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Running Point is a sports comedy series created by Elaine Ko, Mindy Kaling, Ike Barinholtz, and David Stassen. The Netflix series follows Isla Gordon, a former party girl who is suddenly appointed as the head of the family business, which is the pro basketball team Los Angeles Waves. She takes this opportunity to reform her image and put the flailing team back on the map. Running Point stars Kate Hudson, Drew Tarver, Scott McArthur, Brenda Song, Fabrizio Guido, Chet Hanks, and Tony Sandeman. So, if you loved the camaraderie, hilarious comedy, and compelling characters in Running Point, here are some similar shows you should check out next.

Ted Lasso (Apple TV+ & Prime Video Add-On) Credit – Apple TV+

Ted Lasso is a sports comedy-drama series created by Stephen Levinson. Based on the promotional media for NBC Sports’s coverage of England’s Premier League,...

Hollywood, Health & Society, a program of the USC Annenberg Norman Lear Center, unveiled its winners for this year’s Sentinel Awards on Wednesday, ahead of its celebratory ceremony on Oct. 24.

Hh&s has presented the Sentinel Awards for nearly 25 years, recognizing some of the best TV storylines that responsibly inform audiences on critical topics, including climate change, racism, abortion and addiction.

The ceremony, held at the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills, will be hosted by comedian and Saturday Night Live veteran Laraine Newman, with presenters including Sarayu Blue from Expats, Matt Shively and Selenis Leyva of Lopez vs Lopez and Yeardley Smith from The Simpsons.

“Television has the power to affect audiences’ perceptions and influence how they view and engage with the world. While entertainment is vital, it should never compromise accuracy, especially when addressing important topics — a hallmark of Norman Lear’s legacy. Thoughtful and responsible storytelling can educate,...

The 2024 Sentinel Awards has unveiled its winners ahead of next week’s ceremony, when awards will be handed out at the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills to honor TV series including Grey’s Anatomy, The Morning Show, Abbott Elementary and Hacks.

Presented by Hollywood, Health & Society at the USC Annenberg Norman Lear Center, the Sentinel Awards recognize writers for meaningful and accurate portrayals onscreen on such timely topics as abortion, systemic racism, climate change and mental health. Laraine Newman is set to host the upcoming October 24 ceremony.

Hh&s has presented the Sentinel Awards for nearly 25 years, aiming to recognize some of the past year’s best TV that “responsibly informs audiences on critical topics.”

“Television has the power to affect audiences’ perceptions and influence how they view and engage with the world. While entertainment is vital, it should never compromise accuracy, especially when addressing important topics — a hallmark of Norman Lear’s legacy,...

ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” is set to be honored next week with a Sentinel Award, which will recognize the series’ entire body of work over the past 20 seasons (and heading into Season 21) when it comes to promoting the culture of health. That’s one of eleven awards set to be given out on Thursday, October 24, as the USC Annenberg Norman Lear Center’s Hollywood, Health & Society program recognizes series that make a difference in informing viewers about important issues.

Other shows set to be honored include Apple TV+’s “The Morning Show,” for its discussion on abortion, NBC’s “Lopez vs. Lopez” for tackling addiction, Fox’s “The Simpsons” for looking at wealth disparity, Max’s “Hacks” for touching on the climate crisis, AMC’s “Dark Winds” for its story focus on racism in healthcare, ABC’s “Abbott Elementary” on taking on the dangers of smoking and vaping, and more.

“Abbott Elementary,” “The Morning Show,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Hacks” are among the 11 television shows that will be honored at the Sentinel Awards, which are determined by USC Annenberg Norman Lear Center’s Hollywood, Health & Society program.

“The Simpsons,” “Feud: Capote vs. the Swans,” “Expats,” “Lopez vs Lopez,” “Gen V,” “The Big Cigar” and “Dark Winds” have also been tapped to receive awards at the ceremony, which is set to take place Thursday, Oct. 24 at the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills, California.

Programs are recognized for creating television storylines that responsibly informs audiences on various critical topics and have made an impact.

“Grey’s Anatomy” will be feted for its overall depiction of healthcare over the course of its two-decade run. “The Morning Show” is being lauded for its portrayal of abortion in the Season 3 episode, “The Kármán Line,” while “Abbott Elementary” is being honored for its depiction of smoking and vaping in the Season 3 episode,...

The winners of the 2024 Sentinel Awards, organized by Hollywood, Health & Society (Hh&s), a program of the USC Annenberg Norman Lear Center, were just announced in advance of the ceremony that will take place on Thursday, October 24 at the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills, CA.

