Netflix's Mr. McMahon isn’t the documentary you hoped for

When Netflix announced the release of the documentary titled Mr. McMahon, it created a considerable buzz amongst the sports entertainment industry. The World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) had just completed its merger with UFC to form TKO Group Holdings, a sports entertainment company that would have Vince McMahon as Chief Executive.

The deal also included the selling of streaming rights for WWE to Netflix, a deal that was lauded by old fans who felt this would lead to an improvement in the show.

Soon after the announcement, McMahon faced a barrage of sexual assault and trafficking lawsuits at the hands of a former employee. This led to him being stripped of his job title and pushed out of the company by the board of directors. The lawsuits are ongoing and hence when Netflix announced the release of the documentary, everyone hoped that it would shed light on this situation.

In hindsight, all it did was tell us the same old facts that have been public for years, especially for avid wrestling fans like myself as they used interviews conducted with McMahon in 2021, long before the allegations were ever made.

What Worked

Mr. McMahon, the documentary tried its best to accurately depict the rise of Vince McMahon, the businessman who took the world by storm in the 80s by putting his World Wrestling Federation (now WWE) on the world map. The first few episodes serve as a beautiful reminder of the glory days of wrestling, all the high-octane action, fueled by grueling stunt work and gripping storylines.

The documentary does a good job of including major stars from different eras of wrestling, such as Hulk Hogan from the 80s, The Undertaker from the 90s, and The Rock from the early 2000s. Most of them speak highly of McMahon, crediting him for their rise to stardom.

The documentary tried its best to show the shrewd and often cruel business antics of McMahon who also defends himself by saying he does what’s best for the business and doesn’t care who he has to deal with in the process. It opens with a brilliant moment, showing a snippet from one of their interviews. McMahon says he wishes he could tell all the real stories but doesn’t want anyone to truly know him. That foreshadows the entire documentary as McMahon seems to have his guard up like never before.

What didn’t Work

When the documentary was announced, expectations were high, with many hoping to find answers about sports entertainment’s most controversial figure. Those expectations go out the door as soon as the documentary opens up, and the fact that the interviews were conducted in 2021, also dampens its impact.

Most people enlisted to speak in this documentary seem to be ultimate McMahon fanboys which damages its credibility. Out of roughly 20 interviewees, only two journalists—Dave Meltzer and Phil Mushnick—speak critically of McMahon and emphasize how his onscreen character Mr. McMahon, is an exaggerated version of the real McMahon.

The documentary doesn’t include women who have previously spoken against McMahon and his conduct, including cases where he made big money settlements with victims. It also seems to just minimally brush over the rampant sexism and patriarchal attitudes within the wrestling world, with just one-woman wrestler, Trish Stratus coming forward for an interview. The other interviewees included current WWE executives, who may as well be complicit in covering up for their boss.

Verdict

All in all, Mr. McMahon falls short of its potential and is a missed opportunity for Netflix to shed light on the mysteries surrounding this controversial figure. It does a good job of retelling the professional legacy of Vince McMahon, the man who single-handedly put wrestling on the global stage. However, it does nothing to expose the horrifying new allegations leveled against the former WWE chairman, or the ones he may have previously evaded through his massive influence, power, and wealth.