Winning Time
Here's what we found in Winning Time. Every family is different — get a report that reflects yours.
Screen for YOUR familyParent's Guide to 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.
Things to Consider
Romance and Sexual Content
Sexual 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
The 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.
Substance Use
Substance 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.
Would these 3 concerns matter to your family?
Get a report based on your values — not generic ratings.
Additional Context
Best For Ages
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.
Good to Know
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.
What are you watching next?
Screen any title in seconds — even ones no one else has reviewed.
No credit card required — join hundreds of families