Made in order to recognize some of the past year’s best TV entertainment that responsibly informs audiences on critical topics, this year’s list of Sentinel Award winners include “The Morning Show,” “Abbott Elementary,” and “Hacks,” for the shows’ approach toward tackling important subjects like the abortion, smoking, and climate consciousness, respectively. Last year, the ceremony took place the evening after Norman Lear’s passing, giving the industry their first chance to mourn the TV giant, and cementing the event as a celebration of his life and impact as well.

Comedian, writer, “SNL” alum, and The Groundlings founding member Laraine Newman will...

Max is one of the best places to find peak drama shows because they have all the HBO shows, which are loved by millions and millions of people. From classic shows like The Sopranos to the wild dramas like Succession, you can find it all on the Warner Bros. streaming service Max. So, we list the ten best drama shows you can find on Max right now.

Oz Credit – HBO

Oz is a prison drama series created by Tom Fontana. The HBO series is set in a fictional men’s prison named Oswald State Correctional Facility in New York and it follows the story of inmates as they strategize and do everything they can to survive and gain power behind bars. Oz stars Christopher Meloni, Dean Winters, Harold Perrineau, Lee Tergesen, Terry Kinney, Kirk Acevedo, Eamonn Walker, J.K. Simmons, Rita Moreno, Luna Lauren Velez, and Ernie Hudson.

Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty...

The experience of watching live sports is thrilling enough but time and time again TV shows have proven that a scripted series about a fictional team giving their all to a game while standing side-by-side is also very entertaining. There have been countless great sports TV shows like Friday Night Lights and Ted Lasso that have brought us joy and the feeling of camaraderie that we all want. That’s why we thought of making a list of the 10 very best sports TV shows that you shouldn’t miss out on.

Friday Night Lights Credit – NBC

Friday Night Lights is a sports drama series created by Peter Berg. Inspired by a 1990 nonfiction book titled Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, and a Dream by author H.G. Bissinger, the NBC, and The 101 Network series is set in the fictional small Texas town of Dillon and it follows the story of...

The Big Cigar is a biographical drama thriller miniseries created by Jim Hecht. Based on the 2012 Playboy article of the same name by Joshua Bearman, the Apple TV+ series is set in the 1970s and it follows the story of Black Panther party founder Huey P. Newton as he tries to escape from the FBI to Cuba with the help of film and TV producer Bert Schneider.

If you love historical figures and their stories, The Big Cigar is for you as we get an in-depth look at the life of Huey P. Newton. So, if you love the Apple TV+ biographical series here are all the release dates for its upcoming episodes.

The Big Cigar – Episode Guide (When Will The New Episodes Come Out?) Credit – Apple TV+

The Big Cigar consists of six episodes in total. The biographical drama miniseries premiered on Apple TV+ with its first two episodes...

Andre Holland shines as Huey P. Newton in The Big Cigar, earning praise for his portrayal of the iconic Black Panther Party co-founder. The series opens to positive reviews with a 73% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, showcasing the deep dive into Newton's life and legacy. The Big Cigar sheds light on Newton's controversial past, including his exile to Cuba in 1974 and his eventual tragic murder in 1989.

Apple's new historical limited series The Big Cigar takes a deep dive into the life of Huey P. Newton, the co-founder of the Black Panther Party. Andr Holland leads The Big Cigar's cast as the main protagonist based on the real-life historical figure Huey P. Newton, who tried to flee the United States for Cuba in an elaborate plan that was code-named "The Big Cigar." Interestingly, Holland recently starred in the 2024 historical drama Shirley as Walter Fauntroy, which also featured an appearance by Huey P.

Plot: The incredible true story of Hollywood revolution meeting social revolution: it’s a wild caper of Black Panther founder Huey Newton escaping from the FBI to Cuba with the help of famed producer Bert Schneider in an impossibly elaborate plan – involving a fake movie production — that goes wrong every way it possibly can. And somehow, it’s all true. Mostly.

Review: The stories of revolutionary political figures and social reformers have been popular for big and small screen adaptations for decades. There seems to be more focus on the 1960s and 1970s than any other period in American history. The 2021 film Judas and the Black Messiah looked at controversial figure Fred Hampton, while this year’s Shirley chronicled Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm’s run for United States President. While these and the stories of Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X have made for acclaimed productions, the story of Black...

In the opening narration of The Big Cigar, actor André Holland, who portrays Black Panther Party co-founder Huey P. Newton in the Apple TV+ biographical drama, delivers a disclaimer about the events that will be portrayed onscreen: “The story I’m about to tell you is true, at least mostly true, at least how I remember it,” Holland says. “But it is coming through the lens of Hollywood, so let’s see how much of my story they’re really willing to show.”

The statement both echoes concerns Holland had about taking on the project and sets the tone for the element of humor that underlies the retelling of Newton’s first dealings with the Hollywood machine when bigtime producer Bert Schneider, in his zeal for social justice causes, nearly begs the revolutionary leader to help him spread his message of resistance. Biting off far more than he expected to chew,...

