Oh it’s been too long and yet it feels just like home. You too can take that trip down memory lane as “NFL PrimeTime” returns to your screens once again, this time exclusively on ESPN+.
Last airing in 2005, “NFL PrimeTime” was how you digested the week’s action at a time when we didn’t have social media or smartphones. Instead of instantly pulling up live stats and highlights from every game the second they happened, “NFL PrimeTime” had your back. The show wasn’t just a highlight reel but effectively a recap of every game in highlight form — showing not only the biggest plays but the important ones too, even if not as exciting for casual fans.
What made the whole show entertaining wasn’t just the recaps and highlights but the hosts themselves. And it’s why you should be excited about the show’s return on ESPN+.
Chris Berman is still the over-the-top commentator, giving play-by-play action with tons of energy, sound effects, nicknames, puns and plenty of oh so quotable quotes. Tom Jackson still plays the straight-man to Berman’s more grandiose approach, giving in-depth analysis as only a former player can do. The music will bring you right back to your living room from two decades ago and you’ll catch yourself anxiously waiting for Berman to give you a “WHOOOP” when a ball carrier makes a defender tackle air.
Though you can only watch “NFL PrimeTime” on ESPN+, that’s really its selling point to a degree. An hour-long highlight show is an artifact today, at least on traditional television. By having it online, you can view it at your leisure and on the go — a necessity in today’s stream-heavy culture.
Sports have gotten a little too sterile in some respects now that we have social media and access to the internet in our pockets. More emphasis has been put on giving fans data immediately, whether for fantasy football or Twitter rants about which quarterback is better. But lost in that transition has been the art of storytelling and entertaining viewers. “NFL PrimeTime” slows things down a little bit and allows you to return to those glory days.
For those people who have a little taste for nostalgia, “NFL PrimeTime” is exactly what it always was and that’s downright great. For the others who never got the chance to see the show in its heyday, sit back and enjoy a little more entertainment with your sports.
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