Episode Guide
The NBA is a professional basketball league that is currently playing in the United States. The league has been around since 1946 and has had a total of 16 teams. The Haterade is an online sports magazine that was founded in 2006. The Review Score is a measure of how well a sports magazine does in terms of critical acclaim and ratings from readers. The Mano A Mano is an online blog that was founded in 2009. It covers news, opinion, and analysis related to the NBA. The We Good? is an online store that sells NBA memorabilia and accessories. It was founded in 2007 and has since sold over $100,000 worth of products. The 24 Hour Person is an online column written by reporters for the Haterade and the Review Score who cover all things basketball related during 24 hours per day. Finally, the All On The Line is an online column written by reporters for both publications who cover all things basketball related throughout the entire week long.
The show, which is set in the fictional town of West Egg on Long Island, follows the lives of a group of high school students as they compete in various sports events. While there are some interesting plot lines and characters, the overall feel of the show is very formulaic and unoriginal.
Jace Carson is a teenage basketball phenom who is on the rise to stardom. However, in the 10 episodes of this season, Jace learns that he has to work hard if he wants to stay on top. He must learn how to manage his own time and focus on his team, rather than letting his emotions get in the way.
While the focus does remain on Jace for large stretches of the story, there is also an equal emphasis on some of his teammates too. Fellow teammates Royale, Phil and Nick Mendez all get their own subplots here, while Crystal Jarrett is completely underutilized in what is arguably one of the most important storylines. Her abuse at the hands of her coach is easily the most harrowing moment of the season but it’s frustratingly swept aside for large swathes of the run-time. ..
The show’s first four or five episodes are well-done in depicting the trials and tribulations of a youth basketball team. However, around episode 5 onward, the focus shifts from the basketball to real world issues. The execution though feels completely forced into the story in an unnatural way. ..
The show does feel like it’s pandering to a certain audience, especially in the way that it implements these ideas. It feels like a lot of shows in the west have completely slipped up with, to tell the truth. The only example of a show injecting COVID into a story naturally is that of K-drama Happiness, using COVID as a spring-board for a post-apocalyptic zombie thriller, examining the very real human condition of selfless and selfishness.
The basketball action is good, but the story lags and is too condensed. ..
Swagger is not a slam dunk. There are some good ideas here, but the story is dragged out unnecessarily and the focus is misplaced. This makes for a disappointing watch. ..