André Holland fights the power and impacts Hollywood’s framework in his role as real-life figure Huey P. Newton in Apple TV+’s “The Big Cigar,” which landed on the streamer on Friday and marks the 70th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education ruling.

The six-episode limited series is based on Joshuah Bearman’s (“Argo”) magazine article “The Big Cigar.” Per Apple TV+’s description of the show, it “tells the incredible true story of Hollywood revolution meeting social revolution. It’s a wild caper about Black Panther founder Huey P. Newton escaping from the FBI to Cuba with the assistance of famed producer Bert Schneider in an impossibly elaborate plan – involving a fake movie production – that goes wrong every way it possibly can.”

Here’s everything you need to know about how to watch.

When does “The Big Cigar” Premiere?

“The Big Cigar” premieres on Apple TV+ Friday,...

In “The Big Cigar,” contradictions weigh heavily on Huey P. Newton (played by the magnificent André Holland). He sees them everywhere. For instance, Huey notes that the NRA contradicted their general ideology by helping the GOP pass gun control laws in the 1960s, all because they were afraid of the group Newton co-founded: the Black Panthers. He’s also keenly aware of the contradiction inherent to a Black man being “set free” from a prison of bars and stone into the prison of the American way. “Contrary to propagated belief, I’m not living to die, but I am refusing to live without liberation,” Huey says during his opening voice-over narration.

He even acknowledges the contradiction inherent to “The Big Cigar” itself, saying, “The story I’m about to tell you is true. […] But it is coming through the lens of Hollywood, so let’s see how much of my...

Back in 1974, Black Panther Party founder Huey P. Newton (Andr Holland) found himself in a pretty dire situation. Accused of the murder of 17-year-old sex trafficking victim Kathleen Smith, he faced a difficult choice: either leave behind his family and the organization that he helped create in Oakland, California, and flee the country, or face yet another stint in prison, an experience that had already broken his spirit in the 60s, when he was arrested for the murder of a police officer and did time almost entirely in solitary confinement. After weighing both options and knowing full well that whether he was guilty or not was beside the point thanks to the FBI's interest in bringing down both him and the Party, Newton decided to take off to Cuba, where he sought asylum with a government that was much more sympathetic to his cause. Now, 50 years later, Apple TV+ brings...

The Big Cigar, a new limited series on Apple TV+ that debuts on May 17, dramatizes a wild true story from the New Hollywood period of the 1970s.

Huey P. Newton, the co-founder of The Black Panther Party, had befriended a group of countercultural figures ruling Tinseltown at the time.

Bert Schneider and Steve Blauner were part of the generation that brought the values of the 1960s counterculture to the movie business through films such as Easy Rider and Five Easy Pieces, as well as the work of The Monkees.

This also entailed bankrolling and supporting left-wing political causes, including the Black Panthers' work.

But that approach had its limits.

The series, which consists of six episodes lasting about 40 minutes each, was produced by Jim Hecht, an executive producer of Winning Time.

Don Cheadle is among the episode directors.

Revolution and cocaine

Early on in the Big Cigar, Schneider exclaims, “I want to finance the revolution!

Near the end of The Big Cigar, a six-episode limited series from Jim Hecht, Huey P. Newton sits down at a typewriter, musing over how to tell a story and how each one has multiple storytellers and thus different versions. He then references (via typically clunky voiceover narration) a classic moment from the John Ford Western The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, in which one character says “When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.”...

At one point in the new Apple TV+ miniseries The Big Cigar, Black Panther Party founder Huey P. Newton (André Holland) attends a party and recalls the time he and film producer Bert Schneider (Alessandro Nivola) tried to write a movie about his life, which would have starred comedian Richard Pryor (Inny Clemons). The key, Schneider explains: “If it’s gonna be a biopic, you have to choose a moment in Huey’s life that means something. Don’t just make it womb to tomb.”

Though The Big Cigar features...

Apple TV+ has revealed the trailer for ‘The Big Cigar,’ the upcoming limited series led by André Holland.

Based on the magazine article of the same name by Joshuah Bearman (“Argo”), who also serves as executive producer, The series tells the incredible true story of the Hollywood revolution meeting social revolution. It’s a wild caper about Black Panther founder Huey P. Newton escaping from the FBI to Cuba with the assistance of famed producer Bert Schneider in an impossibly elaborate plan – involving a fake movie production – that goes wrong every way it possibly can.

The upcoming six-episode drama which tells the incredible true story of Newton’s escape to Cuba is executive produced by NAACP Image Award winner Janine Sherman Barrois, Jim Hecht and Joshuah Bearman, with the first two episodes directed and executive produced by multi-award winner Don Cheadle.

The cast includes Alessandro Nivola, Tiffany Boone, Pj Byrne,...

