HBO's new series, "Ballers," strikes "an interesting tone," as it is "as much interested in the minds of athletes and ex-athletes -- their egos, their insecurities -- as it is in their on-the-field performances," according to Ken Tucker of YAHOO.com. Actor Dwayne Johnson "provides a terrific authenticity" in this regard. The success of the show "will depend on how much viewers like the Rock in this role." Tucker: "I think it’s his best performance yet" (YAHOO.com, 6/19). In L.A., Rob Lowman writes "Ballers" on the surface "looks like 'Entourage,'" but "proves more solid than that, partly thanks to the casting" of Johnson. The premise allows for a "deeper look into the culture of pro football," and the show "has potential to be a lot more than 'Entourage.'" So far, it is "going in the right direction" (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 6/19). In S.F., David Wiegand writes the theme that "fuels HBO's new comedy is "similar" to that of "Entourage." The show is "often very funny, thanks mostly" to the character played by Rob Corddry, but it also "has depth and an underlying poignancy" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 6/19). INDIEWIRE.com's Ben Travers gave the series a "B" rating, writing while the show "maintains the smooth-sailing feeling 'Entourage' perfected," Johnson's character "faces far more challenges" than "Entourage protagonist Vinnie Chase ever did. Exec Producer Stephen Levinson's show "has the opportunity to address a pertinent problem facing players, fans and the culture at large," but whether it will go "as far as it should is yet to be seen." "Ballers" earns its title by "taking the players' viewpoint; portraying football as a point of pride, love and newfound concern, in that order." Some "may say the show sugar-coats the topic or dodges it too often, but the HBO dramedy casts no illusion about" its primary focus: "fame and fortune." This theme "carries a welcome nod to reality" (INDIEWIRE.com, 6/18).
FLAG ON THE FIELD: SLATE's Jeff Beckham wrote "Ballers" had "so much potential -- but so far it’s less a dramatization of the very real stakes and spectacle of the NFL than it is Entourage for jocks." A nuanced domestic violence plot "could have been TV gold" in the wake of the Ray Rice scandal. But "Ballers" is a comedy, so it is "understandable that the show might not want to follow in the gritty footsteps of 'Playmakers.'" The worn-out storylines "might be salvageable with compelling characters or snappy writing, but 'Ballers' doesn’t have either one" (SLATE.com, 6/18). In N.Y., David Hinckley offers a three-star review out of five, writing the "sitcom side of the show's DNA sometimes makes the characters feel like caricatures." While the series "won't win the Super Bowl," it will "keep you watching" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 6/19). In Ft. Worth, Mac Engel wrote of the series, "Think Jerry McGuire on HGH only with considerably more sex, nudity and drug use." The show is "well produced," but it "fails to connect" through three episodes. The first three installments "create some fairly believable story lines that range from cliche to more cliche." Football fans will "be well versed in these stories." Johnson "may not be the second coming of Jack Nicholson, but he does have screen presence, and he certainly looks the part of an NFL player." Like "most" of director Peter Berg's work, the show is "not bad, but there is something missing" (STAR-TELEGRAM.com, 6/17).
