Everybody loves a winner — except when they don’t. The NFL’s New England Patriots saw so much success over two decades, with six Super Bowl wins, they gained a lot of fans as well as haters.
But even if you despise the Pats, who are having another post-dynasty bad year, you might want to consider watching the upcoming 10-part documentary series The Dynasty: New England Patriots. The teaser trailer Apple TV+ dropped last week takes a decidedly defeated tone after the opening scenes wallow in the thrill of victory.
The series, which promises “unprecedented access” to the team, debuts February 16 on Apple TV+. If it sparks riots in Boston, we’ll know it touched a nerve.
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The Dynasty: New England Patriots trailer suggests major conflict at the top of the juggernaut franchise
The Dynasty: New England Patriots comes from Brian Grazer and Ron Howard’s Imagine Documentaries and Emmy-winning filmmaker Matthew Hamachek (The Tiger, Cartel Land). It’s based on The New York Times-bestselling book The Dynasty by Jeff Benedict, much-lauded for its depth and attention to detail covering the team’s dominance from 2001 to 2019.
As someone from New England who grew up watching the Pats scrabble year after year for a Wild Card slot in the playoffs — failing more often than not — I found the “dynasty” years an awkward fit. My Pats were lovable losers. These guys seemed so money it offended my Yankee sense of modesty — but of course, any fan’ll take six Super Bowl wins.
Here’s how Apple TV+ describes the series:
“The Dynasty: New England Patriots” brings together former quarterback Tom Brady, Coach Bill Belichick and owner Robert Kraft as they give the definitive story of the team’s remarkable reign. The docuseries 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.
Billionaire owner barely holds it together
Photo: Apple TV+
And while the series is based on the book of the same name, it apparently goes deeper, as the streaming service said:
… drawing on 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 arch rivals of this dominant sports dynasty.
In the trailer, a voiceover describes head coach Big Belichick and star QB Tom Brady as “two alphas, and a collision was inevitable.” Then uber-wealthy owner Bob Kraft appears and says, gravely, “And I was just trying to hold it together the best I could.”
Imagine Documentaries produced the series in association with NFL Films. Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Sara Bernstein, Justin Wilkes, Jenna Millman and Benedict executive produced, along with Hamachek, who also directs. Miranda Johnson-Smith, Meredith Kaulfers and Jonna McLaughlin are co-executive producers.
Watch the trailer
Watch documentaries and more on Apple TV+
Apple TV+ is available by subscription for $6.99 with a seven-day free trial. You can also get it via any tier of the Apple One subscription bundle. For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac or iPod touch can enjoy three months of Apple TV+ for free.
After first airing in November 2019, “Apple TV+ became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service. To date, Apple Original films, documentaries and series have been honored with 299 wins and 1,451 award nominations and counting,” the service said.
In addition to award-winning movies and TV shows (including breakout soccer comedy Ted Lasso), Apple TV+ offers a variety of sports documentaries, including Super League: The War for Football.
Source: Apple TV+
