The Tarnished Tale of the Clippers: A Gaudy and Campy Basketball Saga
As a die-hard basketball fan, I was excited to dive into FX’s new series, Clipped, which promises to take us on a wild ride through the world of the Los Angeles Clippers. Unfortunately, this gaudy and campy basketball docudrama falls flat, biting off more than it can chew.
The Clippers’ tumultuous history
The series, which premiered on Hulu, stars Laurence Fishburne as Doc Rivers, the team’s head coach who’s determined to bring the franchise its first NBA championship. But as he soon discovers, the Clippers are a second-rate franchise for a reason. From stale deli platters for lunch to penny-pinching roster moves, it’s clear that the team is in disarray.
The infamous Donald Sterling
At the center of the drama is team owner Donald Sterling, played by Ed O’Neill, who’s portrayed as a lumbering sleazebag. His “personal assistant” V. Stiviano, played by Cleopatra Coleman, elbows her way into team meetings, offering advice when she’s not scrolling through Instagram. Their relationship is grotesque, with V. slathering hair dye onto Sterling’s receding hairline while wearing a lacy bodysuit.
“Why are you taking pictures with minorities?”
Sterling’s wife, Shelly, played by Jacki Weaver, resents V.’s presence in her life, and when she files a lawsuit against her, the gloves come off. V. has been secretly recording her conversations with Donald, and when his highly unflattering quotes get leaked to the media, it explodes into a national scandal that shakes the team and the NBA itself.
V. Stiviano, the woman at the center of the scandal
As the drama unfolds, it’s clear that Clipped has all the makings of a juicy soap opera. But despite its promising premise, the series falls short, struggling to balance its tone and find its footing.
The Clippers’ logo, a symbol of the team’s tumultuous history
In the end, Clipped is a disappointing and overly ambitious attempt at capturing the drama of the NBA. While it’s clear that the creators had their hearts in the right place, the final product is a mess of gaudy drama and campy satire.
Basketball, the sport that brings us all together
Despite its flaws, Clipped is a reminder that the world of basketball is full of drama, scandal, and intrigue. And who knows? Maybe one day, we’ll get a series that truly does the sport justice.
