Stephen Curry’s ‘Mr. Throwback’ finale: A slam dunk for comedy and sports fans

Spoiler Alert: This article discusses the season finale of “Mr. Throwback,” now available on Peacock.

A golden performance on and off the court

Stephen Curry’s recent performance at the Paris Olympics couldn’t have been better timed for the launch of his new TV show, “Mr. Throwback.” The four-time NBA champion scored an impressive 36 points, shooting nearly 70% from three-point range, leading Team U.S.A. to a comeback victory that secured their spot in the gold medal match against France. This stellar performance coincided with the premiere of “Mr. Throwback” on Peacock, which has been streaming extensive coverage of the Olympics.

“I like to think Stephen did that for us,” jokes David Caspe, the series’ executive producer and writer, during a Zoom interview. “It’s launch day, and he said, ‘You know what? I’m gonna go get 36 points just to draw extra attention to our TV show.’ That was really his master plan.”

The plot thickens: From the court to comedy

“Mr. Throwback” serves as a sequel of sorts to Curry’s real-life journey, concluding with him heading to Paris for the Olympics. He’s joined by his manager Kimberly (Ego Nwodim) and his middle-school teammate Danny Grossman (Adam Pally), who has just confessed to fabricating a conspiracy involving his daughter having a terminal illness. In response, Curry takes a swing at Grossman early in the finale—a climactic punchline that showcases Curry’s willingness to dive into various comedic scenarios throughout the season’s six episodes.

In the series, Curry is depicted in a variety of humorous situations, from going undercover to sipping on horse placenta and even causing a shooting slump that tanks San Francisco’s economy. Caspe reveals that Curry’s main note as an executive producer was to “go harder” in writing these sequences.

“We’ve all seen a celebrity playing against type: They’re known as a nice guy, and they play a huge jerk. We didn’t want to do that,” Caspe explains. “When he said ‘go harder,’ I don’t think he meant edgier jokes as much as just more comedy. He didn’t want to just be the straight man. We leaned into a heightened version of who he’s known as. Like the line in the show: ‘a Hall of Fame sweetie boy.'”

Behind the scenes: Balancing respect and humor

One of the most surprising moments in the finale is when Curry goes viral for punching Danny in the face. This scene inevitably brings to mind the infamous incident involving Draymond Green and Jordan Poole at a Golden State Warriors practice. Although Nick Kroll’s ad-libbed line, “That’s some Jordan Poole shit!” didn’t make the final cut, it highlights the delicate balance the creators aimed to maintain.

“We wanted to be super respectful of any of Steph’s relationships and anything that could be problematic for him,” Caspe says. “That line was an ad-lib. And, while funny, we have so much respect for Steph and for Draymond and for the Warriors. We felt like maybe we just shouldn’t touch that.”

A race against time: The fastest production ever?

The series was still filming just a few weeks ago, with Curry shooting his scenes after the NBA post-season concluded in June. The rapid production schedule was always part of the plan to align the show’s launch with the Olympics.

“I think it’s the fastest that any television show has been made,” Caspe notes. “Now, that doesn’t really matter to the general public. We’re not going to get a participation medal, but… I kind of want one? But I know that no one cares about that.”

Personal highlights and future plans

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr also makes a few appearances in the series. For Caspe, a Chicago native who grew up watching Kerr play alongside Michael Jordan, this was particularly meaningful.

“About 10 years ago, a bunch of my friends started texting me: ‘go to the front page of ESPN right now.’ There was a picture of Steve Kerr walking off the floor after he hit the championship winner in 1997. I ran from my seats to the edge of the floor and reached out my hand. There was a Getty image that I actually had to buy for $800: it’s mid-high-five with me and Steve Kerr as he walks off the floor. So to then get Steve Kerr in this show was incredible. I actually convinced him to recreate the picture with me.”

As for the future, Caspe and the team are already thinking about Season 2. “We definitely want to do Season 2. We have a bunch of ideas. As far as anything we could have done different given more time—not really. Necessity is the mother of invention. If you give us more time, we would have just done the same thing longer.”

Watch the trailer for Mr. Throwback on Peacock.

This interview has been edited and condensed.