by Ryan Duvall ‘21

ESPN’s latest documentary, “The Last Dance,” has the sports world buzzing, and it should have you excited. too. The ten-episode Michael Jordan feature focuses on the 1997-1998 Chicago Bulls’ quest for their sixth NBA championship, and how the team’s inner turmoil eventually broke them apart. The documentary also provides viewers with a lengthy amount of flashbacks to Jordan’s early days with the Bulls, showing how the organization became a dynasty in the 90’s.

After the first two episodes aired Sunday night on ESPN, it was easy to tell this series is going to be great. It’s extremely well done, revealing never-before-seen footage from the Bulls 97-98 season, along with interviews that show former players, coaches, and front-office members like Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, and Phil Jackson’s recollection of the events leading up to their final championship season together, or as Jackson called it, “The Last Dance.”

From what we already know, it’s unlikely that there will be a team as dominant as the 90’s Bulls ever again, but the documentary reveals that it was not easy for the team to maintain its success, as the late Bulls general manager Jerry Krause clashed with a number of players and staff. And with 8 episodes remaining, it looks like the drama is just beginning.

The feature is already ESPN’s most viewed documentary ever, averaging 6.1 million viewers through the first two episodes, and considering ESPN’s success with their “30 for 30” series it’s a pretty big landmark. The series is definitely filling the hole left by professional sports shutdowns for fans, so if you’re feeling bored tune in.“The Last Dance” will continue to air two episodes every Sunday night at 9 p.m. on ESPN until May 18, and can be streamed through the ESPN app and Netflix (outside the United States).