It doesn’t matter how anyone tries to look at it, professional wrestling had an impact on the world that was unlike any other. This is not to play off the impact that tennis, baseball, or even basketball had on the world, but professional wrestling forever changed the atmosphere in its own unique way, just like other sports did in their own unique way. Maybe it was wrestling that stood out a bit because of the larger-than-life characters, secret backroom deals, hidden secrets, and everything else that when on during the early developmental days.
There is simply no mistaking that there is one man or family (The McMahons) that stands at the head of this prestigious industry today, but if you ever wonder why The Rock is today’s highest-paid Hollywood actor, a lot of this can be contributed to him cutting his teeth in a wrestling ring. This is an industry where one-off promos mean everything and a single interview could change the entire outlook of a character’s role. This only makes wrestling shows all that more intriguing, and here are the ones you surely do not want to miss out on.
Heels (2021-Present)
This show has only aired one season with single-digit episodes and it easily has everything that great TV series are made of, not just wrestling. In fact, most people probably don’t get a wrestling image or feel from the series. It’s honestly more of a little small, close-knit town feel that draws a lot of viewers in.
The really interesting thing about the show is the significance of the title, Heels. In wrestling terminology, this is something that refers to the bad guy or the villain. Okay, so on to the story. This Starz series focuses on two brothers deep in the wrestling business. Jack and Ace Spade are the respective good and bad guys of the family-owned Duffy Wrestling League (DWL), which is a small, fictional town in Georgia. Much of pro wrestling was brewed in the Southern territories and there is no more perfect setting for a wrestling show.
Their matches might be scripted, but if the Bret Hart scandal has proven anything to the world, it is that the expected outcome of a wrestling match can change at the drop of a hat. Even more troubling, it can change without the other competitor knowing anything about it, as hard as that is to believe. This is an evolution explored on the show along with many others. The suicide of the founding patriarch of the business is also an interesting storyline, but there is plenty to keep viewers interested each week.
Heels season 2 aired October 9, 2022 on Starz.
GLOW (2017-2019)
Given that the series has completed its full run interested viewers and subscribers of Netflix can binge-watch this series. The series Heels does feature a female storyline and she does play a huge part in the show, but GLOW is specifically a show involving the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling. If you thought men had a hard time establishing a foothold in the sports entertainment world, women had it ten times as hard.
Many incredible true stories come from the early development stages of this side of the industry. That said, many like me are not crazy about female sports, but you cannot deny the tough competitors their dues. These were beautifully talented, hard women that sacrificed everything for a sport that was willing to give them little in return. Things are entirely different now, but the series GLOW is built around those foundational days in the 1980s.
It doesn’t hurt the intrigue of the show that it is also based on the fictional lives of Ruth Wilder and Debbie Eagan, who are just two of the many early pioneers of this side of the business.
Young Rock (2021-Present)
As one of Hollywood’s biggest names today, it should come as no surprise that anything The Rock is in will excel. Of course, that’s just one of the many reasons that Young Rock is such a hit. And as you can probably guess from the name, the series is based on the young life of The Rock. Everything from his family ties in the business to the Rock’s early college football days will be explored in the series.
If you’ve read his long ago released biography, you already know these were quite tumultuous times for the young star and will make for interesting TV. All that said, the show is on NBC and has more of a fun-loving This Is Us feel, although this doesn’t take away from the show one bit.
Each episode is structured around an impactful story of the young star’s life as a kid. From a child in Hawaii to a teenager in Pennsylvania, and a college footballer in Florida the story will go, and it is promised to pull no punches despite being aired on NBC.
What’s probably even more interesting about the series is the main storyline, and that’s because it could turn into a real-life possibility. The reason for the revealing of these childhood tales is that now adult Rock is running for president. He is trying to express to his constituents how his upbringing prepared him for the challenge of leading the American people into these unprecedented times ahead. The Rock certainly has the charisma, grit, and integrity to represent the American people.
It doesn’t hurt that he was at one time the most electrifying man in sports entertainment, and can now be considered the most electrifying actor in Hollywood.
