The Last Dance was a runaway success when it was released last year and Netflix has continued its trend of basketball documentaries in its wake with the release of Untold: Malice at the Palace.
The hit docuseries on Michael Jordan and the 1990s Chicago Bulls was enormously entertaining, and promised a deep dive into the culture and background of one of the most successful teams of all time.
It isn't perfect by any means. Criticism of the journalistic compromises were valid as well as the fact that Jordan’s own production company, Jump 23, is among the co-producers behind the project, a fact which was omitted from the closing credits of the series.
But the blend of archival footage, modern day interviews and an absorbing soundtrack combined to create an intoxicating series of nostalgia which went down very well with sports fanatics and also enthused traditionally non-sports fans.
So what is Untold: Malice at the Palace about?
First of all, it's important to note that Untold is a five-part documentary that offers a forensic look at sport, digging into five vastly different sporting tales, with each episode offering a dense, standalone feature-length film.
The first of these episodes focuses on the Malice at the Palace, one of the most infamous events in NBA history.
It's the nickname given to a 2004 game between the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers, which was called off after Ron Artest went into the stands to fight a fan who had hit him with with a cup of beer. A melee ensued with players from both teams involved and fans entering the court to attack players.
The NBA handed out some of its harshest ever penalties in the wake of the event which took place at the Pistons’ home arena, The Palace of Auburn Hills, thus earning the name The Malice at the Palace.
Clip via Netflix
Untold offers unseen footage of the night in question as well as interviews with those involved in what ultimately descended into a brawl, the scale of which is still shocking to view almost 20 years later.
Other episodes in the series, which is being released weekly, include feature films centred on Caitlyn Jenner, the defunct minor league hockey team Danbury Trashers, the friendship and rivalry between Andy Roddick and Mardy Fish, and female boxer Christy Salters-Martin, who was shot and killed by her husband and coach, James Martin.
Untold: Malice at the Palace is available to stream on Netflix now.
