By the looks of it, NBA Legend Stephen Curry might just have a future in Hollywood. The famous point guard for the Golden State Warriors, who’s now turning heads at the 2024 Olympics, apparently has a natural comedic talent. In the newcomedy seriesMr. Throwback,Curry holds his own oppositefan favorite Adam Pally(Knuckles, Happy Endings, The Mindy Project) for an outing that nearly always makes the shot.This clever romp is easy-to-follow, and its premise is a winner.
Pally plays Danny Grossman, a down-on-his-luck memorabilia dealer in desperate need of a life overhaul. Danny is still swooning over his ex-wife (Ayden Mayeri) while fretting about his bond with his tween daughter (Layla Scalisi). Meanwhile, he’s nearly $100,000 in debt to the Polish mob. He’s also hanging onto the past — internally and otherwise, hence all the memorabilia.
The series amps up the stakes early on when Danny concocts a plan to reunite withhis old school bud, the one and only Steph Curry. The two became estranged because of a school scandal (more on that in a bit), but fate brings the two back together. Unfortunately, Danny digs a hole for himself when, out of a desperate need to reclaim a past glory and bond — and to clear his debt — he tells our fine Steph that his daughter is terminally ill. It doesn’t take long to suddenly get inside Curry’s inner circle.
Mr. Throwback Has a Winning Premise
Mr. Throwback
A struggling memorabilia dealer, Danny Grossman, seeks redemption by reconnecting with his childhood friend and NBA legend, Steph Curry. Captured in a mockumentary style, the series follows their comedic and heartfelt journey, exploring themes of friendship and second chances as they navigate their past and present.
Created and executive produced by Adam Pally, David Caspe (Happy Endings, Black Monday), and Matthew Libman and Daniel Libman (Happy Endings, Champaign ILL), the series also stars Ego Nwodim and Ayden Mayeri. The mockumentary setup tends to charm audiences, and the format works here. The fake illness component recalls the 2023 indie filmSick Girl,which starred Nina Dobrev. Together, the two elementsgive Pally, in particular, a broad playing field on which to bounce around his comedic talents. He’s perfectly suited for the role.
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Danny’s backstory should draw smiles. As a kid, he was a middle school basketball star — like, “The Jewish Jordan,” picture-on-a-cereal-box kind of star — but all that faded when it was exposed that his great “talent” had everything to do with playing the sport with kids several years younger than him. Shockwaves rippled through the community. Danny was ostracized. His coach father (the great Tracy Letts) was appalled, and his buddy, his former backup, Steph Curry, couldn’t shake the hoopla.
When Danny re-enters Curry’s universe, the fella’s former BFF Kimberly (Ego Nwodim) is there, too, skeptical as ever. How long can Danny keep dribbling his big fib? To be clear: he’s not jazzed about what he’s doing, and he can’t seem to move forward with his life. He’s stuck. That drives the dilemma.
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Adam Pally & Steph Curry’s Chemistry, Tracy Letts' Brilliance, and the Underused Ego Nwodim
Trying to find a balance between some of the more serious tones and the comedy is one of the series’ biggest challenges. David Caspe and Adam Pally worked together onHappy Endings,of course — Caspe is married toHappy Endingsstar Casey Wilson, who played Penny on the ABC comedy — but the writing team is trim here andthe show’s not as laugh-out-loud funny as you might think. Still, there’s a great repartee between Pally and Curry, who can land a punchline indeed.
Tracy Letts stands out here. The stellar playwright (August Osage County), who starred in myriad films, includingFord v. FerrariandLady Bird, knows how to master scenes. The series does a nice job dipping into his coaching past — “I could throw kids back then. I couldn’t do it now. I’m not strong enough,” he says — and also his current dilemmas. The character feels the most fully formed.
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We would have loved to see more of Ego Nwodim. She shines as Kimberly. At one point she purrs: “People love a redemption story, but you know what they love more — a trainwreck.” She’s practically telling us why we’ll stay glued to the screen with this series. Watching Pally’s Danny flail from one wrong decision to another plays into Pally’s innate sense of humor and is highly watchable. His scenes aren’t as strong when the script offers more serious matters to contend with.
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Good Game, Steph. We Need Another One
Some parting shots (pun intended). As far as the series’ production value, the show leans into the standardmockumentary camera play. It works. The settings work, too, and there are some clever nuances tossed in, which are a nice touch. And Danny? Will he work through his dilemma? More importantly, can he let go of some past hurts? Just watch. (Let’s hope there’s a Season 2.)
Overall,Mr. Throwbackfits in well in an era of fandom. From Taylor Swift to Curry himself, society’s parasocial appetite for connection to its icons will always remain strong. David Caspe knows that and plays on that in this six-episode series. It would be even better to see more of Curry’s professional world, in fact. For now, this sojourn should delight audiences. It may drop some balls occasionally in the execution, but the intrigue factor cannot be denied. This is Steph Curry, after all. And pretty much nailing it, as he always does.Mr. Throwbackbegan streaming on Peacock on August 8. Watch it through the link below:
