Lakers News: Critics Slam 'Legacy' As Bland Counter to 'Winning Time'

The new Lakers "Legacy" documentary didn't receive rave reviews from a pair of critics.

Yesterday, "Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers" ,the third Lakers-centric series of 2022, premiered on Hulu. There's been plenty of anticipation for "Legacy" in the midst of the drama generated by HBO's "Winning Time". Look no further than the full title of "Legacy" to get a crystal clear understanding of how the latest Lakers series has positioned it self.

For some critics, therein lies the problem with "Legacy". NPR's Eric Deggans applauded the series for having a parade of Lakers all-timers on screen (Magic, Phil Jackson, Kareem, Jerry West, Pat Riley, etc.), but overall, the critic labeled the series as a "blander history" o f the Lakers franchise.

"It's also no surprise that the docuseries sometimes tiptoes around unflattering controversies, excepting the drama surrounding the Buss family and the children's jockeying for jobs inside his empire."

Deggans gave the series top marks for entertaining hardcore Lakers fans, but again, noted how Jeanie Buss' presence as an executive producer led to some controversies being left unexplored.

"But given the control the family exerted over the project, you can't help wondering what else got left on the cutting room floor. And how much better this docuseries might be if they had left that stuff in."

CNN's Brian Lowry complimented "Legacy" for it's nostalgic tone, but like Deggans, believes that the Buss factor led to a "licensed product" instead of a tell-all documentary. 

"For the Lakers faithful, or frankly anyone interested in the NBA's surge from the Magic-Bird matchups through today, there's still a lot to like here. But 'Legacy' ultimately proves too committed to the Buss family's portion of this sprawling story."

Episodes one and two of "Legacy" premiered on Monday, with the rest of the episodes of the 10-part series rolling out on a weekly basis each Monday. 

The final episode will premier on October 10th.