HBO seems to have landed another success, with Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty's first episode releasing. The series is well acted, featuring veterans like John C. Reilly and Jason Clarke, as well as young stars Quincy Isaiah and Hadley Robinson.
The first episode, helmed by Don't Look Up and Anchorman director Adam McKay, who is also showrunner on the project, offers a smooth introduction to the glitz and glam of 1980s Hollywood. The casting is spectacular, with many of the characters bearing a striking resemblance to their real life counterparts.
Quincy Isaiah - Magic Johnson
Quincy Isaiah plays the show's biggest star, Magic Johnson. The first episode revolves around the legendary player's introduction to the NBA, before his rise to stardom. It only took one episode to show that Quincy is perfect for the role.
Not only does Quincy look like Magic, but he also captures the Lakers' legend's charisma and swagger. It's hard to believe they found a talented actor who resembles Magic so well, while also possessing the height and physique to play an NBA star.
John C. Reilly - Jerry Buss
John C. Reilly has one of the strongest film portfolios of any actor working today, known for his comedy films with frequent collaborator Adam McKay, as well as supporting roles in Paul Thomas Anderson movies. John plays Dr. Jerry Buss, businessman and buyer of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Jerry displays his charisma, wheeling and dealing his way through the episode, in order to acquire the team from its previous owner. John plays him as a character with a vision, fashionable and down to earth, while being one of the richest men in the city.
Jason Clarke - Jerry West
Jerry West, known in particular for being the NBA's logo, is a former player, and now works as an advisor for the Los Angeles Clippers front office. His depiction by actor Jason Clarke makes the at-the-time coach seem absurdly angry and unfriendly.
The performance creates an interesting character, as someone who so badly wants to win, and has had constant struggles with the organization's ownership's business decisions. It will be interesting to see how he develops as the showtime culture manifests in Los Angeles.
Gaby Hoffman - Claire Rothman
Claire Rothman was easy to support from the get-go, as modern audiences will hopefully sympathize with the issues in her workplace. It seems that positivity is on the horizon for the businesswoman under the new management of Jerry Buss.
Claire was a pioneer in the entertainment world, and in episode one, has already been shown by actress Gaby Hoffman to have intelligence and class, making moves to better the franchise. Gaby was recently in the Joaquin Phoenix film C'mon C'mon, and has a deep portfolio of films spanning 30 years, since her childhood.
Hadley Robinson - Jeanie Buss
Jeanie Buss is one of the few people on this show still involved with the Lakers today. In fact, she's the owner. Played by Hadley Robinson (known for Netflix's Moxie!) in the series, Jeanie is the smart, hard-working daughter of Jerry Buss, who is interested in the game of basketball and its management.
Her character will be one of the most interesting to see develop, as while she's currently young, fans of the sport know she will rise to become a prominent figure in the league. Hopefully, she's given more screen time in future episodes of the series.
Solomon Hughes - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem, hilariously introduced on the set of Airplane!, the iconic rewatchable comedy in which he had a small role as an undercover pilot. Kareem had some of the first episode's funniest moments and has so far been depicted as one that has interests aside from basketball, despite being the team's captain.
The all-time leading scorer in points in the NBA is played by young actor Solomon Hughes. The 6'11 actor lucked out with this series has his first acting role, but it's no surprise. Like Quincy, Solomon seems to be perfect for the role of the legendary center. It just goes to show how many talented actors there are, and the quality of the casting department.
DeVaughn Nixon - Norm Nixon
Norm Nixon had an antagonistic role in the show's first episode. Since he and Magic both play the same position, Norm is unhappy when Magic is drafted by the Lakers. The character is actually played by his own son, DeVaughn Nixon.
So if fans of the show were curious about the realism of the character's pettiness in episode one, it's likely that DeVaughn would have the best sources on what actually happened! It will be interesting to see how Norm develops as Magic's teammate and the competition between the two guards.
Sean Patrick Small - Larry Bird
There's no telling the Magic Johnson story without Larry Bird. The Celtics forward would become the most hated man in Los Angeles for the decade, as the teams battled it out in the finals year after year. Played by actor Sean Patrick Small, the actor only had a brief flashback scene in the episode.
Fans will likely be seeing more from him soon since the actor bears an uncanny resemblance to the real world Larry. The actor will likely end up being one of the show's main antagonists in a recurring role throughout the season, which will escalate as the two franchises rise simultaneously.
Adrien Brody - Pat Riley
Pat Riley is considered by many to be one of the greatest coaches in NBA history, and also to have possessed a great swagger and style of his own as the coach of the Lakers in the '80s. Pat will start off the series as an assistant coach, but obtain the head coach position after a few years.
Pat wasn't in the show's first episode, but audiences were quick to note on his shaggy look and mustache in the trailer. It will likely be some time before we see the slicked-back hair and clean pose Pat would carry throughout his coaching career. Adrien Brody is incredibly talented, and it will be exciting to see his development throughout the show.
Kirk Bovill - Donald Sterling
Donald Sterling, described in the show as the "second worst Donald in the '80s" was the owner of the Los Angeles Clippers for three decades. He only had a brief appearance in the first episode, as he's yet to be the team's owner. Sterling was outed in 2014 for making racist remarks and was forced to sell his shares of the team.
Actor Kirk Bovill encapsulates Sterling's sleaziness quickly. Fans who don't know his story were surely able to realize the man's creepiness and discomfort from only moments of his screen time.