Today, Apple TV+ revealed the trailer for “The Big Cigar,” the upcoming limited series led by André Holland, who stars alongside Alessandro Nivola, Tiffany Boone, P. J. Byrne, Marc Menchaca, Moses Ingram, Rebecca Dalton, Olli Haaskivi, Jordane Christie and Glynn Turman. “The Big Cigar” makes its global debut on May 17 with the first two episodes, followed by new episodes every Friday through June 14.

Based on the magazine article of the same name by Joshuah Bearman (“Argo”), who also serves as executive producer, “The Big Cigar” tells the incredible true story of Hollywood revolution meeting social revolution. It’s a wild caper about Black Panther founder Huey P. Newton escaping from the FBI to Cuba with the assistance of famed producer Bert Schneider in an impossibly elaborate plan — involving a fake movie production — that goes wrong every way it possibly can.

NAACP Image Award winner Janine Sherman Barrois is the showrunner of “The Big Cigar.

Apple TV+ has just unveiled the trailer for “The Big Cigar,” the six-part limited series about Black Panther party founder Huey P. Newton (André Holland). The show tells the remarkable true story of how Newton, a film producer, and a whole crew of people involved in a fake movie production helped the political activist while he tried to evade the FBI in 1974.

The trailer introduces Holland as Newton and his revolutionary accomplishments, along Alessandro Nivola as producer Bert Schneider. The cast includes Tiffany Boone, Pj Byrne, Marc Menchaca, Moses Ingram, Rebecca Dalton, Olli Haaskivi, Jordane Christie, and Glynn Turman (guest stars include Taylor Jackson as Candice Bergen and Inny Clemons as Richard Pryor). With upbeat ’70s music and the peppy fonts to go with it, the vibe is more upbeat than one would expect of a drama thriller — but as the premise underscores, there’s always more story to tell.

André Holland takes on the role of revolutionary Huey P. Newton in the trailer for Apple TV+’s The Big Cigar.

Far from a straight biopic about the founder of the Black Panther Party, the six-episode limited series based on Joshuah Bearman’s magazine article of the same name delivers the high-impact energy of a heist as it tells the story of how Newton escaped the FBI and fled to Cuba with the help of famed Hollywood producer Bert Schneider (played by Alessandro Nivola) in perhaps the most ambitiously staged and fake movie production of all time.

“You’re the hot-shot producer, man, produce this,” Newton tells Schneider as they begin to cook up an elaborate plan to help the political activist evade a murder charge, as police attempt to pin him for the death of a 17-year-old sex trafficking victim in 1974.

Tiffany Boone stars alongside Holland as Newton’s girlfriend Gwen Fontaine,...

Today, Apple TV+ revealed the trailer and key art for The Big Cigar, the upcoming limited series led by André Holland, who stars alongside Alessandro Nivola, Tiffany Boone, P. J. Byrne, Marc Menchaca, Moses Ingram, Rebecca Dalton, Olli Haaskivi, Jordane Christie, and Glynn Turman.

The first two episodes of The Big Cigar will make their global debut on May 17. They will be followed by new episodes every Friday through June 14.

Based on the magazine article by Joshuah Bearman (Argo), who also serves as executive producer, The Big Cigar tells the incredible true story of the Hollywood revolution and the social revolution.

It’s a wild caper about Black Panther founder Huey P. Newton escaping from the FBI to Cuba with the assistance of famed producer Bert Schneider in an impossibly elaborate plan — involving a fake movie production — that goes wrong every way it possibly can.

Award-winning actor, producer, and director...

Black Panther Party co-founder Huey P. Newton (played by Moonlight’s André Holland) is a wanted man in the upcoming caper The Big Cigar, premiering with the first two episodes Friday, May 17 on Apple TV+. New episodes will stream weekly through June 14.

A new trailer for the six-episode limited series previews Newton’s daring escape from the FBI, who viewed the thought leader as a threat and had been pursuing him for years.

More from TVLineNeuromancer: Callum Turner to Lead Apple's Series Adaptation of Sci-Fi ClassicJohn Travolta's Surprise Welcome Back, Kotter Reunion With Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs - WATCHRashida Jones...

Swagger is a sports drama in the Apple TV+ series created by Reggie Rock Bythewood. Loosely inspired by the real-life experiences of NBA player Kevin Durant, the Apple TV+ series explores the world of youth basketball through the players and their families and all the people involved in making the youngster’s dream come true. Swagger stars Solomon Irama, Tessa Ferrer, Quvenzhané Wallis, Shinelle Azoroh, O’Seah Jackson Jr., Caleel Harris, Tristan Wilds, Isaiah Hill, James Bingham, and Ozie Nzeribe. So, if you loved Swagger and all of its drama and a look into the world of sports here are some similar shows you should check out next.

