On a recent episode of Busted Open Radio, hosts Dave LaGreca and Tommy Dreamer gave their in-depth review of the new Netflix docuseries, “WWE: Unreal.” While both hosts praised certain aspects of the show for its ability to create deeper connections with the talent, they were also highly critical of the series for pulling back the curtain too far and “exposing the magic” of professional wrestling.
The discussion began with LaGreca expressing his frustration with modern fans’ desire to be “a part of the industry.” He feels that “WWE: Unreal” caters to this desire by revealing the inner workings of storylines and matches, which he believes ultimately harms the product by removing the suspension of disbelief.
“Why Do You Have to Show That?”
LaGreca pointed to a specific segment involving Rhea Ripley as a prime example of the show going “too far.” He detailed the scene where Ripley explained the mechanics of her own injury. “As she’s explaining how she hurt herself, she said, ‘Yeah, I threw myself too hard into the wall.’ Why did you have to say that?” LaGreca asked, exasperated. “Why did they have to show that? Because I was watching that, and I was like, sh–, man, sometimes these things are going to happen. Injury is going to happen… But then she explained, like, ‘Yeah, I threw myself against the wall too hard.’ Why? Why do you have to show that?”
He also lamented other small details, such as showing the wrestlers’ real names and Ripley referring to a moment where she “broke character.” “That’s something that a television actor would say, or a movie actor would say,” he argued. “I feel like… of a 50-minute show, 45 minutes of it was awesome. It’s that four and a half minutes that make you go, ‘Why?’ It wasn’t necessary. They didn’t need to do that. They didn’t need to go that far.”
Taking Away The Magic
ECW legend Tommy Dreamer wholeheartedly agreed, arguing that exposing the reality behind iconic moments would have ruined them for all time. He used some of the most famous promos in history to illustrate his point. “Austin 3:16 says, ‘I just whooped your ass.’ ‘Hard Times’ with a tear in my eye. If they showed me someone handing a piece of paper to these people and say, ‘Say this at this time,’ they would never become historic, and it would never make the industry what it is,” Dreamer stated passionately. “So when I see things like this, that’s what upsets me, as well. You take away the magic.”
Dreamer then shared a deeply personal story from his own career to emphasize the importance of that magic. “I just watched a promo of myself when the Dudleys broke Beulah, and I legit cried because I knew this woman would not be my partner anymore, and then I also bashed my head into a locker to make myself bleed,” he recounted. “And I got so emotionally invested into the real-life situation, and that the promo ended a show… and there was no scripts, there was no writers, and it was just me in that moment, professing my love for someone that I lost. And it was magical. And you will have magical moments, but if you expose them, they’re gone.”
The Positives of “Unreal”
Despite their harsh critiques, both hosts did praise the series for its ability to get fans more invested in the performers on a human level. LaGreca admitted, “I think I love CM Punk more now than I did before watching Unreal… Rhea Ripley, I’m more of a fan of Rhea Ripley… I love the story, like with Cody saying, ‘WrestleMania 40 should have been the greatest moment… but I felt the void of my dad not being there.’ Like all that stuff makes me… fall in love with these people even more.”
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit Busted Open Radio with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
