Dwayne Johnson
Omar Miller
John David Washington
Rob Corddry
Troy Garity
Jazmyn Simon

Created by:
Stephen Levinson

Comedy, Drama, Sports
2015-
HBO

TV-MA

In the aftermath of the departure of “Entourage,” what’s HBO to do for the portion of its audience that’s predominantly male? (The movie certainly didn’t do the trick.) Well, “Game of Thrones” has come and gone, and the summer’s here. So why not fill the void with “Ballers”? Like “Entourage,” “Ballers” is executive produced by Mark Wahlberg. And it gives us a behind-the-scenes look at a major media industry. But this time, it’s sports (football, that is) instead of acting. It’s Miami instead of Hollywood.

In this half-hour dramedy, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson plays the central character, Spencer Strasmore. He’s a retired NFL player who’s trying to make it as a financial adviser to the NFL’s elite. Johnson’s a much stronger presence here than Adrian Grenier ever was in “Entourage” or ever will be. He’s better than I thought he would be. That’s important, because this kind of show always comes with a mix of acting talent. So this fairly well-balanced cast is a necessity: The better actors support the weaker ones without calling too much attention to it. There isn’t a glaring discrepancy; and, for that, I’m grateful. It has an edge on “Entourage” in that regard.

Johnson’s joined by Omar Miller, John David Washington (former athlete and son of Denzel Washington), Rob Corddry as Strasmore’s boss (a much tamer version of Ari Gold), and Troy Garrity. They form the core of the acting ensemble, and they work well together. They give this show a nice rhythm. Plus, along with that, there’s enough style on display to provide the escapist pleasure that its target audience seeks. Peter Berg, who directed the pilot episode, made sure of that.

Since “Ballers” focuses a little more on the agents’ and advisers’ perspectives than on those of the athletes, it’s a logical step to take after “Entourage.” In addition, the casting of real athletes doesn’t get in the way. They don’t have to shoulder the burden of carrying the show. As for depth: Of course, there’s not much there. But they do provide a bit of texture via Strasmore’s precarious financial and physical states. There isn’t a lot of it, but there are enough hints that he’s teetering on the edge of a precipice to ground the show just a tad. Not too much, though, because that’s not why this is here. “Ballers” still features flashy cars, naked women, and macho dialogue. (Feminists, beware!) It’s fitting for the season.

Verdict: Good

About: (Source: ballers)

‘Ballers’ is a new half-hour comedy series starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. The first season begins its 10-episode run on June 21, 2015 at 10 pm. Looking at the lives of former and current football players former superstar Spencer Strasmore as he gets his life on track in retirement while mentoring other current and former players through the daily grind of the business of football. Rob Corrdry, Omar Benson Miller, John David Washington, Donovan Carter, Troy Garity, Jazmyn Simon, and Arielle Kebbel also star. Created and executive produced by Steve Levinson; executive produced by Mark Wahlberg, Peter Berg, Dany Garcia, Julian Farino, Evan Reilly and Rob Weiss.