Sports fans eager for the official story are circling the They Call Me Magic release date in their calendars. Earvin "Magic" Johnson will take center stage again, this time in the Apple TV Plus docuseries that's coming hot off the heels of the HBO Max series Winning Time.
And instead of that series' stylized and flashy portrait of the moment, with a focus on all parties involved, this story is focused on the lifetime of Johnson himself. Not only does Magic get to explain how even he thought his nickname was too much, but the series will touch on the other big moments of his life off-court, including his public-facing role in the HIV-AIDS epidemic.
This four-part series will also touch upon Magic's impact in the business world, as younger generations may know him from the movie theaters that bear his name. The cast of talking heads includes Johnson himself, Jerry West, Dwayne Wade, Larry Bird, Samuel L. Jackson, Shaquille O'Neal, Michael Wilbon, Michael Jordan and Snoop Dogg.
Read on for everything you need to know about how to watch They Call Me Magic, and check out the trailer for the series.
When does They Call Me Magic come out?
They Call Me Magic debuts on Apple TV Plus on Friday (April 22) at 3 a.m ET.
Looking for more to watch on Apple TV Plus? Already streamed Ted Lasso? Check out Beastie Boys Story, CODA, The Tragedy of Macbeth, The Afterparty and Severance (and then come back here to talk Severance season 2).
How to watch They Call Me Magic for Free online
You can taste They Call Me Magic for free, provided you've not signed up for Apple's streaming service before. That's thanks to the Apple TV Plus 7-day free trial. You could even watch the entire season for free, if you're able to wait until the week of the finale.
They Call Me Magic trailer
So, fans of Winning Time who wanted to See the real Earvin "Magic" Johnson discuss his own story will see both his smile and the generations of athletes influenced by his smile, all in the same trailer. The trailer isn't all happiness, though, as it dives into his revelation that he tested positive for HIV.
They Call Me Magic episode schedule
This is where things are kinda weird. Right now, Apple's only announced that They Call Me Magic's four chapters exist, and that the show launches on April 22, 2022.
No details as to if every episode will drop at once (Roar), or if they will give it an episodic release (Severance, The Afterparty). We will update this story when we learn more.
- They Call Me Magic episode 1: April 22, 2022
- They Call Me Magic episode 2: TBA
- They Call Me Magic episode 3: TBA
- They Call Me Magic episode 4: TBA
How to watch They Call Me Magic from anywhere
If you're stuck abroad — in one of the few countries where Apple TV Plus is not available — you will likely run into geo-fenced restrictions on the platforms and services you can use. But with the help of a virtual private network (VPN), you can watch They Call Me Magic and all the other services you already pay for no matter where you are.
Based on our testing, the best VPN is ExpressVPN, which is easy to use and delivers fast internet speeds, making it simple to set up for streaming in no time at all. It also works on practically any device, starting with iOS and Android and including streaming devices such as the Amazon Fire TV Stick and Apple TV.
