by Samuel Nichols, Contributing Writer
There is nothing to be admired about reality television. It usually shallow and vapid people, often competing for money, and putting on their best face for a camera to further their career off camera. It is a selfish endeavor to be on one of these programs. On top of that, there are numerous accounts from on-set talent that what happens on the tube is not what happened in front of the camera. It is a constructed narrative to give viewers something to watch. Is there some truth to it? Sure. Are the people all terrible? No. On top of that, it is not an inherently selfish thing to win some prize money. Especially if the rules of the game are clear. But it is not an actual reality in front of our eyes. This sums up my feelings about Starting 5 on Netflix as well.
Over the course of the 2023-2024 NBA season, five NBA stars were followed by a documentary crew which documented both their professional and personal lives. Jimmy Butler, Anthony Edwards, LeBron James, Domantas Sabonis, and Jayson Tatum were our proverbial starting five. Over the nine-month run of the season, we watched these All-Stars go through the ups and downs and turmoil associated with an 82-game run. They rehabbed through injuries, played in tournaments, and juggled their personal lives.
From a creative sense, the behind-the-scenes part of this show is about as artful as the political ads that have been harassing me for months. “Hey, I’m LeBron James, and I love my family and I work hard.” “Hi I’m Jayson Tatum and my jumper isn’t that bad and my kid is cute!” Okay I’m not trying to dump on these athletes too much. But the in-person interviews with them felt very uneventful and not very insightful. All of them are so media coached that it’s rare we would get something personal or controversial from them. There are a few honest moments in there, particularly when Jimmy Butler is dealing with his father’s passing, but there are more transparent moments on the court.
In the games when players are giving their all, it comes across way less polished. This should be obvious, but when these superstars are actually playing basketball, they don’t have the energy to focus on their image. They are flying around the court making split-second decisions that take their full concentration. That’s the part of this that feels the most honest. So I appreciate that part of the show at a minimum.
My issue with these kinds of show is they are trying to add context to a thing that is over, and most of what has been added, I already know. Now, I’m a lot more in-the-know than most NBA fans, so maybe some folks will find the drama of the season interesting. But I already know what’s happening. I knew Butler got hurt in the play-in tournament. The Celtics and Tatum already cake walked to the title. James broke the 40,000 points mark months ago. You’re late, Netflix.
What’s even worse is the editing here cuts critical information out of the story of this NBA season. Like, there are almost two full episodes near the end of Starting 5 that talk about Edwards and the Timberwolves making the Western Conference Finals. But they got run out of the series in five games by the Dallas Mavericks. And that takes place in about 10 minutes. A big deal is made of LeBron and the Lakers first round series playing the defending champion Nuggets. It takes up about an episode of time. But not a single expert thought the Lakers had a real chance in that series. They hadn’t beaten the Nuggets since 2023. It’s not worth our time. I get it you have to follow your subjects. But as an NBA fan, it’s like you’re telling me things I already know and don’t care about. Do better, Netflix.
Rating: Low Side of It Was Just Okay
Starting 5 is currently streaming on Netflix
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