# They Call Me Magic > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/They_Call_Me_Magic > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/They_Call_Me_Magic.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/They_Call_Me_Magic > Source revision: 1345586246 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) American Documentary TV series They Call Me Magic Promotional poster Genre Documentary Biographical Sport Directed by Rick Famuyiwa Country of origin United States Original language English No. of episodes 4 Production Executive producers Jordan Fudge Jeremy Allen Bryn Mooser Christina McLarty Production companies XTR New Slate Ventures Delirio Films H.Wood Media Original release Network Apple TV+ Release April 22, 2022 (2022-04-22) ***They Call Me Magic*** is a four-part American documentary television miniseries about the life and career of basketball player [Earvin "Magic" Johnson](/source/Magic_Johnson). It features interviews with Johnson, his family, and public figures including [Michael Jordan](/source/Michael_Jordan), [Shaquille O'Neal](/source/Shaquille_O'Neal), [Snoop Dogg](/source/Snoop_Dogg), [Samuel L. Jackson](/source/Samuel_L._Jackson), and former U.S. President [Barack Obama](/source/Barack_Obama).[1] The series was directed by [Rick Famuyiwa](/source/Rick_Famuyiwa) and produced by [XTR](/source/XTR_(company)) and [New Slate Ventures](/source/New_Slate_Ventures), in association with Delirio Films, and H.Wood Media for [Apple TV+](/source/Apple_TV_(streaming_service)).[2] ## Premise *They Call Me Magic* offers an in-depth look at [Earvin "Magic" Johnson](/source/Magic_Johnson)'s life, from his early years in Lansing, Michigan; his rise to NBA stardom with the Los Angeles Lakers; to his HIV diagnosis and how that changed public perceptions; and his later work as a business mogul and community activist. It includes interviews with Johnson, family, peers and various public figures. ## Production *They Call Me Magic* was directed by Rick Famuyiwa, with [Jordan Fudge](/source/Jordan_Fudge), Jeremy Allen, [Bryn Mooser](/source/Bryn_Mooser) and Christina McLarty serving as executive producers.[3] Johnson stated that the idea for the documentary series was partly inspired by the success of Michael Jordan’s *The Last Dance*. While Jordan’s series focused primarily on athletic achievements, Johnson wanted his documentary to place greater emphasis on his family life, personal relationships, and different stages of his career.[4] ## Episodes No. Title Original release date 1 "June Bug" April 22, 2022 (2022-04-22) 2 "Buck" April 22, 2022 (2022-04-22) 3 "Earvin" April 22, 2022 (2022-04-22) 4 "Magic" April 22, 2022 (2022-04-22) ## Release A trailer for the series was released on March 12, 2022, featuring interviews and archival footage set to Sugarhill Gang's Apache and Norah Jones' My Heart Is Full (Silo x Bettina Bergstrom Remix).[5] It had its premiered at the [South by Southwest](/source/South_by_Southwest) festival in the same month,[6] and all four episodes became available on [Apple TV+](/source/Apple_TV%2B) on April 22, 2022.[5] ## Reception On [Rotten Tomatoes](/source/Rotten_Tomatoes), *They Call Me Magic* has a 69% approval rating based on 13 critic reviews. The critics consensus states: "They Call Me Magic is too overextended to be truly spellbinding, but Magic Johnson proves a charming narrator of his own life in a docuseries that should be mandatory viewing for basketball fans."[7] It was nominated for a [Primetime Emmy Awards](/source/Primetime_Emmy_Awards) for Outstanding Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special (Original Dramatic Score), with composer Terence Blanchard credited.[8][9] ## External links - [Official website](https://tv.apple.com/us/show/they-call-me-magic/umc.cmc.67518fzfnhcjcajidzbpff8i5) - [*They Call Me Magic*](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt17736322/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier)) ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Hibberd, James (2022-03-12). ["Apple TV+ Debuts First Trailer for Magic Johnson Doc 'They Call Me Magic'"](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/magic-johnson-they-call-me-magic-documentary-apple-tv-trailer-1235109905/). *The Hollywood Reporter*. Retrieved 2025-09-27. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Grobar, Matt (2022-03-12). ["'They Call Me Magic' Trailer: Earvin "Magic" Johnson's Life & Career Celebrated In Rick Famuyiwa's Apple Docuseries"](https://deadline.com/video/they-call-me-magic-trailer-magic-johnson-rick-famuyiwa-docuseries/). *Deadline*. Retrieved 2025-09-27. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["They Call Me Magic"](https://schedule.sxsw.com/2022/films/2054223). *SXSW 2025 Schedule*. Retrieved 2025-09-27. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Hailu, Selome (2022-03-12). ["Magic Johnson on How Michael Jordan's 'The Last Dance' Inspired His New Apple Docuseries"](https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/magic-johnson-michael-jordan-documentary-sxsw-1235203031/). *Variety*. Retrieved 2025-09-27. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_5-1) Krystaf, Lauren (2022-04-14). ["'They Call Me Magic': Everything You Need to Know About the Magic Johnson Docuseries"](https://collider.com/they-call-me-magic-johnson-cast-crew-streaming-info-apple-tv-plus-documentary/). *Collider*. Retrieved 2025-09-27. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Taylor, Savannah M. ["Magic Johnson Documentary Series 'They Call Me Magic' to Premiere at SXSW"](https://www.ebony.com/magic-johnson-documentary-series-they-call-me-magic-sxsw/). *EBONY*. Retrieved 2025-09-27. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["They Call Me Magic: Season 1"](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/they_call_me_magic/s01). *[Rotten Tomatoes](/source/Rotten_Tomatoes)*. Retrieved 2025-09-27. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Apple scores record-breaking 52 Emmy noms for "Ted Lasso," "Severance," and more"](https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2022/07/apple-scores-record-breaking-52-emmy-noms-for-ted-lasso-severance-and-more/). *Apple Newsroom*. Retrieved 2025-09-27. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Outstanding Music Composition For A Documentary Series Or Special (Original Dramatic Score) 2022 - Nominees & Winners"](https://www.televisionacademy.com/awards/nominees-winners/2022/outstanding-music-composition-for-a-documentary-series-or-special). *Television Academy*. 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