MovieChat Forums > Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty (2022) Discussion > Magic Johnson is the second least intere...

Magic Johnson is the second least interesting part of Winning Time

posted 2 years ago by TMC-4 (19574)
6 replies | jump to latest

https://www.pajiba.com/tv_reviews/magic-johnson-is-the-least-interesting-character-in-hbos-winning-time.php

"And that’s only because we’ve spent so little time with a then-sullen Kareem Abdul-Jabbar," says Dustin Rowles of the first two episodes of the HBO Showtime Lakers series. "The best I can tell from the first two episodes is that Magic Johnson was drafted over the objections of coach Jerry West (who wanted Sidney Moncrief); he got his ass handed to him by then point guard Norm Nixon in a pick-up game; West didn’t think Magic should play point guard; and he bullied the boyfriend of his ex-girlfriend (and love of his life), Cookie Keely, while also sleeping with other women in his car and pouted over his mother’s disapproval. It’s not exactly a flattering depiction (despite the strong performance from Quincy Isaiah), but I understand why it’s necessary to build Johnson’s backstory; he’ll be the central character in the rise of the Lakers’ dynasty."

[–] juviejay (456) 2 years ago

Yeah, Magic comes off as looking pretty bad. I wonder how much of it is true.

[–] juviejay (456) 2 years ago

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[–] Who (5146) 2 years ago

The show started with a flash forward to Magic’s HIV diagnosis, so all this backstory with women and living the LA playboy lifestyle is leading up to that.

[–] juviejay (456) 2 years ago

Yeah, but he's such a dick the way he treats Cookie. He wants her, and everyone else. But she has to be loyal to him. She meets another guy and he bullies him away.

Then they also kind of imply that his whole nice guy image is an act to deal with with white people. Understandable, but I don't think he'd want it to be public.

[–] diagoro (487) 2 years ago

Recall reading his biography years ago, and his time as a Laker was portrayed as a non stop party. So none of this is new, and fairly factual.

[–] [deleted] 10 months ago

I didn't read it, but Magic has talked about those times in interviews.

I think Magic partying and being with a lot of women might be the most accurate thing on the show (I've only watched three episodes so far). I do wonder how accurate his treatment of Cookie and her boyfriend and some of the other things they show are. Nixon embarrassing him at a party during a short pick up game. All that kind of thing.