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Playmakers

  • TV Series
  • 2003
  • TV-MA
  • 8h 11m
IMDb RATING
8.4/10
1.5K
YOUR RATING
Tony Denison, Omar Gooding, Russell Hornsby, Jason Matthew Smith, Marcello Thedford, and Christopher Wiehl in Playmakers (2003)
CrimeDramaSport

The series is a gritty ensemble drama about the off-field lives of a group of players on a pro football team and how they deal with the pressure of being on the professional level.The series is a gritty ensemble drama about the off-field lives of a group of players on a pro football team and how they deal with the pressure of being on the professional level.The series is a gritty ensemble drama about the off-field lives of a group of players on a pro football team and how they deal with the pressure of being on the professional level.

  • Creator
    • John Eisendrath
  • Stars
    • Tony Denison
    • Omar Gooding
    • Russell Hornsby
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    8.4/10
    1.5K
    YOUR RATING
    • Creator
      • John Eisendrath
    • Stars
      • Tony Denison
      • Omar Gooding
      • Russell Hornsby
    • 18User reviews
    • 4Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 3 nominations total

    Episodes11

    Browse episodes
    TopTop-rated1 season2003

    Photos16

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    Top cast99+

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    Tony Denison
    Tony Denison
    • Coach George
    • 2003
    Omar Gooding
    Omar Gooding
    • Demetrius Harris
    • 2003
    Russell Hornsby
    Russell Hornsby
    • Leon Taylor
    • 2003
    Jason Matthew Smith
    Jason Matthew Smith
    • Eric Olczyk
    • 2003
    Marcello Thedford
    Marcello Thedford
    • Kelvin 'Buffalo' James
    • 2003
    Christopher Wiehl
    Christopher Wiehl
    • Derek McConnell
    • 2003
    Bruce Gray
    Bruce Gray
    • Gene Wilbanks
    • 2003
    Stephen Bogaert
    Stephen Bogaert
    • Phil Chambers
    • 2003
    Phillip Jarrett
    Phillip Jarrett
    • Coach Rudman
    • 2003
    Karen LeBlanc
    Karen LeBlanc
    • Robin Taylor
    • 2003
    Dan Petronijevic
    Dan Petronijevic
    • Thad Guerwitcz
    • 2003
    Thea Andrews
    Thea Andrews
    • Samantha Lovett
    • 2003
    Sasha Roiz
    Sasha Roiz
    • Stephen Lyles
    • 2003
    Orlando Bowen
    Orlando Bowen
    • 2003
    Andrew Martin
    Andrew Martin
    • 2003
    Kevin Jubinville
    Kevin Jubinville
    • Dr. Gatewood
    • 2003
    Gabriel Hogan
    Gabriel Hogan
    • Guard Dog Fredericks
    • 2003
    Michael Miller
    • 2003
    • Creator
      • John Eisendrath
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews18

    8.41.5K
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    Featured reviews

    SonicStuart

    Not bad really

    Playmakers I thought was a good show, but I can't be believed why they cancelled this show when I heard that it had some good ratings. But I guess the NFL (National Football League) decided to cancel this show. This show was about a bunch of football players on a football team who have some of these players that get into trouble or dealing with other serious issues in this dramatic series that came on ESPN! I think this show deserved more than one season and eleven episodes. Put the only thing I can't believe is that why did they cancel this show when it won an award for the American Film Institute Top 10 TV Programs of the Year. Why did they do it? I don't know! One thing about this show is that some of the episodes keeping changing the story of the episode every minute.

    User Rating: 6/10

    BOTTOM LINE: I THINK THIS SHOW SHOULD OF LASTED MORE THAN ONE SEASON!
    9williamcorbett15

    Best show ever to be cancelled

    Best show ever to be cancelled

    Arguably the best show to ever be cancelled. Can understand why ESPEN pulled the plug on the show as it was highlighting the negative side of American football which the NFL would rather keep out of the public eye and i believe the NFL put major pressure on ESPEN to pull the show. Cant believe another station hasn't picked the show up.

