If fans entered the second season of HBO's "24/7" documentary series believing it "might not match its predecessor," they need to "think again," according to Bruce Dowbiggin of the GLOBE & MAIL. HBO’s camera work "and editing (and at times the budget) make network TV hockey telecasts look like silent films by comparison." The storytelling techniques "remain from Year 1 -- getting to know the coaches’ profanity penchants, the players’ apprehensions and joys, the enormous risks of injury endured by the players." Even though the camera presence "tilts reality, it doesn't destroy." Dowbiggin asks, "Can we get narrator Liev Schreiber to hand out the Stanley Cup instead of the commissioner, please?" (GLOBE & MAIL, 12/16). In Montreal, Dave Stubbs notes Flyers G Ilya Bryzgalov's "profound musings about the universe, Russian liquor and illegal tiger-poaching in China stole the show in Episode 1." Compared with last year, this week's "first 60 minutes of 24/7 were tame -- unofficially, only 43 f-bombs fell, swamped by the 68 of last season's premiere." Bryzgalov, "meanwhile, need not have uttered a single 'heck' to be awarded first star Wednesday." The show is "at times profane and juvenile; often it's voyeuristically revealing." But "every minute is compelling." Stubbs: "And Bryzgalov? The man is pure gold" (Montreal GAZETTE, 12/16).
PLAYERS' PERSPECTIVE: Lightning C Steven Stamkos said, "Just from a sports fan’s perspective, it’s really cool to see behind-the-scenes stuff they don’t get to see on an everyday basis." He added, "I think everybody in this room would be happy to do a show like that. It’s great for the game. I can’t wait to watch the next episode." Flames D Scott Hannan said, "It brings the fans right into the room. It’s an exciting look at what happens every day. You see the glitz and the glamour, but (also) that we’re regular guys." Flames RW Lee Stempniak: "It shows the human side to hockey players, which is sometimes missed. People look at it as -- I don’t want to say robots -- but that you’re just a hockey player and you don’t have a life. You don’t really do anything other than play hockey. It does a good job of putting the human side on a lot of things. I think it’s great" (Scott Cruickshank, CALGARY HERALD, 12/16).
REALITY TV NOT GOING ANYWHERE: USA TODAY's Michael Hiestand notes since HBO's "inaugural 'Hard Knocks' a decade ago, behind-the-scenes shows have spread from the NFL to virtually every sport on various networks." Hiestand: "So this seems odd: Suggestions that HBO's 24/7 NHL series ... has gone from being a fly on the wall to one that's creating a distracting buzz." HBO Producer Scott Boggins said that HBO "isn't doing anything different from last year's NHL 24/7, when it happened to be following the Washington Capitals through an eight-game losing streak." Boggins said that the Rangers "haven't asked HBO's crew to leave a room and he hasn't seen players play to the cameras." Hiestand writes because leagues "love to see their players personalized, the sports reality genre will only get bigger" (USA TODAY, 12/16).
