Magic Johnson's new docuseries 'They Call Me Magic,' unravels the dual-persona of a player Michael Jordan said changed the NBA

• "They Call Me Magic" is the new Apple TV+ docuseries on the life of Magic Johnson.
• The series is not as intriguing as Michael Jordan's "The Last Dance," but it is a fun must-see look back at his life.

"He's Earvin. I don't call him 'Magic' because Magic is a character that played basketball. He was like a superhero." — ESPN host Michael Wilbon.

That quote, from the opening scenes of "They Call me Magic," sets the tone for a new four-part docuseries on the life and career of Magic Johnson, debuting on Apple TV+ on April 22.

For sports fans, the series is a fun must-see look back at the life and career of one of the greatest athletes and basketball players ever.

However, at its core, "They Call Me Magic" shows how the Los Angeles Lakers legend-turned-successful businessperson juggled two personalities: Magic and Earvin.

While the first episode reels you in with fun highlights and little-seen moments from his high school and college days, the real story comes in the next three episodes, which explore Magic in conflict with just about everything.

It touches the tension that existed between Magic and his wife Cookie, over their tumultuous relationship; between Magic and Larry Bird, over who was better; between Magic and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, over who was the team's leader; between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics, over who ruled the NBA; between Magic and Isiah Thomas, over friends-turned-foes; between Magic and Michael Jordan, over their jealousy of each other; between Magic and HIV, over how long he would live; and even between white America and Black America, as Magic's NBA both brought them together and pushed them apart.

But the biggest conflict of the story is one everybody seems to want to talk about: the one between Magic and Earvin.

"From the time he started playing with the Lakers, he had a kind of split-personality. There was Magic, and there was Earvin. I met Earvin, and that's the one I fell in love with, and that's the one I knew." — Cookie Johnson

Magic acknowledges the dichotomy throughout his life, including during one interview from his playing days — the questionable math notwithstanding— saying, "It's fun being Magic Johnson for eight months, and it's great being Earvin Johnson for the other three."

It is unfair to compare this to "The Last Dance"

The obvious comparison for this series is "The Last Dance," the 10-part series about Michael Jordan's career that was a smash hit in 2020, but that is not fair on several levels.

First and foremost, it was clear in Jordan's documentary that he would tell his story from his point of view, and if somebody's feelings got hurt, so be it. Magic is either too nice or too concerned about how he will be viewed to throw other people under the bus like that.

Magic shows a vulnerable side that Jordan would never acknowledge, openly discussing many of his failings with his wife, his children, and even his career.

Jordan's also focused on one season when cameras followed the Bulls around. Magic's story tells his entire life over four hours, without the benefit of a lot of behind-the-scenes footage. So in "They Call Me Magic," we have a more typical documentary, where people recall stories — many of which are not new to Lakers and NBA fans — based on 40-year-old memories.

But you could also tell in the first 10 minutes that this would be different, based on what was on the tables next to the NBA legends in their respective docuseries. Jordan told his story with a cigar and a $1,800 bottle of tequila; Magic told his with a bottle of water.

The real stars of the series — besides the highlights — are Magic's family members

On a certain level, we need to expect this from all of these sports-life docs moving forward: The story will be crafted by the star, and what is told and revealed will ultimately be up to him or her.

While Magic portrays himself as a "victim" of a split personality, we can at least commend allowing Cookie and his children to tell their versions of him as a flawed boyfriend/fiancé/husband/father and how he has grown.

The story of Magic and Cookie's on-again, off-again relationship — they called off their engagement three times — is sprinkled throughout the series. We are left with an image of Johnson as somebody who wanted the lifestyle of a single superstar but the comfort of a stable relationship. He freely admits that he was at times driven back to Cookie simply because he couldn't stand to see her with other men.

But while Cookie comes off as a strong and independent woman, you are never left rooting for them to succeed in the end.

We also get Earvin Johnson Jr's (EJ) and Cookie's side of the story about EJ's sexuality in Episode 4. Magic acknowledges he did not handle that well but seems to show some growth on the subject, saying, "I had to check myself and say, 'This is who he is.' You can't put your life on your son. You gotta change, not him. You."

For his part, EJ says he and his father are closer now than ever before and even proudly posed with Magic in a beautiful dress during the premiere of "They Call Me Magic."

A post shared by EJ Johnson (@ejjohnson_)

Maybe Magic is a superhero

"They Call Me Magic" is certainly Magic-washed on many levels, with the series often suggesting that "Magic" was to blame for Earvin's failings.

However, the stories are real.

While many of the tales are going to be well-known to NBA diehards, there are enough jaw-dropping highlights, new details, and additional perspectives from people like Michael Jordan, Snoop Dogg, Barack Obama, Charles Barkley, Isiah Thomas, Spike Lee, and even Bill Clinton, to keep even the most knowledgeable Magic fans entertained throughout the series.

We learn about the jealousy between Magic and Jordan and how MJ credits Magic for being the player that really changed the NBA. And while Magic wanted the sponsorship love that Jordan had, MJ wanted the rings.

Episode 3 goes into great detail about his HIV diagnosis, how close he came to full-blown AIDS, and how doctors gave him just two or three years to live early on. It was so bad that his agent relays a story about how Magic even contemplated suicide.

In Episode 4, the series explores his life as a businessperson, how the LA riots convinced him to build businesses in Black neighborhoods, and how he convinced Starbucks to do the same. When he was asked if Black people would pay $4 for a coffee, Magic simply quipped, "We buy Gucci."

But at the end of the day, Magic wants us to know that he saved a lot of people and things. The Showtime Lakers saved the "thug" NBA. Magic saved Los Angeles from itself. He saved the "Dream Team" by convincing Bird and Jordan to join, even after they said they didn't want to play in the Olympics. He helped change the perception of HIV at a pivotal time in America and helped the lives of many people with HIV and AIDS by returning to basketball and showing it is safe. His businesses helped revitalize Black neighborhoods. He even met with the leaders of the Bloods and Crips gangs to convince them to stop fighting around his businesses, or it would hurt everybody.

Mostly, "They Call Me Magic" wants us to know that Magic and Earvin were in conflict, but maybe they saved each other in the end.