Young Rock season 1 streaming on October 5, 2022 on NBC. Bam Bam Bigelow in Young Rock was played by Memphis, Tennessee actor, Patrick Cox. One of the show’s biggest hits was the Young Rock Christmas special, which aired on December 15, 2021. Around 3 million viewers tuned in to watch the Christmas special.
Where to watch Young Rock season 1? It’s streaming on fuboTV, The Roku Channel, Peacock, Amazon Video, and Google Play Movies.
Colonial Combat (2019-2021)
America can’t take all the credit for the development of pro wrestling. Pro wrestling held and still hold strong roots around the globe, especially in places like the UK and believe it or not New Zealand. Many fans probably don’t know it, but many of the greatest wrestlers to ever grace the squared circle hail from the far away, foreign lands. It is their bright roots and deeply enriched cultural history that make their characters so intriguing and many built storylines and backstories around these assets.
In comes Colonial Combat, and lays the literal smackdown on what was 19th-century professional wrestling. As it is today and will forever be, professional wrestling at the time was a dog-eat-dog world, where only the colorful and brave would thrive. The series is based in the beautiful coastal town of Kauri Bay in the mid-1800s, so expect extremely early days wrestling.
It should be noted that there is a lot of intrigue and mystery surrounding the early days of pro wrestling in New Zealand; so much of the authenticity of the tales is always in question. Whether factual or not, this cheerful series takes a pivotal period in New Zealand’s rich history and adds to it, a ton of high-flying, action-packed, and hard-hitting wrestling action.
It also offers fans a different side of the action as the main focus of the show is on the promoter, Handsome Barker, and young, budding entrepreneur, Tereti. The series kicks off right from the very beginning days with fast-talking Harold touching down in Kauri Bay. He’s brought with him nothing more than high hopes, a tent, a wrestling ring, and the ultimate desire to thrive!
If you are an action fan and more interested in combat, do not be swayed by the fact that the main focus of the show is based on the promoter and a young entrepreneur. There will be plenty of incredible action as former actor-turned-filmmaker; Julian Arahanga is at the helm of this work. For those that aren’t aware, he was also responsible The Matrix and Once Were Warriors.
Blue Demon (2016-2017)
Speaking of rich cultures, foreign lands, high-flying action, and intriguing storytelling, no one can overlook the world of luchador wrestling. As far as weight classes and wrestling styles go, you will not find a more attractive area than luchador wrestling. These guys are the veritable high-flying of high-flying wrestling. This is where all the flips, spins and jumps come in.
This particular series is based on the true story of one of the most recognized luchadors, Blue Demon. The series tied so true to the roots of his incredible journey that they filmed in Mexico on location and much of the dialog is Spanish. The series was released on what was known as the Blim platform and ran for a total of three seasons. With each one containing 20 episodes, there is plenty of storytelling, suspense, and intrigue to follow.
Despite his impact on the business and budding popularity, much of the Blue Demon’s life and career is shrouded in mystery. This series will blow it out of the water. Many have incredible struggles working their way to the top of any squared circle, and Demon’s arduous journey is no different.
This tale has all the ingredients for the making of a masterpiece dish. It explores many of the obstacles the Demon had to overcome as well as touching on the biggest love of his life, Goyita. The love he had for this woman is unlike anything you’d experience in a modern-day romance.
Despite all this, the unique thing about Demon’s tale is that after reaching his pinnacle, he only discovers an ever greater challenge awaiting him. That challenge would be to recover the man under the mask!
Conclusion
It would be easy to continue to go on and on with many more incredible shows. As wrestling grows in popularity, more and more fans become intrigued with the inspiring and at times unbelievable backstories of the early developmental days. Any shows that aren’t mentioned shouldn’t feel snubbed, as they’ve no doubt had an impact on fans and the industry. Many great tales explore the early days of professional writing, as many follow current talent in and away from the ring. Simply put, there is always some wrestling-related show for the wrestling fan to tune into!
Jay Skelton is a fan of all television shows and movies. He tries his best to keep up with the latest foreign television shows and movies. Jay loves skinny dipping in the dark too.
