Notes on ESPN’s “The Last Dance”

The Last Dance, ESPN’s 10-part docuseries on the Chicago Bulls dynasty of the 1990’s ended last night. In the end, as Chicago play-by-play announcer Jim Durham once famously declared: “the Bulls win, they win!”

Directed by Jason Hehir, The Last Dance is a tremendous work, a triumph of non-fiction storytelling and all that goes into it. Juggling numerous personalities and myriad competing interests, the task here was as tall as it gets: how do you tell a story that takes place over the span of almost two decades, features one of the most beloved athletes/personalities of all time, and gives what the Bulls achieved — six championships in eight seasons (one and a half of which Michael Jordan was in retirement for) — the proper gravitas?

For the most part, the documentary succeeds. By weaving together archival footage, new interviews and what at times feels like an extended highlight reel, we get 10 episodes that are, in the end, a real joy to watch. Built around flashbacks, you relive the dynasty as if you were right there. In this, we bear witness to a great march, taking place over many years, leading up to the big dance. It’s the last dance, as Phil Jackson calls it. And that’s maybe where the documentary hits its only snag.

Much was made about how long the behind-the-scenes footage of the 1998 Bulls season sat in storage. There was…