‘Winning Time’ Writer Concerned The HBO Series Won’t Get A Third Season (Video)
Jeff Pearlman, author of “Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s” — on which “Winning Time” is based — calls on audiences to help bring the HBO drama series to life Third season is extended.
“I’m telling you – the future of ‘Winning Time’ hangs in the balance. We need spectators. The strikes are crippling. Please help spread the word. Season 2 is great. But…HBO puts a lot of emphasis on #s,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter, this week. “And to be blunt, I’m concerned that there won’t be a third season. And it’s not about me. I’m doing well. It’s about a cast of amazing young actors living this. So seriously, urge your friends to support Winning Time and show @hbo you want it to continue. Peace. #win time.”
Deadline previously reported that the A total of 629,000 viewers on HBO and Max watched the second season premiere on August 6tha 30% drop from the previous season’s premiere.
An HBO spokesperson declined to comment on Pearlman’s tweets or reveal the latest viewership numbers for the second season of “Winning Time.”
In a follow-up video on Friday, Pearlman reiterated his call, saying he will share a behind-the-scenes story each day to get more people interested in the show. Pearlman also revealed that he made a cameo as a reporter in Episode 6 — complete with big sideburns, which he was given as a gift after filming.
“I show up on set and I go to the crime scene, it’s in a press conference room and I sit down and people smoke clove cigarettes and I’m surrounded by reporters and there’s Jerry Buss and there’s Pat Riley and they’re all in front.” me and they shoot the scene and then they shoot it again and they shoot it over and over again and they shoot that scene I think 104 times,” he recalled.
The next day, Pearlman had to go to the emergency room after suffering an allergic reaction to the wig glue.
“My eyes were closed and my head was exploding and by the end I was like, ‘I’m glad I had this experience, but I never want to be an actor again,'” he added. “But I love the show. Please watch Winning Time. It’s a great, great show on HBO.”
The series stars Quincy Isaiah, Adrien Brody, John C. Reilly, Jason Clarke, Gaby Hoffmann, Jason Segel, Hadley Robinson, DeVaughn Nixon, Solomon Hughes, Tamera Tomakili, Brett Cullen, Stephen Adly Guirgis, Spencer Garrett, Molly Gordon and Joey Brooks with , Delante Desouza, Jimel Atkins, Austin Aaron, McCabe Slye, Thomas Mann, Gillian Jacobs, Michael Chiklis and Rob Morgan.
Winning Time is produced by Adam McKay and Kevin Messick for Hyperobject Industries, showrunner, writer and co-creator Max Borenstein, writer and co-creator Jim Hecht, director Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Scott Stephens, Rodney Barnes and Jason Shuman.
New episodes air Sunday nights on HBO and stream on Max.