This is a really fun show that explores the rise of the NBA as we know it today. Basketball is one of very few sports I do not follow at all, yet I was completely absorbed in the story. Sure, the storylines are exaggerated to make it more palatable for the audience (especially the rivalry between Magic and Larry Bird), but it seemingly gets many things correct all while making it entertaining. Magic and the actor that plays him are extremely charismatic and easy to love, creating a great main character that the audience can get behind despite his flaws. The same goes for John C. Rielly, mostly known for his big comedy roles, who crushes this more serious role, yet still brings a layer of comedy. Stylistically, this is one of the more unique pieces of media I’ve seen, on par with the unique directing style I’ve seen from Guy Ritchie in his movie and TV show of the same name: The Gentlemen. Winning Time has so much fun with their cinematography, with its grainy filter to make it seem like it’s from the 80s, text and art popping up on screen, time stopping for characters to speak to the audience directly. While I genuinely loved all of it, it constantly changes styles, never committing to one identity which is a bit upsetting. The first season is most definitely the better of the two, as it follows the story of Magic’s rookie season, and the Laker’s dramatic, rocky ride to a championship win. It is well paced, and provides a satisfying conclusion. As for the second season, the same cannot be said. If you try to search it up, all sources of news claim it was cancelled after the second season, but considering how the second season was produced, this can’t be the case. The showrunners had to have been given the funds only for 2 seasons, or at most told after the first season they’d only have one more. The second season feels like a rushed, hodge-podge of multiple Laker’s seasons squished into one. With the show building up this mostly fabricated rivalry between Magic and Larry Bird, they had to rush through multiple seasons until the two stars had met each other in the finals. The season would have been much better served with a time skip to the story they wanted to tell instead of a rushed mess, but I suppose there was not enough content in those seasons to make a story from it. Overall, Winning Time falls into the same trap that many others have, as it has a great first season, followed by a sub par sequel season that leaves a bad taste in everyone’s mouth. The fact that the show is so fun with itself is its saving grace.