You probably saw on your timeline: the first trailer for Adam McKay's highly-anticipated and long-gestating HBO limited series on the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers dynasty has dropped.

And, oh boy, is it a feast.

Before we run through a few takeaways from the trailer, let's fast-break through a timeline of the project, to this point.

In December 2019, HBO green-lit the untitled series, which is adapted from Jeff Perlman's 2014 book Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s. According to Deadline, the series will chronicle “the professional and personal lives of the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers, one of sports’ most revered and dominant dynasties—a team that defined its era, both on and off the court.”

Since then, we've gotten a slew of occasional casting announcements (more on that in a second), a flirtation that the series would be titled “Showtime” — understandable but a bit awkward, considering the HBO thing — and hints that production was underway but slowed due to COVID-19.

We also recently learned that McKay's decision to cast John C. Reilly over Will Ferrell as Dr. Jerry Buss exacerbated his and Ferrell's falling out (Michael Shannon was originally cast, which also would have ruled.)

Now, almost exactly two years after the show was announced, the television gods have blessed us with an exhilarating first look at 1980s Los Angeles, and the glitz, glamour, and glory synonymous with the Showtime Lakers — who won five NBA championships and seemingly had more fun than any group of men in the history of groups or men.

“I don't know why can't basketball can't feel like that,” Dr. Buss says in the teaser, as images of fast cars, auditioning Lakers girls, night clubs, fur coats, Kareem filming his iconic Airplane! cameo, brawls with the Boston Celtics, and more whiz by. “To me Dr. Buss,” Magic responds, “it do.”

Let's spotlight a few reasons to be amped about this series, which we learned will aptly be titled “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.”

1) Star-studded cast

In the words of Chick Hearn, the ensemble is a slaaaam dunk.

Reilly perfectly resembles Buss and newcomer Quincy Isaiah's Magic-level charisma is evident. We're getting Jason Clarke as Jerry West, Sally Field as Jerry’s mother, Jessie, and, most excitingly (to me), Adrien Brody as Pat Riley.

HBO

We'll see Jason Segel as Paul Westhead, Rob Morgan(!) as Earvin Johnson Sr., Mike Epps as Richard Pryor, Gaby Hoffman as Claire Rothman, Gillian Jacobs as Chris Riley, Wood Harris(!) as Spencer Haywood, Lola Kirke as Karen West, and more. It's a deep bench.

 

2) McKay's track record

Most of Adam McKay's films are classics (Anchorman, Talledega Nights, Step Brothers, The Big Short) though can be a bit polarizing (Vice, Don't Look Up, it sounds like). However, his projects — especially post-Big Short — are defined by a distinct pace and razzle-dazzle that should be befitting of the '80s Lakers.

McKay is also still creatively involved as an executive producer on HBO's current flashy zeitgeisty hit drama, Succession (ever heard of it?!).

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McKay is a known '80s hoops junkie — he recently spearheaded a narrative podcast about the era, “Death at the Wing.” This is a passion project for him.

3) '80s Los Angeles

McKay brilliantly depicted late-'70s San Diego as we squired about town with Ron Burgundy and the Channel 4 News Team.

“Winning Time” seems to be deploying a grainy, yellow lens that transports us to sun-dappled, glitzy, vintage paradise (a la Paul Thomas Anderson shooting the Valley). L.A. already feels like a character. Beautiful.

There are very few settings more enviable than 1980s Hollywood, though there have been surprisingly few movies and shows that viscerally capture the pure fun of it. Surely, there will be plenty of conflict — on and off the court — and vices on display, but the “Winning Time” trailer seems to convey the electricity of the time and place.

Between the visual choices, the basketball, and the fashion, this show is going to be stylish AF.

4) The plot

The source material is immeasurably rich for dramatic and entertaining storytelling. What excites me about the trailer is where the story seems to start: with Buss purchasing the team and immediately having Magic Johnson fall into his lap on draft day.

Beginning with Magic's first NBA game — which ended with a Kareem sky-hook buzzer-beater, sending Johnson into a frenzy — the Showtime Era was off and running. I can't imagine a more ideal kick-starter for narrative momentum.

“Winning Time” is classified as a “limited” series, but you have to believe there's enough material here for 20 seasons of TV.

5) “There’s two things in this world that make me believe in God,” Reilly as Buss declares. “Sex and basketball.”

If that doesn't sound like good television to you, then we are operating on different wavelengths.