I think we all remember the famed Jimmy Timmy Power Hour of 2004 — perhaps the greatest entertainment crossover our culture has ever seen. For those who are unaware of what this is (shame on you), Jimmy Neutron and The Fairly OddParents had a combined episode that would shape the foundations of pop culture for years to come.
Game of Zones, Bleacher Report’s crossover of Game of Thrones and the NBA, is obviously paying homage to its predecessor; it takes the dynamism of cartoon combos and furthers the genre in a way that was unforeseeable to me in 2004.*
*Note: I was eight at the time.
All joking aside, this series of YouTube shorts is amazing, especially if you love the NBA and Game of Thrones. So many of these character crossovers are accurate or just plain hilarious.
The series debuted in 2014, famously comparing house Lannister from Game of Thrones to the Miami Heat with LeBron James as Jaime, Dwyane Wade as Cersei and Pat Riley as Tywin. While they did break the mold a bit by adding Chris Bosh to the family as a dragon, the online series is more about quick punchlines rather than canonic accuracy.
The show also combines Derrick Rose, who has an infamous history of knee injuries, with Bran Stark, due to Bran’s paralysis. The same episode shows the Lakers as the Freys, attempting to send away unproven players in the same way that Lord Walder wanted to get rid of his excess family members.
The crossover simply needs to find some surface value comparison between show characters and NBA players or teams and the combination is instantly successful. What the series lacks in its depth and consistency, it more than makes up for with the fast-paced humor.
Some of the best bits the show has to offer include the Memphis Grizzlies’ Marc Gasol as The Hound, the Los Angeles Clippers’ Doc and Austin Rivers as Stannis and Shireen Baratheon, Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey as a wacky Maester and the Spurs’ organization as the White Walkers.
The show was so popular that the Golden State Warriors asked for an episode especially dedicated to their team. Of course the creators, Adam and Craig Malamut, obliged and took some of the team’s inside jokes and turned them into a complete animated short.
Perhaps we, the niche few for whom this crossover series is intended, will laugh anyway because the content is tailored to our interests. But even once you get past the nerdy fandom freakouts, the show is an excellent idea that is cleverly written and well-animated. We can expect even more terrific content in season 4.
