Wrestlers

So surprised how good this was. Absolutely floored by how lucid and calculated al snow is along with caring and extremely genuine. I grew up as a kid in the 80s and 90s watching wrestling until in 96 they put this ppv on from Denver called UFC. And wrestling never did it for me after seeing real fighting... but this show brings back all the good, and reminds you how hard some of these people are trying to entertain you. A story about the struggle to achieve success and the american dream. Well developed and rich in character content (not just the schtick, but the real people you see) Fantastic! Hoping this has a season 2 in the works.

I know nobody follows my reviews, but if you did, you'd know that I'm a fan of Professional Wrestling. I had put off watching this series for a while though, as I thought that it might have to be too basic, in order to appeal to an audience that doesn't follow wrestling. There is an element to which that is the case, but still I was dragged in by the backstage narrative.

Ohio Valley Wrestling, formally a feeding ground for the WWE, now operates as an independent company, producing a weekly TV show but struggling financially. New owners Matt Jones and Craig Greenburg are debating whether it's viable to keep the company operating and plan a summer tour of the Kentucky area, ending with a big show. OVW's creative director is Al Snow, former WWE Superstar, and his desire to run traditional story driven shows is at odds with Jones, who's looking to cut costs or increase attendance.

As with a lot of documentaries actual wrestling is only part of the shows appeal. It does give you a background of how Wrestling works, how they arrive at the angles and how easily it can all be undone by an injury or by someone getting a better offer. Much more the series is about the people involved in the show. Snow is quieter and more contemplative than I thought anyone who performed in the attitude era would be and he comes across really well. Several of the staff and Wrestlers get aspects of their stories show, but the most attention goes to Haley James, a twenty-year-old daughter of another wrestler, whose natural charisma, which could take her all the way, is in danger of being entirely undermined by her damaged upbringing and poor life choices. The nearest the show has to a villain is her misogynistic and bitter boyfriend, who is nearly 15 years older than her and entirely unaware that he's not going to make it.

The documentary is given a lot of access, with many of them so comfortable with the blurred lines of reality that Wrestling already has, they are prepared to have personal conversations in front of the documentary cameras. I'm surprised that Netflix hasn't decided to pick up the OVW show, certainly for international distribution. I like this series and watched it in a couple of sessions. I'd certainly watch another run too, if they went back.

Truth be told...I don't like reality shows, so it was pitched to me as a reality show and I was not interested. Then I saw a trailer and I gave it a chance, and I was not disappointed.

It's not a reality show as much as it's a documentary series, and it is seriously a rollercoaster of emotions. The people they profiled, the stories in and out of the ring...just perfect casting. It's incredibly difficult to get a through story just right, and then on top of that, have it deliver. It's one of the those rare moments when the storyteller is the right person to tell the story that happens at the right time and they had the time and money to do it justice.

The art and music devices and SFX for the sound (which is always difficult in docs) was top notch. The camera work was great, they really did a great job creatively with the frames in the interviews but also being able to capture the chaos when they needed to.

I really don't want to give anything away as far as story but it tugs on your heart strings as much as "Anvil:The Story of Anvil" You hate some people, you resent them, you love some people and your heart breaks for them. Just great emotional storytelling about people who are passionate about what they do.

Always been a big wrestling fan since back in the mid 80s watching the then WWF so it wasn't a shock that I'd enjoy this series but didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did.

Never heard of OVW here in the UK but genuinely felt for the lives of the characters in this show, even started to understand Matt towards the end.

It's a brutal way to make a living but you can tell all the wrestlers love making the fans happy. They're not perfect, but who is!

Favourite characters were of course Hollywood Hally J, Cashflo and without doubt Al Snow.

So cmon Netflix do the right thing and give us a second series.

Oh this is a great series. A struggling C class wrestling organization, a couple of investors shaking things up, unique stories of wrestlers lives, will they make it? Let's find out.

Pro wrestling is all about narrative and entertainment, which is exactly what this series is. You don't have to be a wrestling fan to see what makes these people tick. It makes sense, it's fun, it's theater. These people are thespians, but where they lack in acting skills they make up for in physical imagination.

The docu-series is 7 episodes that is a countdown to their version of "Wrestlemania" called "The Big One," and the point is to get the organization to be profitable or at least break even, if not the investors will pull out.

These people live in their own worlds and it's fun to visit for a little while. A series well worth watching.