All American (Netflix & Rent on Prime Video) Credit – The CW

Inspired by the real-life of pro football player Spencer Paysinger, All American is a sports drama that will show you the story behind the legend just like Swagger did. Created by April Blair,...

Apple TV+ has unveiled a first look at ‘The Big Cigar,’ the highly anticipated limited drama series that chronicles the story of Black Panther leader Huey P. Newton’s escape to Cuba, and is based on the monumental, eponymous magazine article of the same name.

Legendary, award-winning actor, producer and director Don Cheadle serves as director and executive producer on the first two episodes.

Based on the magazine article by Joshuah Bearman (“Argo”), who will also serve as executive producer, “The Big Cigar” is the incredible true story of the Hollywood revolution meeting social revolution: it’s a wild caper of Black Panther founder Huey Newton escaping from the FBI to Cuba with the assistance of famed producer Bert Schneider in an impossibly elaborate plan – involving a fake movie production — that goes wrong every way it possibly can. And somehow, it’s all true. Mostly.

Also in news – Arnold Schwarzenegger...

The USC Libraries announced the winners for the 36th annual USC Libraries Scripter Award, which honors the year’s best film and television adaptations, as well as the works on which they are based. This group of academics, industry professionals, and critics (for which I vote) is often predictive of the Adapted Screenplay Oscar race.

For the second year in a row, “Slow Horses” took home the prize for episodic series; Cord Jefferson won the 2024 award for film adaptation; both he and the author of the novel he adapted, Percival Everett, were in attendance. Jefferson thanked Everett for trusting him with his 2001 novel, which he felt was written just for him. “He has managed to mine my novel for the material he needed to make this film,” said Everett, who teaches at USC. “And then I sat back and did nothing. So good job. Thank you.”

“I wouldn’t be here without without him,...

The 36th annual USC Libraries Scripter Awards on Saturday named Cord Jefferson’s American Fiction its outstanding film adaptations, giving the Oscar-nominated script a boost leading into next weekend’s Academy Awards.

Apple TV+’s Slow Horses won in the episodic series category for a second year in a row during the ceremony tonight at the University of Southern California’s Edward L. Doheny Jr. Memorial Library.

The Scripters honor writers of the year’s most accomplished film and episodic TV series adaptations, as well as the writers of the works on which they are based.

American Fiction, written by Jefferson based on the novel Percival Everett’s novel Erasure, was joined on tonight’s finalist list by two other Oscar nominees, Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer and Tony McNamara’s Poor Things. Also nominated tonight were Ava DuVernay’s Origin and Martin Scorsese and Eric Roth’s Killers of the Flower Moon.

The writers behind the feature American Fiction and the TV adaptation Slow Horses took home the top honors at the USC Scripter Awards, which honors the best adapted projects of the year. Both the original authors as well as the screenwriters share the award.

In the film category, American Fiction (Cord Jefferson’s adaptation of Percival Everett’s novel Erasure) topped fellow nominees Killers of the Flower Moon (Eric Roth and Martin Scorsese’s adaptation of David Grann’s book Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI); Oppenheimer (Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin’s book American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer); Origin (Ava DuVernay’s adaptation of Isabel Wilkerson’s book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents); and Poor Things (Tony McNamara’s adaptation of Aliasdair Gray’s novel of the same name).

On the TV side,...

The finalists for the 36th USC Libraries Script Awards, honoring the most accomplished films and episodic series adaptations, have been announced. Among the selected are “American Fiction,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Oppenheimer” and “Poor Things,” all top-tier contenders for Oscar attention. Ava DuVernay’s drama “Origin” was a surprise entry in the lineup, making her the second Black woman recognized by the awards body (the first was Dee Rees for 2017’s “Mudbound”).

A strong bellwether for the Oscars’ best adapted screenplay category, previous Scripter winners that have matched the Academy in the last decade include “12 Years a Slave” (2013), “The Imitation Game” (2014), “The Big Short” (2015), “Moonlight” (2016), “Call Me by Your Name” (2017), “Nomadland” (2020) and “Women Talking” (2022). Spike Lee’s “BlacKkKlansman” (2019) is the only Scripter-eligible film to win the Academy Award without being nominated by the organization.

One of the notable omissions from the group is Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie,” but according to the awards team,...

The USC Libraries has revealed the finalists for the 36th annual USC Libraries Scripter Award, which honors the year’s best film and television adaptations, as well as the works on which they are based. This group of academics, industry professionals, and critics (for which I vote) is often predictive of the Adapted Screenplay Oscar race.

