John Lawler

As long as one accepts that Winning Time is an LA fable rather than a completely accurate BioPic series, you can enjoy the ride. John C. Reilly is brilliant as Dr. Jerry Buss. The series explores the internal neuroses and fragile paranoia of Kareem, Jerry West, Pat Reilly, Paul Westhead, Jack McKinney and the massive gamble Jerry Buss took to build a dynasty around the earnestness of Magic and constant movement. We watch the chaotic gestation and birth of a paradigm shift in the NBA game that only Magic, McKinney, Westhead, and as a quick learner Pat Reilly understood during that 1979-1980 season. Magic and Bird changed the game of professional basketball, but the spark was Showtime. Sally Field of course is a delight. Adrien Brody, Jason Segal, and in particular Jason Clarke as Jerry West revel in the funhouse mirror portrayal of the legends... with a look right off your 1980s Betamax.