In the midst of COVID-19 keeping most of the country indoors, ESPN recently aired a documentary series detailing the 1997-1998 Chicago Bulls called “The Last Dance”. As of last Sunday night, the first four episodes have been released. While the series uses the 1997-1998 season as a baseline (the team granted filmmakers unprecedented access that year), the series jumps off to different timelines periodically. That final season is the common thread, but each episode tows another subject that deviates from the Bulls’ last title run. For example, episode one digs back into the origins of star-player Michael Jordan, episode two deals with the underappreciated Scottie Pippen, three with Dennis Rodman, and four with head coach Phil Jackson. All of these throwback segments lend context to the main subject, the 1997-1998 season. As we learn in the first episode, that season was fated as “The Last Dance” by Phil Jackson upon the realization that it would be the end for a team that had dominated the league for the better part of a decade.

While “The Last Dance” may feel like a re-tread at times for those that have seen “Michael Jordan to the Max” as well the ESPN 30 for 30 films “Jordan Rides the Bus”, “Bad Boys”, “When the Garden Was Eden” and “Rodman: For Better or Worse”, it succeeds in bringing a lot of behind-the-scenes footage and fresh interviews to the table. The most current episode features a segment detailing the Bulls triumph over the pesky Detroit Pistons in the 1991 NBA playoffs. In it, former Pistons guard Isiah Thomas tries to justify his team’s decision not to shake hands with the Bulls after the completion of the series. Cut to Jordan reviewing Isiah’s current explanation and saying, “you can show me anything you want, there’s now way you can convince me that he wasn’t an a*****e.” This is one of many examples in “The Last Dance” that brings old rivalries roaring back to life with all the acrimony of the past. It is difficult to imagine such tensions existing in the present NBA.

Along similar lines, the biggest thrills in the “The Last Dance” occur when we get a glimpse of Michael Jordan that deviates from the god-like image that has shrouded his mortality over the years. For younger generations especially, Jordan does not so much occupy the picture of man as he does a legendary logo and image of greatness encapsulated in a number of famous highlights. He is the only athlete I can think of that occupies that rare air. However, “The Last Dance” provides moments here and there where we can see the perseverance of MJ and the effort and grit that went into those iconic plays. My favorite of these was in episode three after the Bulls eliminated the heavily favored Cleveland Cavaliers in the 1989 NBA Playoffs on Jordan’s fabled buzzer-beating shot over Craig Ehlo. All I had seen up to that point was the shot itself and Jordan subsequently fist pumping into the history books. In “The Last Dance” we get to see more of the aftermath, a reporter runs up and says, “Michael you stuck it baby!” to which MJ responds with an exasperated “Yeah!” You can hear the shake in his voice. We also get the anecdote that upon hitting that shot Jordan actually said, “Go home motherf*****s, go home!” effectively sticking it to the sportswriters that had doubted his Bulls. Those are the moments that make “The Last Dance” great viewing.

My biggest issue with series thus far is that the filmmakers sometimes leave out information with the apparent intention of deifying Jordan beyond the truth. For example, the recap of the 1982 NCAA Championship game between North Carolina and Georgetown portrays Jordan’s game-winning shot as essentially a buzzer-beater. Jordan hits the shot, and then the scene cuts to North Carolina’s celebration. However, the filmmakers should have included the very next play in which the Hoyas’ Fred Brown erroneously passed the ball to North Carolina’s James Worthy in one of the most egregious turnovers in NCAA Tournament history. After being fouled, Worthy actually missed both of his free throws and Eric “Sleepy” Floyd ended up missing what would have been a buzzer-beating shot to win the Championship for Georgetown. So while Jordan did hit the game-winner, the way in which the ending was shown in “The Last Dance” feels a bit dishonest. The same can be said for the 1986 NBA Playoff matchup between the great Celtics led by Larry Bird and Jordan’s undermanned Bulls. “The Last Dance” goes into great detail for games 1 and 2, in which Jordan scored 49 and 63 points. Yet they again cut to the Celtics sweep of the Bulls and footage of Bird heaping praise on MJ with the famous line, “it’s just God disguised as Michael Jordan.” What isn’t mentioned is the third game which sealed the series for the Celtics, in which Jordan had just 19 points (albeit being only one assist shy of a triple-double).

These may seem like nit-picky complaints. However, I fear they may point to a larger issue with “The Last Dance”. It would have taken maybe 15 seconds of screen time to properly settle the ending to the 1982 Championship as well as the 1986 Celtics-Bulls playoff series. And I might add that it would have taken absolutely nothing away from Jordan’s accomplishments! Just from the first four episodes of “The Last Dance” we have been given an abundance of legendary Jordan moments. Leaving out little details like those aforementioned feels somewhat shady and biased. If the filmmakers are trying to spin certain aspects of the Jordan story, even minor ones, then what else are they spinning? Hopefully the next six episodes don’t raise any more red flags in this regard.

This complaint aside, “The Last Dance” is an undeniably well-made documentary that has provided a much-needed refresher of Jordan’s greatness. I never saw prime Michael Jordan but as a basketball fan I have been aware of his greatest hits. It is a real treat to see the backstory and behind-the-scenes of moments like the 63 point playoff outing and the shot over Ehlo. Even more so, it is interesting to see the dynamics of basketball management and coaching. One could argue that the drama off the court was as explosive as on-court, especially between GM Jerry Krause and Phil Jackson. If the rest of “The Last Dance” is anywhere as good as the first four segments, it should prove to be a madly entertaining if not completely forthright tribute to Michael Jordan and the 1997-1998 Chicago Bulls. Wrap-up review to follow the conclusion of the series.