WWE made a significant move in early January 2025 by partnering with Netflix to bring its extensive content, including Monday Night Raw, to the streaming platform. This collaboration marks a milestone in the realm of “sports entertainment,” aiming to widen WWE’s audience. Accompanying this launch is a new documentary series titled WWE: Unreal, which promises a behind-the-scenes look at the world of professional wrestling. However, while billed as a groundbreaking exposé, many critics view it as a carefully crafted marketing tactic rather than an authentic exploration of the creative chaos behind the franchise.
Unreal’s first season delves into various wrestlers, matches, and narratives leading up to WWE’s premier event, WrestleMania. Fans will recognize A-listers like John Cena and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, while others, such as rising star Rhea Ripley and Jey Uso, introduce a broader spectrum of talent aimed at attracting casual viewers. Former wrestler and current executive Paul “Triple H” Levesque describes the business as one of storytelling, which inadvertently reflects the scripted nature of WWE’s productions.
Despite its intentions, reviewers have pointed out flaws in Unreal’s approach. Historically, WWE-approved documentaries have often revised events to fit the company’s narrative, and Unreal follows suit by portraying an overly sanitized vision of wrestling’s creative process. While some episodes hint at the personal struggles and vulnerabilities of female wrestlers, these threads become largely irrelevant as the show progresses. The emotional depth present in the lives of these athletes takes a backseat to the overarching promotional agenda.
As wrestling fans have become attuned to the blurry lines between real-life conflicts and on-screen storylines, Unreal appears to struggle in tapping into that engagement. While the series occasionally captures the frenetic energy of live event production, it ultimately falls short by spending excessive time explaining match mechanics rather than presenting captivating storytelling that resonates with its target audience.
As with past efforts, the challenge remains: how can WWE bridge its rich history of visual storytelling with a modern audience that craves authenticity? While Unreal may attract new eyes to the wrestling universe, only the quality of the actual wrestling content itself will determine whether those viewers stick around. The hope lies in WWE’s recognition of this need and its ability to evolve its narrative strategies.