughes, Adrien Brody, and Jason Clarke will all be back, since their characters, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Pat Riley, and Jerry West, stayed with the L.A. team. Most likely won’t be back: Sally Field played Jesse Buss, Wood Harris played Spencer Haywood, and Tracy Letts played Coach Jack McKinney. In Season 1, Buss died, Haywood got violent with his teammates (and moved on in real life), and McKinney lost his job.
Where Can I Catch Winning Time?
Adam McKay, who won an Oscar for writing and directing “Vice,” “Don’t Look Up,” and “Step Brothers,” signed a five-year deal with his new production company, Hyperobject Industries, to make TV shows for HBO and its streaming service, HBO Max.
According to Deadline, the first show under that agreement to get an order to series was a one-hour drama based on Jeff Pearlman’s nonfiction book “Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s.” The show was made under the name “The Untitled Lakers Project,” probably because HBO didn’t want a high-profile show that could be a big hit to have the same name as its biggest rival in pay-cable TV.
The historical basketball series eventually got the name “Winning Time.” It was a hit, with more people watching both when it was on TV and later on streaming services. According to Variety, 73 percent more people watched the Season 1 finale than the Season 1 premiere. That made it easy to renew “Winning Time” for a second season in the middle of the first. You can watch all of the episodes, past, and future, on HBO Max.
Who is the Showrunner for Season 2 of Winning Time?
Max Borenstein wrote the screenplays for the monster movies “Godzilla,” “Kong: Skull Island,” and “Godzilla vs. Kong,” and he also created the AMC horror series “The Terror.” Then, he completely changed genres and made “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty,” a comedy-drama based on the history of basketball, and the book “Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Variety says that HBO renewed “Winning Time” for a second season in 2022 and then, a few months later, added three more years to Borenstein’s contract to write and produce TV shows.
That will keep Borenstein busy for at least the next two seasons of “Winning Time.” Borenstein was an executive producer and the showrunner for Season 1 of the series he created and adapted. He was in charge of the day-to-day operations and the creative direction of the show. When “Winning Time” Season 2 starts filming, he will keep acting in these roles.
Final Words
HBO’s “Winning Time” has been renewed for a second season. It will likely pick up soon after the 1979-1980 season, which Season 1 covered. The second season will also go deeper into the personal lives of stars like Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. John C. Reilly will likely return for Season 2 of “Winning Time”. The actor plays Jerry Buss, the flashy owner of the L.A.
Lakers. Adam McKay has signed a deal with HBO to make TV shows for the network’s streaming service. HBO has renewed “Winning Time” for a second season. Max Borenstein is the showrunner for Season 2. He was in charge of the day-to-day operations for Season 1. The series is based on the history of basketball and the book “Showtime”.
