ESPN’s 10-part documentary series about Michael Jordan, The Last Dance, has become “appointment viewing” for fans around the country on Sunday nights. The Ranch star Danny Masterson even believes that the series has replaced one of HBO’s heavy-hitters. He says that The Last Dance is the new Game of Thrones.
“I mean. #thelastdance is the new game of thrones. #got@espn,” Masterson tweeted amid The Last Dance hype. The fantasy series is one that generated constant conversation on Twitter during its eight-season run and was also believed to be appointment viewing. Fans tuned in at the same time to watch each episode as it aired. They then discussed all of the plot points with friends and followers on social media. Masterson believes that the documentary series is having the same effect.
“I grew up in the 90’s, but unfortunately, the Bulls dynasty is something that I wasn’t quite old enough to understand. This series is definitely an eye opener for how incredible Jordan was, and how great they all were as a team!” one person wrote in response to Masterson’s statement. Others simply asked if they would enjoy the series despite not liking the NBA.
To Masterson’s point, The Last Dance is a series that has been creating fans with each episode. One reason why is that Jordan has occasionally taken a backseat to other colorful characters during the series. Dennis Rodman, Carmen Electra, Scottie Pippen and many others have all been featured and discussed, much to the fans’ delight. The series has even made social media users call for documentaries about other prominent players.
“It’s been a joy to watch it. It’s unbelievable insight like we’ve never gotten before into Jordan and that entire team,” Houston Texans defender J.J. Watt said about The Last Dance. “It’s been a lot of fun to watch, and it’s fun to watch in today’s world with Twitter where everybody kind of comments on the show as they watch. So it’s really cool to sit down and watch it while having Twitter open because you can see everybody’s reaction in real-time.”
While The Last Dance has entertained Masterson and other fans in recent weeks, they will soon have to accept its end. The series is only 10 parts long, despite joking claims from Stephen Colbert that it will reach 142 in the near future. The final two episodes will air on Sunday, May 17, likely showcasing Jordan’s final retirement from the NBA. The fans will be sad to see the series end, but they will be much happier with its finale than the end of Game of Thrones.