    Have never seen Omar Gooding in anything prior or since playmakers but like his brother Cuba Gooding Jr he is an incredibly underrated actor who deserves much more acknowledgment than hes getting.

    Bring it Back!!!!
    BigHardcoreRed

    Puts Professional Football Players in A Different Light. I Find This Show Very Enjoyable.

    Playmakers is about the lives of a few of the higher profiled players on an NFL team. Very little of what happens on the field is shown, as it highlights the ups and downs of what happens before and after the game as well as through the rest of the week. Each episode might contain about one key play and how it plays off to each of the leading characters all week. To be honest, it did take me about 3 episodes before I was able to fully appreciate the series, but I never thought of it as boring or uninteresting. It is a good way to spend about 45 minutes (on DVD).

    Eric Olczyk (Jason Matthew Smith) seems to be the man this series put in the brightest spotlight, at least at first. Eric is a veteran of the team who, from the pilot on, deals with the fact that he delivered a pretty hard hit to a quarterback on another team which left him paralyzed. He feels incredibly guilty and is seeing a psychiatrist as well as visits the man regularly, despite the guy and his family being pretty upset with him, to say the least.

    Demetrius Harris (Omar Gooding) is the young hot shot running back on the team. He has taken the place of an older guy, Leon Taylor (Russell Hornsby), who believes he should still be the one playing. Demetrius, or D.H., as he likes to be called, will remind you of a Terrell Owens with his brash touchdown displays and overall attitude on and off the field (not trying to imply that Owens has a drug habit. I don't know). Anyhow, D.H. faces problems due to his constant need for drugs, passing the tests, etc. Leon Taylor is struggling with trying to prove he can still go, getting traded to someplace where they would still play him, etc., all while still trying to keep his family life together at home.

    I find it amazing how they can create a whole episode out of what is, essentially, one play in a football game. If the writing was kept fresh, there was seemingly endless material. I have left out many of the major players in this TV show. There are too many to talk about but, I assure you, there are many stories to tell. I am reminded of CSI or Las Vegas (my favorite show still on), only this is a drama surrounding a football team (the fictional Cougars). I also find it interesting that ESPN has canceled this show due to pressure from the NFL. Maybe it was more realistic than we thought? 8/10
    10djkbro

    Best NFL Based Series I've Ever Seen

    I remember when Playmakers aired; for me, it was must see programming. Every episode was riveting; I found myself wanting each episode to continue. The stories were so believable-in fact, I'm sure some were based on actual events. I was mad when the series was abruptly cancelled.

    Rumor has it the NFL put pressure on ESPN to drop the show because it put a bad light on the league. As ESPN wanted to broadcast NFL games, it seems they may have caved to said pressure. Yet, I submit that since so many of the stories actually closely resembled known events in the NFL, ESPN did nothing more that put a mirror up to the league. I've always thought it was a weak move by the league, & it robbed us of great entertainment..
    10oneppurp

    Great Show

    This is one of the best shows on television in a long time. My wife got me the DVD set for my birthday and I was thrilled. It's a shame the NFL, and Ray Lewis, couldn't take the heat. I watched the pilot last night and forgot how good it was. Ray "I want shows that my kids can watch" Lewis. If one of the episodes wasn't about him, I wonder if he'd watch it. Cracked out first round draft picks. Gay full backs. Shows got it all. Love it Love it Love it Posting this comment was more a pain than it was worth. The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. Please block my account because filling this with ten lines is stupid. Whoever thought of this is a goof.

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      In 2004, ESPN cancelled the show following pressure applied by their television partner the National Football League. The show focused on the trials and tribulations of a professional football team.
    • Connections
      Referenced in Collatéral (2004)

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    FAQ19

    • How many seasons does Playmakers have?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 26, 2003 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official Site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Плеймейкеры
    • Filming locations
      • Toronto, Ontario, Canada
    • Production companies
      • ESPN Original Entertainment
      • Franchise Productions
      • Imagine Television
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 8h 11m(491 min)
    • Color
      • Color

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