I am not a sports fan at all but Steph Curry is one of those athletes that is a household name. Everything he touches seems to turn to gold. It would only make sense that he is now turned his sights on acting. Coming off another Olympic Gold win, Steph is dominating on the streaming app Peacock with the release of the mockumentary Mr. Throwback.
Mr. Throwback revolves around a memorabilia dealer and vintage store owner named Danny (portrayed by Adam Pally from Happy Endings). In the show, Danny reunites with his former middle-school basketball teammate, the real-life NBA player Stephen Curry, who plays himself. Danny deceives Curry into participating in a fake charity scheme to recover his financial losses, leading to chaotic situations. Mr. Throwback's mockumentary style, allows for a humorous style of comedy - think Abbott Elementary.
The backstory is shown with a young Danny and a small Curry, both twelve years old and basketball prodigies in sixth grade. They gain national attention, playing for a team coached by Danny's father. While Curry goes on to achieve NBA success with the Golden State Warriors, Danny's basketball career ends prematurely due to a scandal: his father falsified his age on his birth certificate, making him two years older than his opponents. Now facing financial difficulties, Danny resorts to desperate measures. Drawing inspiration from a real-life figure in New York City known as Mr. Throwback, the character concocts a deceitful plan involving Curry, claiming his daughter is terminally ill to persuade Curry to unknowingly support a fraudulent charity campaign.
The next events are quite predictable. Danny takes advantage of Curry's wealth and power, getting entangled in a web of deceit. Meanwhile, Curry jokes about his successful basketball career, immense fame, and lucrative endorsements. The appearance of Warriors head coach Steve Kerr adds a nice touch, especially when he shares anecdotes about the time Michael Jordan actually punched him in the face. The show also stars Ego Nwodim from Saturday Night Live as the CEO of Curry's media company and Ayden Mayeri from The Afterparty as Danny's ex-wife.
However clearly Curry is the draw. The fictionalized portrayal of Curry involves him playing pranks as an Undercover Boss on his staff. He is so competitive that he even snatches food from his kids just to eat first! He jests about blending cardio and golf as if he were in a real-life version of Mario Golf: Super Rush—an idea he attributes to Mark Wahlberg's Conan interview. In episode 3, during a particularly amusing shooting slump, NBA on TNT's Kenny Smith humorously suggests that Curry might be "possessed by a ghoul or something," akin to the monsters in Space Jam who steal players' basketball skills.
Ego Nwodim is just as humorous in her role as Steph's dedicated personal assistant. She works to ensure Curry navigates through his packed schedule of engagements, including events with name drops like Sasha Obama and Steve Harvey. Makes you wonder if there is some truth behind these events. The remainder of Mr. Throwback unfolds just as expected. Danny's scheme falters, almost leading to a total loss, but he miraculously transforms a disaster into a triumph. Despite being a shorter season, the series is clever, delightful, and a brilliant showcase of a truly exceptional athletic talent.
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