Mr. McMahon Is an Unsurprising Glimpse at an Evil Man’s Tyranny
This isn’t surprising from the perspective of a long-time wrestling fan
If you’re a member of any marginalized group in America and also a professional wrestling fan, it’s hard not to notice the hypocrisy of being a fan of a storytelling product that is often aggressively bigoted. From its outset to its modern environment, there still often remains a dearth of representation, investment in identity, and limited purview of who gets to be a professional wrestling champion.
Additionally, the business still struggles with the work-life balance of its performers, the health care, and the due diligence of a major enterprise profiting from the car crashes of human anatomy that we call “entertainment.” While one could tie a thread from today’s problems to a man and a time period most responsible, the Mr. McMahon docuseries is interested in anything but such nuance.
Instead, director Chris Smith (Tiger King & Jim & Andy) and executive producers Bill Simmons (Andre the Giant & 30 for 30) and David Rohde (Miss Americana) chart a superficial recounting of the most notorious controversies of the famed titan tower mogul. From his invasion and monopolizing of the wrestling territories to the famed financial gamble of Wrestling’s Superbowl, WrestleMania…