Folks Weren’t Happy HBO Cancelled The Lakers Drama ‘Winning Time’ After 2 Seasons
HBO has canceled #WinningTime after two seasons. Tonight’s season finale was the very last episode of this series. We needed one more season. Quincy Isaiah was great as Magic Johnson and Sean Patrick Small was phenomenal as Larry Bird. John C Reilly was perfect as Jerry Buss. pic.twitter.com/MPxu5NGOeh
— Ron Carthen (@rcarthen) September 18, 2023
Talk about a technical foul!
HBO has announced that they have canceled Winning Time: The Rise of The Lakers Dynasty after two seasons, shortly after the season 2 finale (a.k.a the series finale) aired Sunday night. And, needless to say, folks are NOT happy about it.
***This article contains MAJOR SPOILERS!***
As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, co-creator Max Borenstein shared on X (formerly Twitter) that it was “Not the ending that we had in mind. But nothing but gratitude and love.”
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Not the ending that we had in mind.
But nothing but gratitude and love. #winningtime
— Max Borenstein (@MAXBORENSTEIN) September 18, 2023
Executive producer Salli Richardson-Whitfield (who also directed a few episodes, including the finale) echoed that sentiment on Instagram:
Source: Variety / Getty
“When you give it everything you’ve got, you can have no regrets. I hope you enjoy the last episode of @winningtimehbo I am sure I will do many more hours of TV and hopefully many features in my future, but I can say that at this moment in time I am most proud of the work we did on this masterful show.”
Winning Time Ends With A LOSS?!
The series, which premiered in March 2022, focused on the rise of the “Showtime” Lakers of the 1980s. Season one focused on Dr. Jerry Buss’ first year as team owner and the rookie season of star player Magic Johnson. Season two takes place in the four-year period that followed.
Ironically, Winning Time ended with a big loss: game 7 of the 1984 NBA Finals, with the Lakers falling to Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics, 111-102.
Sure, there was a brief rundown of what happened after that in the end credits. Still, fans are pissed as to what we won’t see on TV. What about seeing Magic & the Lakers getting their get back in 1985? What about seeing the growing friendship between Magic & Bird? The Lakers’ rivalry with the Detroit Pistons? Team USA? Magic’s HIV diagnosis that forced him to retire (which was teased in the very first episode)? The show was beginning to scratch the surface of what made the Showtime Lakers the dynasty that it was, which makes its premature ending all the more heartbreaking.
It is what it is. #WinningTime pic.twitter.com/upyzNpwLYg
— Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty (@winningtimehbo) September 18, 2023
Clearly, the Lakers’ loss to Boston was the ending that NO ONE expected, and the tweets prove it.
CHECK OUT THE REACTIONS BELOW!
(NOTE: Reactions may contain explicit language.)
1.
This series deserves to land somewhere. Shameful decision, and these platforms don’t understand that all they’re doing is making people reluctant to invest in new series. https://t.co/EONlw7cAPX
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 18, 2023
2.
This show cost Will Ferrell and Adam McKay their friendship and it only lasted 2 seasons. Shame. pic.twitter.com/rGXLxGrwPK
— Kevín (@KevOnStage) September 18, 2023
3.
How Laker fans walking into HBO HQ after they canceled Winning Time in a Celtics Championship: pic.twitter.com/nX5GfmjXKc
— The Pettiest Laker Fan (@ThePettiestLA) September 18, 2023
4.
Legitimately sad #WinningTime is over
S/O to everybody who took the time to capture the key moments perfectly pic.twitter.com/VsJf5X0O6q
— Tony Clements (@TonyCMKE) September 18, 2023
5.
Clearly, the show runners knew they were gonna get axed and added this epitaph to the season 2 finale. I’m so fucking upset. #WinningTime pic.twitter.com/7S6XC3A0YF
— Lauren (@lorloLauren) September 18, 2023
6.
My reaction when HBO can’t get us a reason for canceling #WinningTime. pic.twitter.com/f5nA2AqjXj
— TeeRexy1199 (@TRexy1199) September 18, 2023
7.
Me at HBO headquarters after they cancelled Winning Time:#WinningTime pic.twitter.com/EYMEBuGEAH
— Rick E Langston (@radvstheworld) September 18, 2023
8.
HBO cancelling #WinningTime is absolute horse shit, should’ve had at least one more season covering the Showtime Lakers, then gone the anthology approach covering Jordan’s Bulls then Kobe and Shan’s Lakers all for a couple seasons. Missed opportunity https://t.co/eoLUXz051u
— Chalupa Batman (@hoppyb1) September 18, 2023
9.
It’s so fuckin’ ridiculous. #WinningTime is a series that had so much growth potential and these losers canceled it after they failed to promote it cause they’re going in another direction. A bunch of talentless hacks at the helm of HBOMax. https://t.co/xMxBAyH7zd
— SweetBtchesBrewFilm (@SBBFilm) September 18, 2023
10.
I can’t remember the last time a show THIS good got canceled. Netflix viewers are used to their B Minus-Ass shows suddenly vanishing but #WinningTime had an insane cast, kinetic direction, and the most stylish editing in the game.
I don’t even like sports and I LOVED this show.
— Brendan Weathers (@BrendanWeathers) September 18, 2023
11.
i need netflix to pick up #WinningTime and turn it into the basketball version of The Crown. let’s get more eras and more teams involved.
— daniel j (@8Fourteen) September 18, 2023
12.
Coming from someone who doesn’t like sports #WinningTime is one of best shows on HBO FUCK HBO for canning a fantastic show and series https://t.co/Di0ga4G5vk pic.twitter.com/ChsWSKixux
— TK (@HellblazerArts) September 18, 2023
13.
HBO is a joke.
They have lost total sight of what the brand is about.
Canceled one of the most entertaining shows since the pandemic. #WinningTime deserved better.
— Jacob Roach (@Roach_97) September 18, 2023
14.
Me seeing that HBO isn’t going to renew #WinningTime for season 3 pic.twitter.com/nZVgsLTfzh
— Lakers Royalty (@LakersRoyalty) September 18, 2023
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