“We all are imperfect people,” is the quote that opens Episode 7 of America’s Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys, Netflix’s docuseries on the Dallas Cowboys. It’s the latest product between Netflix and the NFL (see: Quarterback and Christmas football), and the latest docuseries to focus on one specific team (see: The Kingdom, or half the seasons of Hard Knocks). But this is one of the more buzzworthy entries in the football space, simply because of its subject.

Lots of people love the Dallas Cowboys and everything that comes with them; the day before America’s Team premiered, the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders docuseries was renewed. No other NFL franchise has an ongoing show about its cheerleaders. No other NFL franchise has its owner making a cameo in a Taylor Sheridan TV series. That’s why other fans dislike the Cowboys, and how Jerry Jones has become a media figure in his own right. But these episodes, moving in chronological order, explain how the franchise attained such largesse.

Starting with Jerry Jones’ purchase of the Cowboys, the series is fairly straightforward in both its narrative and how it presents the story. Everything follows the standard chronological structure, with numerous interviews to camera sprinkled throughout. There’s plenty of star power, including expected names like Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, Deion Sanders and Michael Irvin, but some “talking head” footage works more effectively than others. The inclusion of Skip Bayless is slightly distracting, for example, since audiences likewise have strong opinions about him. Conversely, Smith gives a very touching interview when talking about being “the last of the Mohicans,” and Aikman is as thorough in his comments as he was as a quarterback.

And as the title indicates, Jerry Jones is the co-star of this TV show. It’s not focused solely on the team; Jones looms large over the proceedings. He’s the very first person featured on screen and the last episode is called “Jerry’s World.” The majority of that eighth episode is from his perspective. To an extent, this makes sense given how active he has always been within Cowboys operations; on the other hand, some viewers may want to see more of the team, and less of its owner.

Overall, though, the series does what it set out to do. By the end of the season, audiences will get a better understanding of how the Cowboys attained the moniker of “America’s team.” However, what doesn’t quite get answered is whether or not they still are. As The Kingdom and Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Buffalo Bills have both recently demonstrated, there are other franchises with not only more current success but more ability to capture the public’s imagination. America’s Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys is so focused on the storied legacy of Dallas football that it could do more to explore the bigger picture.

But if it ends up being slightly more rose-colored at the end, no one can blame the producers; there’s no denying that the Dallas Cowboys have an impressive story. And with eight episodes, Cowboys fans and fans of football history will feel like they’ve seen almost all of it. Most importantly, no matter what someone’s opinion is about the team, they’ll leave having something to talk about—whether it’s the story itself, or some element of production. America’s Team may not be perfect, but it’s a miniseries that covers a lot of ground and invites even more conversation.

America’s Team: The Gambler and His Ccowboys is now streaming on Netflix.

Article content is (c)2020-2025 Brittany Frederick and may not be excerpted or reproduced without express written permission by the author. Follow me on Twitter at @BFTVTwtr and on Instagram at @BFTVGram. For story pitches, contact me at tvbrittanyf@yahoo.com.