ESPN, Netflix to debut documentary series “The Last Dance” on April 20
Today it was announced that “The Last Dance,” the highly anticipated 10-part documentary series, will debut on Netflix beginning Monday, 20 April with two new episodes weekly. The series will also be available in the U.S. on ESPN.
The series, directed by Jason Hehir (“The Fab Five,” “The ’85 Bears,” “Andre the Giant”), chronicles one of the greatest icons and most successful teams in sports history, Michael Jordan and the 1990s Chicago Bulls, and features never-before-seen footage from the 1997-98 season as the team pursued its sixth NBA championship in eight years.
In the fall of 1997, Michael Jordan, Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf and head coach Phil Jackson agreed to let an NBA Entertainment film crew follow the team all season long. The result would be a remarkable portrait of an iconic player and a celebrated team – a portrait only now being revealed, more than two decades later, in “The Last Dance.”
As the series weaves its way through the tumultuous 1997-98 season, viewers will be transported back to how it all began – from Jordan’s childhood roots, the Bulls’ dire circumstances before Jordan’s arrival and how the team was built after drafting Jordan in 1984, to the struggles that eventually led to the team’s first NBA championship. As the series takes the audience through the Bulls’ first five championships, viewers will experience the off-court challenges, struggles and triumphs that were a part of the culture-shifting phenomenon created by Jordan and the Bulls.
It’s an unlikely scenario that serves as a fascinating backdrop for the inside tale of the 1998 championship run, with extensive profiles of Jordan’s key teammates including Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman and Steve Kerr, head coach Phil Jackson, and featuring dozens of current-day interviews with rivals and luminaries from basketball and beyond. All throughout, the tension and conflict that defined that final championship run are very much on display.
“Michael Jordan and the ‘90s Bulls weren’t just sports superstars, they were a global phenomenon,” said director Jason Hehir. “Making ‘The Last Dance’ was an incredible opportunity to explore the extraordinary impact of one man and one team. For nearly three years, we searched far and wide to present the definitive story of an era-defining dynasty and to present these sports heroes as humans. I hope viewers enjoy watching our series as much as we enjoyed the opportunity to make it.”
The result is one of the most fascinating sports documentary series ever produced – a series viewers won’t want to miss. The full episodic documentary will debut on Netflix outside of the U.S. and on ESPN in the U.S. as follows:
NETFLIX
Monday, 20 April – 12:01 a.m. PT – “The Last Dance” Episodes 1 and 2
Monday, 27 April – 12:01 a.m. PT – “The Last Dance” Episodes 3 and 4
Monday, 4 May – 12:01 a.m. PT – “The Last Dance” Episodes 5 and 6
Monday, 11 May – 12:01 a.m. PT – “The Last Dance” Episodes 7 and 8
Monday, 18 May – 12:01 a.m. PT – “The Last Dance” Episodes 9 and 10
ESPN
Sunday, 19 April
9 p.m. ET – Premiere of “The Last Dance” Episode 1
10 p.m. ET – Premiere of “The Last Dance” Episode 2
Sunday, 26 April
7 p.m. ET – Re-air of “The Last Dance” Episode 1
8 p.m. ET – Re-air of “The Last Dance” Episode 2
9 p.m. ET – Premiere of “The Last Dance” Episode 3
10 p.m. ET – Premiere of “The Last Dance” Episode 4
Sunday, 3 May
7 p.m. ET – Re-air of “The Last Dance” Episode 3
8 p.m. ET – Re-air of “The Last Dance” Episode 4
9 p.m. ET – Premiere of “The Last Dance” Episode 5
10 p.m. ET – Premiere of “The Last Dance” Episode 6
Sunday, 10 May
7 p.m. ET – Re-air of Episode 5
8 p.m. ET – Re-air of Episode 6
9 p.m. ET – Premiere of Episode 7
10 p.m. ET – Premiere of Episode 8
Sunday, 17 May
7 p.m. ET – Re-air of “The Last Dance” Episode 7
8 p.m. ET – Re-air of “The Last Dance” Episode 8
9 p.m. ET – Premiere of “The Last Dance” Episode 9
10 p.m. ET – Premiere of “The Last Dance” Episode 10
