‘The Last Dance’ Review: ESPN’s Chicago Bulls Docuseries Exceeds The Hype

For the better part of the ’90s there was the NBA and then there was the Chicago Bulls. It’s rare for one team to overshadow an entire league, but even the most ardent fans of formidable squads from New York, Utah, Orlando, and Houston recognize the all-encompassing allure of Michael Jordan. Greatness is common in professional sports, but true excellence is rarified air, which is why MJ’s dual three-peats (91-93, 96-98) are lionized to an almost mythical extent.

Jordan was a supernatural NBA Jam avatar who consumed the conversation. Growing up, I was an emotional fan of the Phoenix Suns, but a reflexive admirer of the Bulls. MJ was never literally on fire, but he provided enough Boomshakalaka moments to make you believe otherwise. Both the legend and the reality of Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls are intently explored in ESPN’s expansive 10-part docuseries The Last Dance.

Cue John Tesh’s iconic “NBA on NBC” theme.

Premiering this Sunday on ESPN, the series chronicles the untold story of Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls dynasty. Directed by Jason Hehir (who also helmed HBO’s exceptional 2018 documentary on Andre the Giant), back-to-back episodes will air for five weeks, concluding on May 17. The narrative backbone of the documentary is the final season of the Jordan/Scottie Pippen/Phil Jackson squad (97-98), but The Last Dance is a wide-ranging 10-hour jaunt that explores the entirety of MJ’s basketball career.

The title of the docuseries refers to the peculiar internal circumstances surrounding the 97-98 season. The personal animosity between Bulls General Manager Jerry Krause and Chicago Head Coach Phil Jackson became so severe that Krause announced that the 97-98 season would be the last for Jackson, who at that point had guided Chicago to five titles in seven years. With Jordan declaring that he’d only play for Jackson, the contentious relationship between Pippen and Bulls management hanging on by a thread, and the constant air of uncertainty surrounding Dennis Rodman, Chicago was the rare dynasty that possessed a definitive expiration date.

How exactly does this trove of never-before-seen footage even exist? Prior to the 97-98 season, the Bulls granted unprecedented access to a film crew for their forthcoming title defense, resulting in a rare peek behind the curtain at one of the most fascinating teams in NBA history. Featuring detailed interviews with almost all of the key players (Jordan, Pippen, Rodman, Jackson, Steve Kerr, Toni Kukoč), the docuseries delivers a riveting exploration of a historic team.

Each episode of The Last Dance (I’ve seen the first five) toggles between Jordan and another key contributor of the team, with the first half of the series focusing on Krause, Pippen, Rodman, and Jackson. The doc offers new insights on familiar topics (the Jordan/Isiah Thomas rivalry, Scottie Pippen’s contract issues, “The Shot,” those legendary Dream Team scrimmages, Rodman’s Vegas vacation), while also offering enough narrative context for anyone who doesn’t know their Bill Wennington from their Jud Buechler.

Much like Jordan himself, The Last Dance is unrelenting in its quest for greatness. If you’re a fan of the Chicago Bulls, you’ll love it. If you hate the Chicago Bulls, you’ll also love it. Long story short, you’ll love it.

“Michael played every game as if it was his last,” long-time Jordan confidant and former NFL star turned sportscaster Ahmad Rashād says in Episode 1. “Every. Single. Game. There was never a day off. He knew there was gonna be someone in that crowd that never saw him play before. That’s what kept him going.”

The first two episodes of The Last Dance air Sunday, April 19 from 9:00-11:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Where to stream The Last Dance