You might have forgotten about this, but the ten-part New England Patriots docuseries from Apple TV+ has a trailer and a release date.
The series, called The Dynasty: New England Patriots and based on Jeff Benedict’s book The Dynasty, premieres February 16 on Apple TV+.
Here’s a look at the trailer, which includes new interviews with Bill Belichick, Tom Brady, and Robert Kraft.
The series, which was first reported in February 2022, is produced by Imagine Documentaries and directed by Matthew Hamachek. Hamachek also directed Tiger, a two-part Tiger Woods documentary based on Benedict’s book Tiger Woods.
Apple’s release says that The Dynasty “explores the franchise’s 20-year journey, from the unique chemistry that fueled six Super Bowl wins to the internal strife that sparked a turf war. From the owner’s suite to the locker room, the series reveals an insider’s look at the road to—and cost of—greatness.”
It also will feature “thousands of hours of never-before-seen video footage and audio files from the Patriots organization’s archive. In addition to interviews with past and present Patriots players, coaches and executives, the unparalleled access includes Kraft, Belichick, Brady, and confessionals from league officials and the archrivals of this dominant sports dynasty.”
Ten parts on the Patriots dynasty seems excessive, but the success three years ago of The Last Dance has only continued to push the boundaries of sports docuseries since. ESPN has released three four-part docs under the 30 for 30 brand since The Last Dance was released, focusing on Oscar Pistorius, the 1986 New York Mets, and Bill Walton, and a three-parter about the 1996 U.S. women’s Olympics basketball team. ESPN also released a seven-part Derek Jeter docuseries (The Captain) last summer and the ten-part Tom Brady docuseries Man in the Arena in late 2021.
This trend isn’t limited to ESPN. NBC-owned Peacock rolled out a six-parter on Joe Montana in 2022. Apple itself debuted a four-part Magic Johnson docuseries in 2022. Netflix debuted a four-part David Beckham series in October and has reportedly bought a ten-parter on Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys.
That’s a long way of me saying that while ten parts for the two decades of the Patriots dynasty might seem excessive, it seems to be right in line with some of the more bloated features that have been rolled out over the last three years.
[Apple]
