Wasn't going to do this but decided to have a little fun with The Dynasty on Apple TV, which started on Friday night with the first two episodes. These aren't going to be comprehensive reviews, but quickie recaps via categories. What I have so far (you can make suggestions for new ones in the comments):
Synopsis
Best Quote
I Didn't Know That
That Was Cool
Goosebumps Moment
LOL Moment
Biggest Nitpick
I Wished They Asked
Belichick Watch
Kraft's Moment of Glory
Episode MVP
Lingering Question
I will say, I think Patriots fans are going to love it. It's really meant for you guys. The direction and editing are outstanding. I have a few issues with it, as we'll get into, but it's really well done and worth the money. If you're interested in purchasing (if you haven't seen Ted Lasso and Black Bird - Hijack and Silo were solid as well - it's a good excuse), following this link to purchase will help BSJ.
EPISODE 1: THE BACKUP PLAN
Synopsis
Starting quarterback Drew Bledsoe goes down, Tom Brady steps in and the associated drama through the Rams loss that dropped the Patriots to 5-5.
Best Quote
Bedard: "Tom, out of nowhere, said, 'I ain't giving this shit back.' ... Me and Lawyer looked at each other and said, 'Shit, when Drew come back, his ass back on the bench." - Ty Law
Giardi: I concur with Greg. That was the best quote, bar none.
I Didn't Know That
Bedard: Tom Brady's "believe in me" speech to his teammates before his first start, and their reaction like 'you're cute.' ... Kraft meeting with Belichick on Bledsoe's behalf and coming back and saying, "Look, Drew, I could tell him that I want you to start. If that's not what he wants to do, that's not in your or my best interest. If nothing else, he can mess it up and I can hold him accountable."
Giardi: I enjoyed Bledsoe's revelation of the prank they pulled on Brady, putting the dye in his socks and turning his feet purple for a couple of weeks—good, clean fun. Or not clean, but funny nonetheless.
That Was Cool
Bedard: David Nugent's behind-the-scenes footage with Brady, including the End Zone Motel. Nice digs.
Giardi: I can't get over the fashion. We all dressed like idiots and had terrible haircuts. Good thing for me is I still have that same haircut. And Brady, holy puffy face. Ah, life before avocado ice cream and Alex Guerrero and Gisele.
Goosebumps Moment
Bedard: The Mo Lewis hit on Drew Bledsoe - the sound used was incredible - the ensuing discussion about his health situation.
Giardi: I forgot how looney things got in Cleveland around the team's moving. Hanging Art Modell in effigy made some sense. Hanging Belichick? Why? Because he cut Bernie Kosar? Chill. And that Belichick needed a police car at the entrance of his neighborhood.
LOL Moment
Bedard: "Why are you starting a quarterback controversy?" - Steve Burton to Bob Lobel, who had some great eye movement. ... Scott Van Pelt — with hair.
Giardi: Michael Holley with dreadlocks. Brady telling Ty Law he didn't give him any deals with the place he bought from the cornerback.
Biggest Nitpick
Bedard: If you're a layperson, you think after the Rams' loss (two Brady INTs) to go 5-5 after a 5-2 start that Bledsoe would definitely be getting back into the lineup. But that 24-17 loss to the best team in football actually solidified that the Patriots were in a good spot, progressing and Brady was the guy to lead the team.
Giardi: When some cub reporter at New England Cable News went on the air after the Pats lost that game to the Rams and said mark my words, they won't lose another game during the regular season. I guess Benedict and his people only dug surface deep...
I Wished They Talked About
Bedard: I wanted to hear more about the QBs in camp and the preseason before 2001. Some swear it was close. Charlie Weis told me years ago that Brady was closer to Damon Huard than Bledsoe.
Giardi: The collection of players Belichick and Scott Pioli brought in to transform the roster. You see so many of them in the highlights - Brian Cox (damn near decapitating Jerome Pathon), Otis Smith, Bobby Hamilton, Antowain Smith, Mike Compton etc. So many important guys who were never stars here, but critical to the success.
Belichick Watch
Bedard: Striking how he gave some real answers in press conferences and had somewhat of a lightness with the media back then. What a stark contrast. ... Loved the family shots in Cleveland of Bill running around with young children Steve (with mullet!), Brian and Amanda.
Giardi: Steve with the mullet was glorious. I hit rewind a couple times for laughs. Bill did seem like a real human then.
Kraft's Moment of Glory
Bedard: "Watching that (Rams) game, I felt that Bill had let us down. I had people on my case how bad my judgment was for not starting a guy like Drew Bledsoe. They were calling me insane, what a mistake." - Robert Kraft.
Giardi: "Seeing him (Bledsoe) in that hospital bed, that was brutal. This quarterback, who we love, might not ever recover, and he had done that working for us, so I also felt a tremendous amount of responsibility to his family." - Kraft talking about the Bledsoe injury. RKK has always showed that love for the people that are important to him.
Patriots Hardo Moment
Bedard: Willie McGinest basically saying that, after the Bledsoe injury, the defense couldn't give up any points, and then Bryan Cox decking Pathon on the first play of the next game.
Giardi: "I did everything I could do to get ready, and I really approached practice like it was the game. That was like, 'I'm not taking anything for chance," because for coach Belichick, you're in for this week." - Brady on preparing for his first start, and knowing if he didn't do well, it could be his last. Needless to say, he had quite a streak after that.
Episode MVP
Bedard: Scott Pioli. Loved Ty Law's humor but we really needed Pioli to give Belichick's perspective on the QB situation — since Belichick basically said nothing — and relating it to Cleveland was great.
Giardi: Tedy Bruschi joking about Brady and that speech before his first start: "Ah, look at the kid. He's trying (laughter). For anyone that says that we knew that Tom was going to lead us to victory, that's bullshit. Come on. This guy has never done anything for us before." Tedy rewriting the revisionist history told by others over two decades is appreciated.
Lingering Questions
Bedard: This going to be a series-long issue for me ... why now? The Last Dance worked because there was so much distance. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad they started the process and got certain people on film (especially Kraft). But a lot of people, especially Tom and Bill, probably would have been more forthcoming, say, after they were in the Hall of Fame. I certainly think it was unfair to Bill to make him talk about this stuff, last offseason, when he and the Krafts were at odds and things were not going well.
My only answer to the timing is this is a legacy piece for Kraft and he wants it to perhaps put him over the top for the Hall of Fame.
Was the point of this to do the definitive tale of the NFL's greatest dynasty — would mean waiting for Belichick to be truly ready (maybe they never thought he would be) — or just to make money off it right after the curtain came down?
We knew on Feb. 15 2022 that this had been commissioned. We didn't know it was going to drop soon until Nov. 16 — which was the bye week after the loss to the Colts and the report from Tom Curran that Belichick would not be back. The timing is pretty shady.
And what's up with the Krafts owning this - and not through Kraft Sports Productions? (By the way, this LLC was opened in Delaware on 11/12/21.) And they own the dynasty stuff? Why isn't it Patriots Dynasty LLC? No wonder Belichick looked like he was being held against his will.
Additionally, the original release said it was being "produced by Imagine Documentaries in association with NFL Films." Yet on the episodes, NFL Films is only listed under archival footage with 15 other entities. Odd.
Giardi: They glossed over Brady rising from 4th string and barely making the team the year before to being the backup to Bledsoe (with Huard on the roster) in that week two game vs. the Jets. Maybe they'll revisit it later in the series, but being reminded of how the kid QB got there should have been addressed.