Carter's star vehicle rolls on

Updated: April 19, 2000, 6:32 PM ET

Email Share

By Tim Keown
ESPN The Magazine
Archive | Contact

Ratings were down. Seats were empty. Suits were antsy. But now that the playoffs are here, the NBA has a chance to make us forget the lackluster season, the way Regis more than made up for The Secret Lives of Men, the way The Sopranos aesthetically rubs out Arli$$. The good news for the league is that charismatic stars (VC, Shaq Fu, The Answer) and compelling story lines (all-for-one Blazers, one-for-all Hornets) are already in place. The NBA just has to take a page out of the TV listings.

The Concept
New kid in town, with sparkly image and magical skills, is asked to resurrect the fortunes of a struggling league. Think Superman meets Northern Exposure.

The Plot
Sometimes a star vehicle comes along that so taps into the zeitgeist that everyone has to sit up and take notice. Cosby. Seinfeld. And, now, Carter! The young, brash VC lords over every scene with his look-at-me style and look-out-below vertical leap. Right from the pilot we see Vince as sort of a basketball Jerry -- single, close to his parents, with a group of friends who can't live without him. The producers were wise to pick Toronto as the setting, a symbolic nod to Broadway's custom of opening shows in the sticks. The result: a cast that hums. Carter, of course, is magnificent throughout, highlight-heaven as he stretches the opposition from three-point range and helps his mates on D. As the series progresses, the characters are allowed room to grow. VC's cousin and sidekick, Tracy, wins a battle against his own selfish instincts and becomes one of the team's best passers and rebounders. (We're not giving away too much by revealing an intriguing subplot built around rumors of Tracy's imminent departure.) And once the old hands (Oak, Kevin Willis, Antonio Davis) are freed from picking up after the youngsters, they turn back the clock -- and make us feel young again. The team rebounding heroically after a late- season swoon provides some of the most riveting TV of the season. Carter! may have the scent of a remake, but VC makes it work.

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

ESPN The Magazine subscribers

Activate your Insider account »
Need more information?

View Insider Benefits »

ESPN MAGAZINE