Mr McMahon: New Netflix docuseries shows why WWE promoter is a great storyteller and pro wrestling is top-notch entertainment Web series

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That is the extent to which Mr. McMahon or Vince McMahon is willing to tell and sell his stories. Chris Smith’s six-part Netflix documentary of the same name chronicles the rise and fall of Mr. McMahon, which carries as much suspense and suspense as any other memorable storyline that Mr. McMahon has brought to global television via the WWE. His creative decision to paint himself in evil colors – and portray his role as “Mr McMahon” as the company’s ruthless, demanding boss – has given birth to arguably the most memorable heel (negative character in pro wrestling parlance) in WWE history led. His feuds with Bret Hart, Stone Cold Steve Austin and D-Generation X are some of the most memorable of all time.

Borrowings from real life

Like all successful storytellers, Mr. McMahon borrowed liberally from real life to advance his storylines. The birth of the character Mr. McMahon, for example, occurred when he kept his ear to the ground, gauging the intense heat he received for “screwing” Bret Hart in his WWE swansong in his hometown of Toronto, Canada. What became known as the Montreal Screwjob began with Mr. McMahon stealing the WWE Championship belt from then-champion Bret Hart before moving to rival company WCW. Mr. McMahon asserted his authority to ring the bell and decide the match in favor of Shawn Michaels, who used Bret’s signature move, the Sharpshooter, although the latter was not eliminated.

The birth of the character Mr. McMahon paved the way for the turning point of the Attitude Era in WWE, which skyrocketed its ratings and left WCW far behind. If Mr. McMahon ignores his true goodwill and lets his impulsive decisions as a businessman influence the creative front of his company, it’s a feat not too many promoters could pull off. Finding the perfect balance between business and creativity, cold-bloodedness and passion, consistency and quality, ego and self-deprecation probably gave him an edge over other pro wrestling promoters like Eric Bischoff (WWE) and Paul Heyman (ECW). . Because it was what was best for business, Mr. McMahon even ended up hiring Eric and Paul as Raw general manager and on-screen talent manager, respectively.

Paul Heyman points out in the docuseries that Vince McMahon has only had one relationship with his company in his entire life. Vince McMahon was accused of sexual harassment multiple times throughout his career, and this setback only gave Vince McMahon new impetus for his creative process. Months after former WWE wrestler Sable sued WWE and Mr. McMahon for sexual harassment, he brought her back into the picture, this time as his on-screen girlfriend. He also had an on-screen affair with legendary WWE wrestler Trish Stratus in a storyline in which she drugged his wife Linda McMahon, which culminated in a fight between Mr McMahon and his son Shane McMahon, with Linda, Trish and his daughter Stephanie McMahon at ringside.

He also doesn’t shy away from incorporating his entire family and their real-life dynamics into the storylines on air. In fact, he initially pushed Stephanie to date WWE superstar Triple H, not as her father, but as a businessman who enabled one of the most dominant power couples in the sports entertainment business, both on television and in the boardroom. Storylines about succession in the family business – Stephanie versus Shane – have also sporadically found their way into the ring. In the docuseries, Shane disapproved of Mr. McMahon’s on-screen affair with Trish, even though he was in it at the time, and Stephanie reveals that she only said no to her father’s bizarre creative ideas when he suggested a storyline in which she got pregnant becomes. but the father is her father himself.

In the mind of a great storyteller

These excessive storylines came not from the sick mind of a predator, but primarily from that of a businessman looking to give a sensationalized America what it wanted. As Vince McMahon gained more power than his father in the WWE (then WWF), he transformed the sport of pro wrestling (with some dramatic touches here and there) into complete story arcs with all the ingredients of mainstream Hollywood entertainment – good guys, Bad boys, dirt, revenge, violence and surprises. Collaborations with modern brands like MTV and merchandising of popular faces also helped build the multi-revenue behemoth that WWE is today. He even brought former US President Donald Trump on board for a hair-on-hair match at Wrestlemania. Mr McMahon understands his primary identity as a storyteller rather than a sports entrepreneur – which is why he didn’t give in to Shane’s offer to acquire UFC despite a high offer.

At the beginning of the documentary, Bret Hart also complained about how WWE is often viewed as fake or inferior entertainment. He said that he considered himself an “artist” because he told a story by putting not only his face on the line but also his body. Largely for this storytelling reason, Bret later returned to the WWE and avenged his Montreal Screwjob from Mr. McMahon in a memorable on-screen feud. Even though top WWE Superstars like Dwayne Johnson, John Cena and Dave Bautista have moved on to greener pastures in Hollywood, they still swear by their WWE heritage and pop up for cameo appearances every now and then. Because what would WWE be other than a suitable training ground for film acting – to hit the mark in front of the camera, to make a grand entrance with the theme music, to interact with the fans, to hit the right shots when working with the microphone, a Building physicality for action, etc. Play your limited role in a larger plot.

Vince McMahon has now retired from WWE management and one wonders if now is the right time for him to hang up his boots. What impact would the suspension of disbelief and sweeping headlines inherent in WWE have in the age of social media and nuanced storytelling? Vince McMahon has endured many tectonic shifts in the industry over the decades, but his legacy as a villain in the industry is now catching up with him. While speaking to the camera in the docuseries, Vince argues that people tend to confuse him with the evil on-screen role he plays, but the fact is that it is nothing else. In what is likely a last-ditch effort to salvage his fading business, Vince McMahon gives docuseries viewers exactly what they want – another steamy, compelling story that toes the line between reality and kayfabe, ethical censure and vicarious sadism and coming-of-age and live in fantasy.