Playmakers - The Complete First Season

Rating:
Summary: Playmakers
Review: this show is by far my favorite of all time. it is compelling and exciting and its storylines are among the best imaginable. the characters were stereotypical but accurate dipictions of modern day nfl players. if you are a football fan or a fan of excellent dramas, this is the show for you.

Rating:
Summary: Great show; ESPN(DISNEY) & NFL must be short-sighted idiots!
Review: This was and is a great show; I couldn't believe it was coming
from ESPN and not HBO. The writing and acting were excellent, the
filming (in HD widescreen ) and soundtrack (Dolby digital as I recall)
made it all that much better.

But I was extremely disappointed, but not surprised, to learn
that ESPN/"Disney" management decided to cancel it after one
stunning season because it depicted "negative images" of the NFL.
Keep in mind that these Disney people are the same people that
attempted to stop distribution of Michael Moore's movie
(which I haven't seen and have no opinion of, for or against).
Actually, I didn't see the "negative images" as a focus of the
show at all. Although each episode was sprinkled with numerous
situations that players were involved with, overall it was still
tamer than the bad press several NFL players received in 2003
over similar circumstances. This is probably the reason for the
"pull," that 2003 left so many tarnished images of "NFL players
in trouble" that some overly-cautious "suits" decided to kill
any program that may remind us of it.

[Potential spoiler] As a final word, I think the crew already
knew their show was over when they filmed the last scene of the
final episode, where the coach looks at the TV and says "turn it
off" and the screen clicks to black. It seemed more final than
something heading for a second season. I remember being very
touched by the ending and the feeling that even though there
was plenty of room left in the plot and the cast,
they would not be allowed to return.





Rating:
Summary: Best Show Ever!!!
Review: To start things off, I just want to say that I'm just a casual fan of football (the only sport that I'm really passionate about is hockey) but since I saw the ESPN original movie, "Junction Boys" I knew that Playmakers was going to be a hit from the moment I saw the first commercial for it. However, I had no idea how good it would really turn out to be. I was addicted immediately! From the moment the show's run started until it ended I made sure that I saw (and taped) EVERY SINGLE episode. If I would miss is it one week (which happened VERY rarely) I would make sure that none of my friends would talk about the episode in front of me the next day in school. This way I could see the episode I missed right before the next one aired and not know what was going to happen. This show has to be my favorite show of all time eventhough it was only on for one season. When I heard there wasn't going to be a new season I flipped out and I still haven't forgiven the NFL. I can only hope that ESPN makes more dramatic shows in the near future and that another network will pick up Playmakers quickly (HBO or Showtime would be perfect!).

Rating:
Summary: Not Your Father's Football
Review: What an opportunity ESPN lost when they succumbed to Paul Tagliabue's "take it off the air" threat. Playmakers is nothing short of remarkable television sports drama about a fictional NFL team "The Cougars." From the get-go, things are not what they seem and we watch as owners, management, players, media and fans try to make the world of football the scrubbed up product we watch in our homes every week. What is swept up under the carpet though is the real world, which includes drug addiction, a world of crime, cancer, homophobia, sexuality, aging, rage, racial discrimination, injury and fear. Sadly that's all the NFL seemed to see in this series. What they blinded themselves to was the show was also filled with hope, compassion, loyalty, friendship, and the bond that sports can bring between human beings.

A uniquely powerful show that should hold appeal for every football fan, but also to those with little interest in professional sports.

Now, if only another network could bravely take on a second season!


Rating:
Summary: Too true to life for its own good
Review: When Playmakers first aired on ESPN, I was skeptical enough that I refused to watch the show, and I was glad it eventually got cancelled. After having watched the series on DVD, however, I see that my beliefs about it were not only wrong, but unfounded.

While the acting isn't on a level with some other cable shows, it's good enough to make most of the characters believable. I enjoyed the fact that they're all fallible, that they have problems and insecurities away from the playing field.

I also think it's interesting that some here have criticized the show for only showing the "dark" side of the game. First, it likely wouldn't be a very entertaining show if it was all sunshine, with the team winning and every player acting the perfect citizen. Secondly, I don't think it shows the "dark" side so much as the "real" side of pro sports. Considering that several NFL players have tested positive for steroids and that Ricky Williams and Koren Robinson are both having suspensions placed upon them for drug use, I don't think the show is any darker than reality. A good show, even for non-football fans.