Canceled due to a drop in audiences (and the writers’ strike which forced television channels to make choices…), the HBO series “Winning Time” will unfortunately not have a third season. But its directors, Jim Hecht and Max Borenstein, still hold out hope of being able to relaunch their project in the long term.
Despite a very solid cast and a very interesting subject (based on Jeff Pearlman’s book entitled “Showtime”), on the backstory of groovy Los Angeles in the 1980s, fans will therefore be deprived of the continuation of the adventures of Magic Johnson (Quincy Isaiah) and his Lakers, but also Jerry Buss (John C. Reilly), Pat Riley (Adrien Brody) and Jerry West (Jason Clarke).
A blood sausage ending
“It was bittersweet,” Max Borenstein blows in The Messenger. “There is something truly unique and surreal when you pour so much energy, time and love into a project, that it sees the light of day and meets its audience for a rich return, but which does not last only a short while. And then it’s over! It became part of the landscape and we hope that people were moved and that they will return to it later and that other fans will also be interested in it. »
Informed during production of the second season that there might not be a third, the directors had to adapt and come up with an alternative ending. Far from their initial expectations…
According to their guideline, the directors wanted a scene with Magic Johnson in the shower, in the locker room of the Boston Garden, after the defeat of his Lakers in game 7 of the 84 Finals! To announce the strong return of Los Angeles, champion in 1985 then in 1987. A most frustrating end for the series.
“Any viewer of the series knows that this season had to end with a final scene that leaves the suspense complete,” explains Max Borenstein. “It wasn’t supposed to end with an end point, and the end of the series…”
A return to Frasier?
Disappointed with the lack of support, or even debates raised by the series among NBA players, the directors do not want to admit defeat yet. They still believe they can continue their Lakers project.
Especially since there is still a lot of material left. Jim Hecht and Max Borenstein thus saw themselves going back to the 90s and the arrival of a young Kobe Bryant, in addition to Shaquille O’Neal, to further weave their narrative web.
“We obviously wanted to go until 1991 [et l’annonce de la retraite anticipée de Magic, touché par le virus du Sida]but there are still a lot of stories to tell »concludes Jim Hecht. “We could have picked up in 1996 when Jerry West signed Shaquille O’Neal and made the trade for Kobe Bryant. We could have even gone to today and Jeanie who is the boss of the team that won a title with LeBron James. I don’t think the series is completely over. »
An opinion obviously shared by his collaborator who draws a parallel with another series, released more than two decades later: Frasier.
“Doors never fully close on anything,” adds Max Borenstein. “It’s very clear that there is something special going on with Winning Time. It’s a story that has so much to tell, beyond what people already know. We don’t know when and if we will have the opportunity to continue the project but we have seen that Frasier returns to the screen, twenty years after his last appearance. We never know… “
