WWE Unreal review: Netflix docuseries reveals real drama behind wrestling spectacle

India Today

2 days ago

Growing up as a wrestling or WWE fan, there's one thing you probably heard often: "You know that wrestling isn't real, right? These aren't even real punches and the moves are all choreographed."As a fan, this was something that would irk me and prompt me to defend my favourites, such as The Rock, The Undertaker, and Stone Cold Steve Austin, among others. But over time, I began to understand the wrestling business and how it worked, which made me realise the effort that goes into making a match and how each WWE Premium Live Event comes into fruition.But for casual fans, the ones who check up on WWE only when The Undertaker returns (again) or when John Cena announces his retirement, wrestling still carries the label of 'scripted entertainment.'So does 'WWE: Unreal', the new Netflix docuseries, break that perception for a normal viewer? Well, no. Rather, what director Chris Weaver does is show the real side of wrestling.The five-part series gives us a sneak peek into the world of WWE.Think of it like a movie set—there's a full creative team debating match outcomes. They talk about which superstar deserves to be thrust into the limelight, and how producers work in real-time to ensure a match goes on smoothly—and handling issues if anything goes off-script.Now, if you're a casual fan and don't know terms like heel, babyface, and gorilla position, then grab a pen and paper—because this is going to feel like one of those field trips you had in school or college where you were expected to learn the processes of an industry.WWE Unreal episode titlesEpisode 1 – New EraEpisode 2 – The PushEpisode 3 – Worth the WaitEpisode 4 – Heel TurnEpisode 5 – WrestleManiaHumanising WWEBefore the series began streaming on Netflix, we had the chance to talk to CM Punk and Rhea Ripley. The former said that the documentary is going to humanise the larger-than-life wrestlers in front of their ardent fans.Right from the get-go, we see Paul Levesque, aka Triple H—one of the greatest WWE Superstars of all time and the current WWE Chief Content Officer—sit with his group of writers to discuss how each storyline is going to unfold.And this isn't just for a single episode. This is a long-term process that creates content for months ahead—and sometimes, even for a story that culminates a year later.
Each episode shows the creative process behind each match (Courtesy: WWE/Netflix)
Being a wrestling fan in the age of social media, you often hear about certain creative calls getting leaked online and find out the outcome of a match beforehand. In WWE Unreal, we get to see why those calls were made and the direction Triple H and his team wanted to take.One of the best parts of the series? John Cena's dramatic heel turn. (Don't worry, it just means Cena decided to join the dark side and become a villain.) The planning behind it was so secretive and well-done, it felt like organising a surprise party for your best friend. Even rewatching it unfold gave me chills all over again.The emotionsOne thing we often tend to forget about WWE Superstars is the fact that they're human too. Yes, I know The Undertaker has been buried and put in a casket n number of times, but there are real emotions behind the people who play these characters in front of us.Take someone like Rhea Ripley—probably one of WWE's biggest superstars of the modern era—shows her vulnerable anxious before a big match.Jey Uso opens up about his self-doubt before his big title shot. Chelsea Green, typically used as a comic character, explains why she embraced her role and what winning the inaugural Women's US Championship meant to her.
The show helps in humanising the wrestlers (Courtesy: WWE/Netflix)
Then there's Charlotte Flair, daughter of Ric Flair and a multi-time champion, who's doubtful about her comeback after an ACL injury. Capping it all off, you see CM Punk—an industry legend—break down in tears as he prepares to headline WrestleMania.These emotions are raw and come across as real while watching the series. They may not be your favourites—or they might play villains on screen—but after sitting through these episodes, you'll find yourself rooting for them. Leaves you wanting moreSo is the series perfect? Well, I have to say no. One of the things I felt was that while stars like Cena, Ripley, Punk, and Cody Rhodes were explored in detail, others like Jey Uso and Charlotte were restricted to just one or two episodes at most. It would have been great if the documentary had given all these superstars an equal spotlight and showcased their full journeys over the past year.But then again, like the industry itself, not everyone gets to main event a show. 'WWE Unreal' does tend to leave you wanting more—and that may be a conscious effort by the creators to tease a Season 2.One thing about the series that stands out—as I mentioned earlier—is that it doesn't try to make you believe that wrestling is real, even for a second. In fact, like the title suggests, it just shows how wrestling is unreal.- EndsMust Watch
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