HBO has unceremoniously canceled Winning Time after two season.
The network confirmed the news immediately following the conclusion of the show’s second season on Sunday night.
The series, which debuted in 2022, chronicled the rise of the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1980s. The first season focused on Jerry Buss’ acquisition of the team and Magic Johnson’s rookie season, while season two documented the ensuing four-year period between 1980 and 1984. The cast included John C. Reilly as Buss and Quincy Isaiah as Johnson, as well as Jason Clarke (Jerry West), Solomon Hughes (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), Adrien Brody (Pat Riley), Jason Segel (Paul Westhead), Gabby Hoffman (Claire Rothman), Hadley Robinson (Jeanie Buss), and DeVaugh Nixon (Norm Nixon).
HBO’s decision to cancel Winning Time appears to have been made only recently. As Variety notes, the season two finale wrapped with a scene that was not included in the screener initially sent to outlets for review.
Addressing the show’s cancelation on Twitter, co-creator Max Borenstein wrote, “Not the ending that we had in mind. But nothing but gratitude and love.”
Watch Winning Time’s cast discuss how the show’s cinematography created its “cool factor”: