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Swagger dazzles with a flawless season 2 finale [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★★

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Isaiah Hill in ★★★★★
Swagger goes for broke in its outstanding season two finale.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewSwagger closes out its brilliant second season in style this week, as the young basketball players prep for their futures and their most important game yet.

Jace needs to play his best to regain his sterling reputation in time to win over college recruiters — and that’s not all he’s worried about. Plus, Ike and Naim must patch things up in order to be there for the team ahead of a very important game. Entitled “Journey and Destination,” the Swagger season two finale is a very moving sendoff that only this team could provide.

The 15 best shows on Apple TV+

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Best shows on Apple TV+
Looking for something to stream? Check out the best shows on Apple TV+.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+’s programming slate seems like a crazily oscillating slate of highs and lows. But the highs thus far prove dizzying indeed.

Directors like M. Night Shyamalan, Rupert Wyatt and Kim Jee-Woon, writers like Min Jin Lee, Paul Theroux, Emily Dickinson and Isaac Asimov, high-concept premises and legendary ensembles all meet on Apple’s streaming service.
The result is a collection of art worth signing up for. Here’s a look at the best shows on Apple TV+.

Secrets and hard decisions bring Swagger to a boil [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★★

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Isaiah Hill in ★★★★★
Jace (played by Isaiah Hill) and Team Swagger need to bring the heat.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewSwagger finds Ike and Naim at odds this week, even as CJ and Camden share a road trip and some secrets. And while Emory and Ike pursue a common goal, the team faces more scrutiny than ever.

With so little left of the sports drama’s extremely strong second season, how will the building pressure come between the players and their goals? Entitled “Homecoming,” this week’s stirring and strong episode hits hard as we prepare to wrap up season two of this outstanding Apple TV+ show.

Jace walks a mile in someone else’s roller skates this week on Swagger [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★★

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Quvenzhané Wallis and Isaiah Hill in ★★★★★
Crystal (Quvenzhané Wallis, left) and Jace (Isaiah Hill) have some things to work out this week.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewSwagger takes a look at personal responsibility this week, as Jace ponders his future after taking a tough stance.

He and Crystal spend an eventful, meaningful day together, while higher-ups decide what to do with the divisive athlete. Ike, Tonya and Emery must work through the Jace situation, while he needs to deal with his own confidence issues. Entitled “Jace + Crystal,” it’s a very fine episode of an Apple TV+ sports drama that produces little else.

Incarceration hits hard this week on Swagger [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★★

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Quvenzhané Wallis and Isaiah Hill in ★★★★★
The future hangs in the balance as Team Swagger's players face judgment.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewSwagger takes a hard look at incarceration this week in a season-best episode of the Apple TV+ basketball drama.

With the eyes of their community on them, Jace and Team Swagger head to a juvenile detention center to learn and to play as they sweat their futures. Entitled “Are We Free?,” it’s a terrific episode filled with great performance notes and stunning direction.

Jace takes one for the team this week on Swagger [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★

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Isaiah Hill in ★★★★
Jace (played by Isaiah Hill) owns up to a nasty incident from his past.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewSuperlative Apple TV basketball drama Swagger puts Jace in the hot seat this week, as allegations prove too tough to beat. Jace does something crazy in the name of helping his community but it makes things even more fraught.

Meanwhile, Ike and Emory are at loggerheads about how to handle their star player. And Crystal must decide how she feels about her life once more becoming the subject of public debate. Entitled “Through the Fire,” it’s a typically excellent installment of this fiery show.

Swagger savors a party before the storm [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★☆

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Isaiah Hill in ★★★★☆
It's party time for Jace (played by Isaiah Hill) ... until he gets some very troubling news.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ Review This week on Swagger, Jace and Ike’s latest victory is a short-lived affair. When Crystal comes to Jace with worrying possibilities for his future, he shuts down — leaving Phil, Drew and Musa to panic.

Meanwhile, Jenna and Tonya start making plans. And Ike and Emery decide to hash out their differences the old-fashioned way. The episode, entitled “Rise + Fall,” is good and tense. And it points the way toward much darker events to come on the Apple TV+ basketball drama.

Jace faces troubles old and new in Swagger [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★

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O’Shea Jackson Jr., Shannon Brown, Caleel Harris, James Bingham and Isaiah Hill in ★★★★
Like the players it follows, Swagger just keeps scoring.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewApple TV+ sports drama Swagger finds Jace preparing for a big birthday this week. He’s dealing with obstacles he sees — and bracing to be blindsided by some he can’t.

An estranged dad, an old adversary, a new teammate and coach Ike (who’s looking to Jace to secure his future) all conspire to keep the young basketball star from his A game. But for Jace, there’s always a way through. And this week’s excellent episode, entitled “18,” is a potent reminder of that.

3 Reasons to Watch: Swagger, the stellar Apple TV+ basketball drama

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Isaiah Hill in
A strong cast lead by Isaiah Hill, and plenty of action both on and off the basketball court, Swagger is a slam-dunk drama.
Photo: Apple TV+

In this installment of 3 Reasons to Watch, we’re touting stellar Apple TV+ basketball drama Swagger, produced by Kevin Durant and creatively shepherded by Reggie Rock Bythewood.

The show, about a high school phenom assailed by personal and professional pressures, just returned for its second season. And like its heroes, Swagger shows no signs of slacking now that the game is getting tougher. Here’s why you should give it a shot.

Swagger bounces back for baller second season [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★

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Isaiah Hill in ★★★★
Score! Swagger is back for season two.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewApple TV+ sports drama Swagger returns for a second season in fine form this week. Reggie Rock Bythewood’s account of a high school basketball star and his supportive coach continues with fresh challenges for Jace and his team to face.

With Jace gearing up for college, he needs Ike back in his corner after a brief separation. But will Ike make a good fit at Jace’s new school? This week’s episode, entitled “The World Ain’t Ready,” is thrillingly alive in its depiction of life in Baltimore and the pressures of being very good at what you do.