ABC To Air "The Last Dance" On Free TV For Next Five Weekends

ABC "plans to air the popular 10-part documentary on Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls on free TV over the next five weekends," according to Phil Rosenthal of the CHICAGO TRIBUNE. Episodes 1 and 2 of "The Last Dance" will air beginning at 8:00pm ET on Saturday, and "two more episodes will be presented each Saturday through June 20." The ABC version will be the "one cleansed of profanities that originally ran on ESPN2 while an unexpurgated version aired on ESPN" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 5/20). CNN's Frank Pallotta wrote "The Last Dance" has been an "unexpected savior for ESPN by acting as a programming tourniquet." It helped ESPN "bring in sports-like ratings during a time when sports are on hold." Meanwhile, the network is "airing three new documentaries over the next few weeks from its '30 for 30' film brand." The films will "cover the lives of infamous cyclist Lance Armstrong and martial artist Bruce Lee as well as the 1998 home run chase between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa" (CNN.com, 5/19).