"Clipped" converts Donald Sterling's downfall from the Clippers into a strong gold series.
A Multi-Faceted Tale: "Clipped" on Hulu
This title carries various meanings, with the audio of Donald Sterling making outrageous racist remarks about black people attending Clippers games being a significant factor in his downfall. The show "Clipped" focuses on four different aspects, each thoroughly explored in its six episodes.
The first aspect is Sterling, whose treatment of his primarily black players included showcasing his rich associates in the team's locker room so they could ogle the athletes. One of the more bizarre moments has Sterling leading star Blake Griffin (Austin Scott) like a child at a swanky party where the players feel uneasy.
The Sterling story is primarily driven by the two crucial women in his life at the time: His wife, Shelly (Jacki Weaver), who had put up with her husband's infidelities for a long time; and his assistant, V. Stiviano (Cleopatra Coleman), an aspiring reality TV star who played a crucial role in initiating the revelation of Sterling's foul language by recording her boss.
The second subject is Doc Rivers (Laurence Fishburne), the experienced coach who took up the Clippers job well aware of the hurdles associated with its crazy owner ["I like a challenge," he says early on]. Before the scandal blew up, Rivers had to handle Sterling's inquiries about player decisions, like "My dermatologist says everyone's looking at this guy."
Unlike "Winning Time" on HBO about the 1980s Lakers, the series benefits from the strange characters that made up the Clippers during that period - none more peculiar than Sterling. (It's almost helpful to revisit Sterling’s behavior in old clips to grasp that O'Neill's performance isn't-too-much exaggeration.)
The most touching perspective is Stiviano's strangeness. She recognizes Sterling as her golden goose and ticket to where she wants to be, all while watching Shelly scowl as she drives up to an event in her shiny Ferrari.
Rivers, on the other hand, found himself in a difficult predicament. As a black man who worked for an undoubtedly racist owner, he faced an uphill battle to maintain his team and prevent a boycott during a realistic playoff run, even while TMZ camped out at his door.
Derived from the ESPN podcast The Sterling Scandal under the supervision of executive producer Gina Welch, and premiering a decade after the situation occurred and on the eve of the NBA Finals, the series also delves into the predicament facing the league. Sterling maintains the entire issue is "A big nothing" right up to the point when the NBA, under new commissioner Adam Silver, bans him and compels the sale of his franchise in 2014.
Hulu has been responsible for many intriguing true-story programming, and few are more suited to the limited-series format than this. Despite the Clippers never claiming an NBA championship, "Clipped" transforms the mess that Sterling caused into a noteworthy success.
The six-episode series “Clipped” premieres on Hulu on June 4th.
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The show "Clipped" also offers an exploration of the entertainment industry's role in the scandal, as V. Stiviano seeks to leverage her connection with Sterling to further her own career in reality TV.
Furthermore, the series highlights the impact of the scandal on the entertainment industry, with Doc Rivers facing challenges in maintaining his team and preventing a boycott amidst the racist controversy, ultimately showcasing Entertainment as a lens through which the consequences of Sterling's actions are magnified.
