Fear not, TV Fanatics, summer is shaping up to have a decent array of programming, all things considered.
HBO’s original series Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty returns this summer.
The premium cabler announced the hit drama will premiere the first of seven new episodes on Sunday, August 6, at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.
After the success of Winning Time Season 1 in 2022, there are high hopes for the follow-up.
Will it continue to be criticized for historical inaccuracies? We don’t know, but hey, we know certain things are manipulated from fiction to face, or else we wouldn’t have so many projects based on true stories.
Winning Time Season 2 “continues to explore the professional and personal lives of the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers,” HBO teases.
“This season hones in on the period just after the Finals in 1980 through 1984, culminating in the first professional rematch of the era’s greatest stars: Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.”
The cast for Winning Time Season 2 includes John C. Reilly (as Jerry Buss), Quincy Isaiah (Magic Johnson), Adrien Brody (Pat Riley), Jason Clarke (Jerry West), Gaby Hoffmann (Claire Rothman), Jason Segel (Paul Westhead), Hadley Robinson (Jeanie Buss), DeVaughn Nixon (Norm Nixon), and Solomon Hughes (Kareen Abdul-Jabbar).
Also on board is Tamera Tomakili (Cookie Keely), Brett Cullen (Bill Sharman), Stephen Adly Guirgis (Frank Mariani), Spencer Garrett (Chick Hearn), Molly Gordon (Linda Zafrani), Joey Brooks (Lon Rosen), Delante Desouza (Michael Cooper), and Jimel Atkins (Jamaal Wilkes).
Rounding out the impressive cast is Austin Aaron (Mark Landsberger), McCabe Slye (Jimmy Buss), Thomas Mann (Johnny Buss), Gillian Jacobs (Chris Riley), Michael Chiklis (Red Auerbach), and Rob Morgan (Earvin Johnson Sr.).
HBO shows tend to attract A-list talent, and the cabler has done a great job of pulling in these big names for the second season.
Adam McKay and Kevin Messick executive-produce the second chapter of Winning Time with co-creator and showrunner Max Borenstein, co-creator Jim Hecht, Scott Stephens, Rodney Barnes, Jason Shuman, and director Salli Richardson-Whitfield.
HBO also dropped a teaser trailer, which gives us our first taste of what’s on tap for the season ahead.
It’s excellent, by the way.
Check out the clip below and join me in the comments with your thoughts.
Are you ready for more?
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.
