Al Snow in the 2023 documentary ‘Wrestlers’.Photo:Netflix
Netflix
Snow, whose real name is Allen Sarven, is adamant that OVW is its own platform – one that’s found success as one of the longest-running televised wrestling shows in the United States, first airing in 1998. But it’s also a “launching pad” for pro wrestlers looking to make a splash in the business, he says.
Al Snow in the 2023 documentary ‘Wrestlers’.Netflix
In the world of pro wrestling, WWE sits alone at the top as the most recognizable brand, longtime wrestling writer David Shoemaker explains in the Netflix series’ first episode. Then outside of WWE, there are a number of low-budget or hyper-local promotions often seen as stepping stones to get to the big leagues of WWE.
Major wrestling stars likeJohn Cena,Dave Bautista,Mike “The Miz” Mizanin,Cody Rhodesand more have all passed through OVW in the early days of their careers, andWrestlersshowcases the daily struggles most wrestlers at that point in their careers face while chasing their dreams and trying to balance their lives beyond the ropes. More than any docuseries before,Wrestlershighlights the stark contrast between life inside and outside the ring.
The series follows Snow, who made his name in WWE in the late 1990s era of“Stone Cold” Steve AustinandDwayne “The Rock” Johnson, as he tries to keep OVW’s doors open while doing his best to not sacrifice its presentation. Cameras follow Snow as he hashes out the show’s weekly script, puts out fires between performers backstage, and tries to navigate often insensible input from two outside investors who constantly challenge him to switch things up in order to turn a profit.
Simultaneously, viewers follow the zany cast of wrestlers Snow is so determined to help grow. These include the young “HollyHood Haley J,” an unapologetic troublemaker whose loudmouth gets a rise out of fans as much as it gets her in trouble backstage, as well as grizzled veterans like “Ca$hFlo,” an aging individual with a religious devotion to wrestling.
“Wrestling’s very easy to mock, especially on this level,” Matt Jones, one of OVW’s co-owners says, according to Netflix. “But I think one of the reasons these folks do it is that when they walk through that curtain, whether there’s 150 people in here or 400 people in here, for those moments, every single person in here is going to be watching that individual. For that moment, those people matter. And all human beings just want to matter, right? You just want to matter. They matter. And I hope people see what I think is the beauty in that.”
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Throughout the seven-episode series, the in-ring performers are sometimes interviewed at their day job at Holiday Inn or sitting in their beater of a car – subtle reminders of the long climb superstars like Cena, Bautista, and others have made in their careers.“Wrestlerstells the story of passion,” Snow says. “The passion that it takes to pursue your dreams.”And above all, the series gives viewers a glimpse into the real-life of an upstart pro wrestler.“It’s an art form,” Snow says. “And I hope at the end of the day, people gain an appreciation and respect for what I think has been the most maligned section of entertainment.”
source: people.com
