Shaq and Kobe were only teammates for a few years, but their
partnership radically redefined the NBA for years to come.
Shaq and Kobe were supernovas, overtaking the entire NBA and
eclipsing everything around them. Other than Allen Iverson, I don’t remember
much about the NBA at the turn of the 21st century beyond Shaq and Kobe’s
Lakers.
When this year’s Emmy nominations were announced, I realized
I watched many of the nominated shows but only Succession and Barry mattered.
Yes, I did like Shrinking, and wondered why Harrison Ford didn’t get a
nomination. Yes, I watched Ted Lasso, but I’m simply happy that’s done. Those
hour-long episodes were a horrible mistake. And yes, I watched I think You Should Leave and I talk like Tim Robinson too often.
Succession and Barry operated in and existed on a completely
different level. The shows were so good that I never watched them as they aired
on Sunday nights back-to-back. What kind of a monster has the emotional ability
to handle all that? We would usually watch Succession on Sunday night, and then
watch Barry on delay the next day.
Both shows had their season finales in May, which is not
even two months ago as I write this. Those episodes feel as if they simultaneously
aired yesterday and 20 years ago.
The reason is that both finales were instantly bona fide classic episodes of television. Sometimes, series finales miss the mark. Okay,
often, they miss the mark. That’s a problem with American television, because
the shows usually last until the audience has grown weary, and they fade away.
Not with Succession and Barry. Like the end of the Shaq and
Kobe partnership in 2004, each show was still in its prime and had plenty to give
if the creators wanted.
Again, much like Phil Jackson knew the Shaq/Kobe partnership
needed to end, those running Succession and Barry knew their stories has
reached their apex. There was no need to continue. Go out on top. Let the world
know. Those Lakers, of course, famously botched the landing vs the Pistons in
2004. Succession and Barry nailed it.
I write this because I do not have the proper review critic
skills to aptly describe how or why Succession and Barry were so good.
For Succession, the show captured late-stage capitalism and
the insanity from billionaire power brokers in a way that did not make them
seem cool or aspirational. You may like some of the characters, but at the end
of the day, you’re mostly annoyed with how these idiots are shaping the future
of our country and our democracy.
For Barry, the show took a turn that I’ve never seen before.
It started out as a legitimate comedy show about a terrible topic, and turned
into a riveting, mind-racing drama starring one of the funniest comedians in
America. And - minor spoiler alert - the show ended with easily its funniest
bit ever. How is that possible?
As I think about Shaq and Kobe’s Lakers, I’m reminded how
little I cared in the moment. I didn’t truly understand I was watching history.
It was just two of the all-time bests as their peak, and it wasn’t until years
later, that I realized I was so lucky to watch those games.
Two months later, those shows are gone. There’s a writer’s
strike and an actor’s strike. There is nothing of note announced for the fall.
HBO Max has been removed of the HBO label in an effort to appeal to the masses.
Cable television is dead. Streaming has become a dead end, split amongst too
many competitors putting forth too many hours of content.
In the entire history of television of a medium, I’m not
sure two shows as completely different, yet as incredible, as Succession and
Barry aired back-to-back.
Unfortunately, I am sure that it’ll never happen again. TV
shows being scheduled together like that is a concept appears dead. Networks
need more time for reality shows the Prank Panel, American’s Next Top Wonderdog, and the Bachelor.
Ratings for the NBA fell off a cliff when Shaq and Kobe went
their separate ways, and it took about a decade for the rise of LeBron James to
turn the tide.
Maybe there’s another duo like Succession and Barry lurking in the minds of a creative genius somewhere. We won’t see it for a while. We’ll be lucky if it’s only a decade of waiting for another duo like Succession and Barry on a Sunday night.
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