Winning Time
Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty is an HBO sports drama series that chronicles the glamorous and tumultuous 1980s era of the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team. Based on Jeff Pearlman's book "Showtime," the show delves into the personal and professional lives of key figures like team owner Jerry Buss and superstar Magic Johnson, portraying the formation of the iconic "Showtime" Lakers. The series is known for its fast-paced, visually distinct style and its willingness to explore the behind-the-scenes excesses and complexities of the era, including the personal struggles, lavish lifestyles, and intense rivalries that defined the team's rise to prominence. While focusing on basketball, it also examines themes of ambition, family dynamics, and the cultural landscape of the 1980s.
Concerns
Romance and Sexual Content
HighSexual content is pervasive and explicit throughout the series, featuring frequent full-blown nudity and graphic depictions of sexual acts. The narrative heavily focuses on the promiscuous lifestyles and numerous affairs of central characters, particularly Jerry Buss and Magic Johnson.
The show contains abundant 'full-blown nudity' and 'lurid conversations,' with cameras often focusing more on 'bedroom-based activities' than basketball games. Jerry Buss is consistently portrayed as a 'sex addict' and a 'lascivious creep' engaging in a 'playboy lifestyle' with multiple sexual partners. Magic Johnson's 'voracious sexual appetite' and multiple 'infidelities against his wife' are prominently featured and detailed.
Profanity
HighThe series is characterized by an extremely high frequency of strong profanity. Reviewers note that the show contains an 'appalling' amount of strong language, including pervasive use of the F-word and other expletives in almost every episode.
Reviewers explicitly state that the series 'tallies more f-bombs than baskets,' indicating extremely frequent use of strong curse words. Strong expletives and offensive language are consistently used in dialogue by multiple characters, reflecting the raw and unfiltered portrayal of the era.
Substance Use
HighSubstance use is extensively and graphically depicted as a central part of the 1980s setting and the characters' lifestyles. This includes frequent alcohol consumption, tobacco smoking, and prominent drug use, particularly cocaine.
The series portrays 'liquor flows' and 'tobacco smoke fogs board rooms and bars' as common occurrences. Drug use, especially cocaine, is depicted as a 'huge problem in the NBA at the time' and is not shied away from, with environments often described as 'cocaine-fueled'.
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
MediumWhile not a central theme, an academic study examining 'Winning Time' for queer and non-normative characters indicates a subtle presence or discussion of identity, noting 'hardly any pejorative representation' and some characters potentially in a process of accepting their identity. However, the study also highlights a lack of 'normalization nor social integration' for such characters within the series.
The academic analysis includes 'Winning Time' in its study of 'Queer and Non-Normative Characters,' citing an example of a character expressing internal conflict with the quote: 'I'm not like you, stop… I'm normal' (Episode 1.1). The study suggests a subtle, unnormalized portrayal of non-heteronormative identity within the series, rather than explicit LGBTQ relationships or storylines.
Violence
MediumThe series includes depictions of both on-court violence, reflective of 1980s basketball, and serious threats and acts of violence extending into characters' personal lives. This includes plots involving attempted harm and intense physical confrontations.
In Season 1, a disgruntled ex-Laker, Spencer Haywood, is depicted attempting to arrange a hit on the entire team, presenting a plot point involving intended murder. The Season 2 premiere features a scene where Boston Celtics fans violently rock the Lakers' team bus, throwing rocks and beer cans, requiring police intervention to disperse the aggressive crowd.
Scary & Intense Content
MediumThe show contains intense dramatic situations and character portrayals rather than traditional horror or jump scares. This includes highly volatile personalities, life-threatening plotlines, and emotionally charged rivalries, which can create significant tension and discomfort for viewers.
Jerry West is depicted as a highly volatile and 'raving lunatic' prone to intense emotional outbursts, creating a consistently tense atmosphere. A plotline in Season 1 involves Spencer Haywood attempting to orchestrate a murder-for-hire on the entire Lakers team, which introduces a significant element of peril and intense suspense.
Disrespect & Rebellion
MediumThe series frequently explores themes of disrespect towards authority, parental rebellion, and general defiance of social norms. Many characters are shown to have challenging relationships with their parents or defy conventional expectations in pursuit of their goals and desires.
Magic Johnson's storyline involves navigating and often acting against 'the nagging disapproval of his strict Christian parents' regarding his personal choices and lifestyle. The show broadly explores how many characters are shaped by 'broken relationships with their parents,' including Jerry West's difficult childhood and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's conflicts with his father.
Anti-Christian Themes
MediumWhile not explicitly anti-Christian, the series depicts lifestyles and choices, particularly regarding sexuality and hedonism, that are in direct conflict with traditional Christian values. Magic Johnson's narrative, for instance, highlights the disapproval from his 'strict Christian parents' regarding his 'voracious sexual appetite,' presenting a tension between his lifestyle and their faith.
Magic Johnson's character faces 'nagging disapproval of his strict Christian parents' due to his 'voracious sexual appetite' and general lifestyle, highlighting a conflict between his actions and his parents' religious beliefs. The pervasive depiction of 'unfettered hedonism and excess' and the indulgent sexual and party lifestyles of central figures like Jerry Buss and Magic Johnson stand in stark contrast to Christian moral teachings, though the show does not directly mock or criticize Christianity itself.
Witchcraft & Occult
LowThere is no evidence or mention of witchcraft, sorcery, occult practices, magic rituals, demons, spells, or supernatural themes within the content of 'Winning Time' based on available reviews and summaries.
No specific examples of witchcraft or occult practices, characters engaging in magic rituals, or supernatural occurrences are described or implied in any of the analyzed sources.
Other Notes
Target Demographic
18+ (Adults Only) due to frequent explicit sexual content including full nudity, pervasive strong profanity, extensive depiction of drug and alcohol abuse, and intense mature themes.
Additional Notes
The series is based on historical events but takes creative liberties in its dramatization, which has led to criticism from some of the real-life figures portrayed. Viewers should be aware that the show is an interpretation rather than a documentary. The explicit nature of the content remains consistent across both seasons, despite some character arcs potentially shifting focus for individual characters in later seasons.
Related Reviews
Is Winning Time right for your family?
These concerns are a starting point — what many Christian parents care about. Want to screen for other themes? Define your own concerns.
Screen any book, movie, or show — even titles no one else has reviewed.
“StoryScanner gives us clarity and confidence. It's become our go-to for checking books at the library and movies on family night.”
— Cristi & Brian, Dallas TX
“StoryScanner has been such a BLESSING for researching books for our children. You can set filters for your concerns, enter a book title, and it lets you know what's present.”
— Christian Book Reviews for Families (Facebook)
No credit card required