(Ed. Note: This review contains spoilers.)
The trickiest thing about documentary filmmaking is establishing a narrative without forcing it. HBO hit the jackpot in the first season of its "24/7" take on the National Hockey League: The Washington Capitals were in the midst of a terrible losing streak while the Pittsburgh Penguins were at the top of the conference in 2010.
The juxtaposition paid off as early as the first episode: Now-former Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau dropping F-bombs by the second in the locker room to his dispassionate team, while Dan Byslma's efficient leadership had the Penguins all smiles. This narrative carried through to the eventual redemption of the Capitals in the Winter Classic. Hollywood screenwriters would have sneered at the perfection of the narrative arc.
For Season 2 of "HBO 24/7", the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers presented a different challenge, because both teams have been among the Eastern Conference's best. But HBO's filmmakers were up to the task: Finding compelling plots in Episode 1 through the teams' injury adversities and the multitude of compelling personalities both on and behind the bench — including a Flyers goalie who explained the mysteries of the universe.
Coming up, a recap, some clips and images in our Episode 1 recap, including some superlatives.
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