Basketball followers have had a lot to take pleasure in in the way in which of high quality documentaries as of late. Earlier this yr, they have been handled to the discharge of the Olympics-centred docuseries Courtroom of Gold (which is out there to Netflix subscription holders). There’s additionally We Beat the Dream Workforce, and this Max subscription holder had fun with it. On that second platform, you’ll additionally discover Celtics Metropolis, a nine-part sequence centered across the historical past of the Boston Celtics. The present tackles its basketball materials effectively, however there’s far more to it than that.
To date, I’ve drastically loved what I’ve seen of the Celtics-centric miniseries, and that’s not simply because I’m a giant fan of the staff. It’s insightful, informative, and thrilling, and it presents an in depth have a look at the lore of one of many NBA’s most storied franchises. Nevertheless, there’s a facet of this manufacturing that I’m having fun with simply as a lot, if no more, than the athletics-related content material. It truly has to do with a subject associated to town of Boston.
Celtics Metropolis Doesn’t Maintain Again From Overlaying The Racial Stress In Boston And How It Intersects With The Workforce
As historical past tells us, town of Boston isn’t any stranger to battle relating to race. Like many different cities throughout the U.S., it skilled the waves of change sparked by the Civil Rights Motion within the Nineteen Sixties. It was throughout that very same cut-off date that Celtics chief Invoice Russell turned concerned in social causes. As a fan, I’ve lengthy recognized about Russell’s devotion to social justice, and I really like that this, together with different race-related matters, should not being glossed over in Celtics Metropolis.
The way in which by which the sequence chronicles Invoice Russell’s expertise is especially compelling. It explores that stark dichotomy between the admiration and respect he commanded on the basketball court docket and the unfairness he was nonetheless topic to in his personal group. Showrunner Gabe Honig and director Lauren Stowell additional drive that time residence by counterbalancing Russell’s expertise with that of teammate and fellow star Bob Cousy.
Celtics Metropolis’s exploration of race will get even deeper when the groups of the ‘70s are tackled within the third episode, “Chapter III: All Swept Up.” A very poignant portion of the installment revolves round lawyer and civil rights activist Ted Landsmark, who was assaulted by a white teenager with a flagpole holding the American flag often known as “Previous Glory.” That tragic second was in the end immortalized via the Pulitzer Prize-winning picture often known as “The Soiling of Previous Glory,” and numerous interviewees share their tackle the way it impacted their notion of the Massachusetts capital.
And, in fact, the present additionally covers the ‘80s and the rise of Larry Chicken, who many deemed to be “The Nice White Hope” – not only for the C’s however for the NBA as effectively. That additionally performed into the considerably racially charged rivalry between followers of Chicken’s Celtics and the Magic Johnson-led Lakers of that period.
What’s additionally spectacular is that the present additionally dives into the interpersonal relationships between the varied Celtics gamers of these aforementioned eras. Via the stellar interviews, viewers get a way of their private experiences, biases and extra. Briefly, what we get isn’t solely a docuseries that serves as an exploration of sports activities but in addition a case examine of societal strife and progress.
Sports activities Historical past Is Nonetheless At The Core Of Celtics Metropolis, And It’s Coated Skillfully
The thorough examination of social points apart, athletics stay on the coronary heart of this doc, and the manufacturing aptly covers that. This manufacturing is actually a love letter to the Celtics group and actually dives into the extra nuanced elements of the franchise. Stellar archive footage is woven into every episode, and there are many glorious interviews all through. I really like listening to from the likes of Larry Chicken, “Satch” Sanders and Robert Parish, but I’ve to say I actually relish the possibility to listen to tales from 96-year-old legend Bob Cousy.
I actually want that the late Invoice Russell have been nonetheless round to participate within the doc and lament the truth that a lot of different deceased Celtics icons can solely seem via archived chats. Nonetheless, there are many nice interviewees, together with rival gamers like Spencer Haywood, James Worthy and the late Jerry West. (Don’t count on to see Isiah Thomas of the Detroit Pistons, although.)
As of this writing, solely six of the 9 episodes of the present have debuted and whereas I’ve but to see if this docuseries will end out sturdy, I’ve cause to consider it should. What we’ve got here’s a doc that gives full entry and an unfiltered view of a selected facet of the NBA. In some methods, it’s just like The Final Dance. Nevertheless, as an alternative of utilizing a single staff led by a gravity-defying participant because the throughline, Celtics Metropolis skillfully carries the legacy of a whole franchise on its again – together with some social commentary.
You’ll be able to try the remaining episodes of Celtics Metropolis, which can hit Max on Mondays as a part of the 2025 TV schedule.