By Tom Hoffarth
At one point in Sunday night’s season opener of HBO’s “Ballers,” lead sports agent Spencer Strasmore (Dwayne Johnson) takes business partner Joe Krutel (Rob Corddry) to a spot below the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro.
Strasmore sadly explains how this was the place where his older brother, a onetime USC quarterback headed for fame but derailed by the NCAA, ended his life with a tragic fatal leap.
“That’s pretty heavy, even for me,” says Krutel, trying to break the tension. “And I learned how to cremate my wife on a do-it-yourself website.”
One man’s tragedy is another man’s opportunity for wisecracking relief.
The fourth season of “Ballers” has a definite L.A.-centric slant — for reasons creative or otherwise. Heavy subject matter merges with the usual humor in somewhat awkward ways.
Read more about it on the Los Angeles Times website posted Friday afternoon.