Playmakers - The Complete Series (2003)

This Series Must Continue

I stumbled onto this series while watching sports news on ESPN; I was immediately engaged. The writing was gritty and in your face, there was not a single weak character portrayed, and all aspects of a professional sports team were examined in uncompromising detail. Much has been written about the unfortunate reasons for this series' demise. However, I find it inconceivable that this excellent dramatic series cannot continue on another, independent channel, far from the clutches of the NFL gestapo. The series is that good and the unfinished stories of this team need to be told. December 6, 2007

I still watch it to this day

I do agree with most of the reviewers. This should have been put on HBO. The story was just a smidgen too short. They really should of considered a second season. Omar Gooding as an overhyped rookie turned junkie is SWEET!!! March 29, 2007

GREAT SERIES, TOO BAD IT'S NOT STILL AROUND

I think a non-NFL affiliated channel could really do well with this series, it's really great. I could see non-NFL fans tuning in to this series based on it's dramatic strengths alone, maybe A&E or Bravo, it would be a hit series.

I've not followed the NFL seriously since I was a kid/teenager but this made me want to get back into it and I could see my mother watching this too, not just NFL crazed dad!

It presents the time in-between Sundays and also does a marvelous job of gametime drama as well. These players live at the top their whole lives, women, money, influence, but it comes at a cost, physically, mentally and emotionally,this series chronicles just that. February 1, 2007

The Power Of The NFL & The Weakness Of ESPN

I will admit that I was very sceptical about Playmakers when ESPN made the initial announcement about the series. And while the show - in my opinion - took several weeks to really find some momentum, it turned out to be a very good dramatic series that addressed some serious societal & racial issues within the fictional pro football team, the Cougars, who played in The League.

Topics such as spousal abuse, homosexuality, recreational drug usage and steroids made for compelling storylines. Though critics took aim at the scripts for oftentimes being over the top, the cast - that included Omar Gooding, Jason Matthew Smith and Marcello Thedford - made it work. The actors believed in the series, which made for some harsh words directed at ESPN when it cancelled the show after one season.

The 11 episodes orignally ran from August 26 to November 11, 2003, with numerous replays. As the real storyline goes - proving again the fact is stranger than fiction - NFL executives weren't pleased with the series and basically told the ESPN brass that the fictional show goes off the air or the real football games will leave the network.

When the series was cancelled, there were rumors that Playmakers would find another network to call home. That never got past the "rumor" stage.

The storylines clearly demonstrate that Playmakers was building a strong foundation for a second season. But - in perhaps the best lesson of all - it showed how a multi-billion-dollar, multi-national corporation will become a program director to a compliant network and dictate what shows will air for any given season. January 9, 2007

EXCELLENT show!!!

I looked forward to watching this show every week. It doesn't have a light, fluffy story line and that's what made it so good. I love football but to see issues that happen to players behind the scenes was awesome! There's nothing in this show that most folks haven't heard or read about a player. I'm just disappointed that the show ended only after 11 episodes. December 15, 2006

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