‘F*** HBO’? Winning Time Creator Weighs in on Show’s Abrupt Cancelation
The most outrageous HBO cancellation is not as outrageous for the show creators as you’d think.
The ongoing WGA and SAG AFTRA strikes not only disrupted studio budgets and schedules but also the shows that fell victim to producers' refusal to negotiate properly. Unfortunately, a few months of protests effectively froze the industry, causing too many shows to be postponed, and a few to be canceled altogether.
Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers was one of the titles that didn't manage to survive the strikes and see another season, as it was announced by HBO on September 17 that the show had been canceled. A sports drama that captured the attention of a large part of Ted Lasso 's fandom was very meaningful to a lot of its viewers, so the decision caused a huge outrage on the web.
One person who refuses to give in to the negativity of the situation is the show's co-creator, Jim Hecht. He shared his perspective in a guest column for The Hollywood Reporter, explaining how the ups and downs in his personal life while working on the show helped him accept the situation and move on.
“Look, I know there are a lot of people who want me to say, “F**k HBO.” And there is some of that in my house. But I love the people we worked with. <...> HBO paid big money and gave us a ton of freedom to make our dream show. It just happens to not be the right show for their platform at this time. But it is exactly the show I would wanna watch,” Hecht wrote.
For a show that was filmed during the height of the COVID-19 restrictions, scheduled against the Oscars, and aired during the strikes, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers did incredibly well and touched a lot of hearts. While HBO may disagree, as evidenced by their decision, Winning Time had a lot of potential to explore.
Still, Jim Hecht is hopeful about the future. Whatever project he takes on next will lead both the creator and the dedicated viewer to another experience, hopefully with a less abrupt ending.
If you want to revisit Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers and honor all the work the cast and crew put into the show, you can stream the show on MAX.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter