More reasons to keep on living include Season Two of Winning Time, which kicked off said season Sunday night with an inspired hour of television.

At times sports, at times drama, and at times pure poetry (seriously–listen to Jason Segel’s Paul Westhead), Winning Time is blessed with some old-school HBO magic from back when it was HBO. (If you’re looking for it now on your TV it’s “Max.”)

The best comparison I can make for the show is Entourage, of which I sang praises for years. Shows that are “cool” and have actors that actually put forth effort are rare; Winning Time brings this blissful combination. Seeing movie stars and athletic stars is always cool, but seeing their human side (at least the TV version of it) evokes an old phrase: It’s not TV… it’s HBO.

Amen.