Winning Time, the HBO sports drama centered around the Lakers in the early 1980s, has been canceled after two seasons. While it might come as a surprise to the fans of the show, which starred John C. Reilly, Quincy Isaiah, Jason Clarke, Adrien Brody, and Jason Segel, the team behind the show seemed to have planned for a sudden cancelation.
In an interview with Vulture, Executive Producer Kevin Messick explained that the network gave them a heads-up of a cancellation all the way back in January, telling them that they should be prepared for any scenario. He explained:
There were never any guarantees in today’s marketplace of a subsequent season, so the planning for the ‘What if’ scenario — if this was not just a season finale but the series finale — was from the conversation we had back in January while we were still in production. We got a call from HBO, whom we’ve been partnered with for years. They said, ‘Think about it so that you have the option while you’re still in production to figure out how it might end if, sadly, that was the end of it.’ So we did get a chance to prepare, which we appreciated
While the producers had hoped that the viewership would help boost the series, HBO sadly shut down any odds of another season. When asked if the show could live on in a different light, Messick replied, “I think the plan is this: If the universe wants more Lakers, the universe knows where to reach us.” Maybe one day we will be able to see Reilly in his wonderful wig again.