Last year, screenwriter Sarah Polley and novelist Miriam Toews won the film award for “Women Talking,” which was nominated for Best Picture and Adapted Screenplay Oscars; Polley won for Adapted at the Academy Awards. Meanwhile, the television prize last year went to English stand-up comedian and screenwriter Will Smith for the episode “Failure’s Contagious,” from “Slow Horses,” based on the novel by Mick Herron. Past winners include “Call Me By Your Name,” “Moonlight,” “The Big Short,” and “The Imitation Game,” which all won Oscars. In fact, before 2019, eight Scripter Award winners went on to win Oscars.

The screenwriters and authors behind Oppenheimer, Origin, American Fiction, Poor Things and Killers of the Flower Moon and The Crown, Daisy Jones & The Six, The Last of Us, Winning Time and last year’s TV winner Slow Horses have been nominated for this year’s USC Libraries Scripter Awards.

In its 36th year, the Scripters honor the writers of the year’s best film and TV adaptations.

Last year, Sarah Polley and author Miriam Toews won for Women Talking, which went on to win the Adapted Screenplay Oscar. Will Smith and Mick Harron are back in the hunt this year for Slow Horses, as is Peter Morgan for The Crown, which he adapted based on his stage play The Audience.

The 2024 Scripter selection committee chaired by USC professor Howard Rodman selected the finalists from a field of 80 film and 56 episodic series adaptations. Winners will be revealed March 2 during a black-tie...

Season one of “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” ended on an appropriately triumphant note with the Los Angeles Lakers’ victory over the Boston Celtics in the 1980 NBA Championships. Not only was Jerry Buss (John C. Reilly) vindicated after his tumultuous first year as franchise owner, but budding superstar Earvin “Magic” Johnson (Quincy Isaiah) and his seasoned counterpart Kareen Abdul-Jabbar (Solomon Hughes) put aside their differences to unite their teammates both on and off the court. For the acclaimed HBO series, repeating that success — dramatically, much less historically — would prove a more difficult challenge, and not just because in real life the Lakers wouldn’t win a second title for two years, and three more for a third.

After helming two episodes in Season One (including that nail-biting finale), Salli Richardson-Whitfield graduated to executive producer for Season Two. Looking forward not only at the complicated trajectory of the...

Exclusive: Following the conclusion of HBO’s acclaimed sports drama series Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, actor Quincy Isaiah has signed with Range Media Partners for representation.

Created for the premium cabler by Max Borenstein and Jim Hecht, the show marking Isaiah’s breakout role had him playing legendary Lakers point guard Magic Johnson. Based on a book by Jeff Pearlman, it chronicled the professional and personal lives of the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers, one of sports’ most revered and dominant dynasties — a team that defined an era, both on and off the court.

Among those Isaiah starred opposite are John C. Reilly, Jason Clarke, Jason Segel, Gaby Hoffmann, Rob Morgan, Adrien Brody, and Solomon Hughes. Exec produced by Adam McKay, who also directed the pilot, Winning Time premiered in March 2022 and wrapped up its two-season run in September. For his performance, capturing the physicality, charisma and confidence of Johnson,...

The cancellation of “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” provoked a wide range of responses from fans, ranging from displeasure at the anticlimactic ending to calls for Showtime to revive the series with a more appropriate title. But to Magic Johnson, who was played by Quincy Isaiah in the unauthorized series, the show’s untimely end was a vindication of his public criticisms.

The NBA legend had led a chorus of former Los Angeles Lakers, including his former teammate Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and coach Jerry West, in calling out what they saw as the show’s factual inaccuracies. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Johnson expressed some schadenfreude about the show’s cancellation and reiterated his belief that the story of the 1980s Lakers could not be told without the involvement of the team.

“Well, I never watched it because nobody in this world can tell the Lakers story [like it needed to be told]. The Showtime story?...

Magic Johnson says he never watched Winning Time because nobody can truly tell the story of the Lakers in the 1980s. The show takes creative liberties with timelines and alters personal details for dramatic effect, which may not sit well with those who lived it. Winning Time was ultimately canceled after season 2, disappointing viewers who were hoping for a more comprehensive portrayal of the Lakers journey.

Magic Johnson explains why he and his fellow Lakers teammates never watched Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty. The show is a two-season HBO biographical drama following the lives of the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team in the 1980s, and how the team rose to become one of the most dominant forces in the sport. Winning Time was created by Max Borenstein and Jim Hecht and stars John C. Reilly, Quincy Isaiah, Jason Clarke, Gaby Hoffmann, Adrien Brody, Jason Segel, and Rob Morgan.

On the heels of Sept. 17’s season two finale of HBO’s Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, fans were shocked to learn that the series had been canceled. Others, like Magic Johnson, were unfazed.

“Well, I never watched it because nobody in this world can tell the Lakers story [like it needed to be told]. The Showtime story? Nobody! Dr. Buss was way ahead of his time as an owner. Our team? Unbelievable! The Laker girls with Paula Abdul? Unbelievable! Nobody can tell that story,” the NBA great told The Hollywood Reporter on Thursday night when asked about it on the red carpet at the Elizabeth Taylor Ball to End AIDS. “So, none of us watched it because it was fictional. You just can’t tell that story. But, hey, that’s on them.”

Based on Jeff Pearlman’s book, Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers, Winning Time chronicled the...

Despite the show being called "Winning Time", telling the story of the five-time championship winning Lakers of the 1980s, HBO's Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty will not be returning for a third season. After airing the season finale of its sophomore season, it was confirmed by HBO that the basketball series will not be making a comeback to the court. The sports series was created by Max Borenstein and Jim Hecht with the news of the cancelation confirmed by Borenstein on X (formerly Twitter).

HBO’s Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty has come to an end.

After the second season finale Sunday, Creator Max Borenstein confirmed the news on X. “Not the ending that we had in mind,” he wrote. “But nothing but gratitude and love.”

Director Salli Richardson followed up on Instagram with “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.”

Added co-creator/executive producer Jim Hecht on X, “9.5 years. We made the show of my dreams. That wasn’t the ending we hoped for but very grateful to everyone who watched and for trusting me with his genius book.

Winning Time is winning no more.

HBO confirmed that it has canceled the series — full title Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty — after two seasons. The news was a surprise, coming only moments after the network aired the second-season finale Sunday night.

Co-creator Max Borenstein shared his thoughts about the news on X (formerly Twitter): “Not the ending that we had in mind. But nothing but gratitude and love.”

And director Salli Richardson posted on Instagram: “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.”

In an interview conducted with THR in late August,...

Season 2 of “Winning Time” concluded Sunday evening with the Lakers’ devastating loss to the Celtics during the 1984 NBA finals, and as it turns out the episode serves as the series finale for the HBO series — the network announced Sunday night that it would not be moving forward with more seasons.

But that’s not to say future seasons weren’t already in mind for the show’s creators.

“In real life, the Lakers come back and beat the Celtics the next year. So that would absolutely be at the heart of any Season 3,” executive producer Kevin Messick told TheWrap during an interview conducted before the show’s fate had been determined. “In terms of the longevity of the show, there’s a lot more Laker stories to tell, a lot more characters, larger than life, as big and bigger than Magic [Johnson] and Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar] that have yet to enter onto the stage.

[This story contains spoilers from the finale of Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty season two.]

The name says it all when it comes to the title of episode one of season two of the HBO sports drama Winning Time: “One Ring Don’t Make a Dynasty.”

How the second season started — the Lakers celebrating their win over the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1980 NBA World Championship — isn’t how it ended: In the finale, the Celtics beat out the Lakers in the 1984 NBA Finals. But it’s the moments in between those defining games that give audiences a clearer picture of what the central players in the Lakers franchise were up against on and off the court.

Magic Johnson (Quincy Isaiah) and his relationship with then-on-again-off-again girlfriend Earlitha “Cookie” Kelly (Tamera Tomakili) was a focal point throughout season two, which began with the 6 foot, 9 inch pro baller finding out he’d fathered a child, his first son Andre Johnson,...

The season finale of “Winning Time” Season 2 will see the rivalry between Magic Johnson and Larry Bird comes to a head at the 1984 NBA Finals.

In an exclusive clip shared with TheWrap, the Lakers are celebrating their win for Game 1 of the championship. But as they are getting ready to leave, their bus is immediately ambushed by angry Celtics fans.

In addition to the game, the episode follows Lakers owner Jerry Buss as he fends off a potentially life-altering lawsuit. Meanwhile, Claire Rothman faces the possibility of yet another bankruptcy and Jeanie Buss questions her place in professional sports.

“Winning Time” stars Quincy Isaiah, Adrien Brody, Jason Clarke, John. C Reilly, Hadley Robinson, Gaby Hoffmann, Jason Segel, Sean Patrick Small, Michael Chiklis, DeVaughn Nixon, Solomon Hughes, Tamera Tomakili, Brett Cullen, Stephen Adly Guirgis, Spencer Garrett, Molly Gordon, Joey Brooks, Delante Desouza, Jimel Atkins, Austin Aaron, McCabe Slye, Thomas Mann, Gillian Jacobs and Rob Morgan.

Winning Time season 2 has been challenging for the Lakers, with multiple setbacks on and off the court affecting their game. In the upcoming episode, the team faces humiliating defeats, accusations, devastating news, and personal struggles. Kareem Abdul Jabbar contemplates retirement, while Magic Johnson's demands create resentment among his teammates. The Lakers are hungry for a chance to take on the Celtics and Larry Bird.

Winning Time: Rise of the Lakers Dynasty season 2 has not been the easiest season for the team. While the phenoms won at the end of the first season, they've faced many setbacks both on and off the court that have messed with their game. Especially as the rivalry between the Celtics and the Lakers gets more intense.

The next episode of Winning Time will continue this trend as the Lakers suffer a number of humiliating defeats. During their attempt to regroup, Buss must field accusations from...

Note: This interview was conducted prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike and contains spoilers for Winning Time Season 2, Episode 5

In Sunday’s episode of HBO’s “Winning Time,” Kareem Abdul-Jabarr (Solomon Hughes) confronts Lakers owner Jerry Buss in a roller rink, accusing him of taking advantage of Magic Johnson (Quincy Isaiah).

To prepare for the confrontation, Hughes told TheWrap that he would sneak onto set with the show’s basketball assistant director Derek Dibiagio to learn how to roller skate.

“He generously brought his skates to work just about every day and we would sneak onto the set and roller skate on the court and it was like a month of learning,” Hughes recalled. “I learned early on, ‘you’re gonna get this scene with John C. Reilly and by the way, you’re gonna be on roller skates’ and I’m like ‘Oh, ok. All right.’ So that was fun...

Note: This story contains spoilers from “Winning Time” Season 2, Episode 5.

In Sunday’s episode of “Winning Time,” Paul Westhead (Jason Segel) is fired as head coach of the Lakers. The actor said the twist was one of his “most fun days” on set.

“I did that scene over and over again with John C. Reilly,” he told TheWrap in an interview before the SAG-AFTRA strike. “That was a day of using all the different skills because there’s comedy in it. It’s pathetic, it’s dramatic. It just required a little bit of everything. And I got to dance with John C. Riley in that scene which is special thing.”

While Westhead is an important figure in Lakers history, Segel said he was also “lesser known,” giving him “a lot of freedom to explore what we’re trying to say with the character.”

“I hope he would appreciate,...

Paul Westhead is feeling the pressure of his feud with Magic Johnson in an exclusive sneak peak of Sunday’s new episode of HBO’s “Winning Time.”

In the episode, titled “The Hamburger Hamlet”, a final clash between Johnson (Quincy Isaiah) and the Lakers head coach (played by Jason Segel) causes Lakers owner Jerry Buss (John C. Reilly) to task Jerry West (Jason Clarke) with picking up the pieces. Meanwhile, as Honey (Ari Graynor) attempts a heart-to-heart with Jeanie (Hadley Robninson), Buss faces pushback from the press and his captain. Later, Pat Riley (Adrien Brody) faces his demons and takes control of his team.

The clip sees Westhead pay a visit to Buss’ office, where the former is told that the latter is in a meeting.

“With who?,” Westhead asks, to which Buss’ secretary replies, “I’m not at liberty to say.”

As Westhead turns to leave, another door swings open where Jerry West,...

In the first episode of “Winning Time” Season 2, audiences see Lakers owner Jerry Buss (John C. Reilly) flipping through a scrapbook of his love interests just moments after a heated exchange with his kids — in which they call him out for ditching them for “p–y and fun.” He’s later seen wooing an old flame named Honey with a lavish date in Episode 2, and she’s even invited to the family’s game night in Sunday’s latest episode.

Buss, who is often seen in the HBO drama series with a drink and cigarette in his hand, was known for hosting extravagant parties at the Pickfair mansion, which he purchased in 1980 and is showcased throughout “Winning Time.”

Actor John C. Reilly, who plays Buss on “Winning Time,” said his “appetites” were the most surprising thing he learned while preparing for the role.

“If I had the kind of partying weekend that Jerry Buss had,...

For Sean Patrick Small, playing Boston Celtics forward Larry Bird in the HBO drama series “Winning Time” was a “dream come true.”

“I get to act, play basketball and get paid to do so, while being one of, if not the, greatest [basketball players] of all time,” he told TheWrap in an interview conducted before the SAG-AFTRA strike.

Small’s preparation for the role unknowingly started in 2014, as he worked on a miniseries focused on Bird’s life from his senior year of high school to his senior year of college.

“His whole back story really surprised me because he was at Indiana University for a short amount of time, dropped out, didn’t ever think he was going to go back to college. Was working for the county, picking garbage up weekly and painting park benches and loving it with his friends… and his father tragically passing, all this type...

Jeff Pearlman, the author of “Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s” — which “Winning Time” is based on — is calling on audiences to help the HBO drama series get renewed for a third season.

“I’m telling you — the future of ‘Winning Time’ hangs in the balance. We need viewers. The strikes are crippling. Please help spread the word. Season 2 is amazing. But … HBO is big on #s,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter, this week. “And, to be blunt, I’m worried there won’t be a season three. And it’s not about me. I’m fine. It’s about a cast of amazing young actors who live this. So, seriously, tell your friends to support “Winning Time” and show @hbo you want it to continue. Peace. #winningtime.”

And, to be blunt, I'm worried there won't be a season three. And it's not about me.