Debuting on Roku
April 1st, 2024
Anyone who has followed WWE’s NXT knows it is a platform to test new talents not only on the wrestling ring but also on screen as performers. It started in 2010 as a television program which aired on different networks over the years, and some may wonder how some individuals got here? WWE Next Gen aims to answer that, and show how tough it is to become a celebrity wrestling superstar. It’s really about how to present yourself to others and anyone watching this reality TV program may well learn a thing or two on when it’s okay to be a douche and when it’s not.
Unlike past talents who fought tooth and nail to the top, before the WWE existed, these recruits have the assistance of industry legends like Shawn Michaels, Big E, and Matt Bloom to help mentor them. Morgan Belvedere is not from their world, and she’s a different type of intermediary. They are here to see if Brayden Ray, Breanna Covington, Jonah Niesenbaum, Caleb Kelly, Nicky Rodriguez, Julian Baldi, Christyan Reid, Kevin Feder, Aaron Jenkins, Sara Fiorvento, Kennedy Smith, Lina Ducharme, Taylor Arenz, Keyshawn Leflore, Olena Sadovska, and Darrel Mason have what it takes.
And without their backstories to understand where they came from (in both the world of sports and growing up) intercut throughout the series, their struggle won’t feel real. Most of them are hometown star athletes, but can they go further? There’s only eight episodes in this season to chronicle their journey, and not all of them have The Right Stuff.
It’s funny that Ray would get tagged as the village idiot by Michaels–although that wasn’t the kind word he used. I was curious how far he’d be able to go before getting booted. Not everyone has the right stuff out of the gate, and he’s a shining example. Out of the 50 people invited to attend at the series start, only one-sixth will be considered for the next step. The real joy in watching comes from if a viewer can figure out who will get offered a chance to attend boot camp and eventually appear in a future episode of WWE NXT. When considering how this program is edited for broadcast, it’s easy to figure out.
The trials and tribulations are nothing new to those who have seen enough Reality TV programs. In order to keep viewers invested, Cena’s voice reminds us where we are in this group’s story. Maybe he went through something similar in his path to becoming a star within the WWE, but until there’s a documentary about his journey, I can only guess.
What makes this series interesting is that glimpse into what goes on not only from a personal level, but also psychological. What older fans saw in the past came from folks who earned their cred the hard way. Here, the brass wants to recruit from those athletes who are “fresh.”
Although much of the season is focussed on testing these folk’s resolve at the most basic of levels, it’s the final two that really become fascinating as they have to decide if this next step is really for them. One suffered an injury a long time ago where if that pin breaks, it’s really game over, and the other is questioning if he’s able to be away from wife and newborn child. Also, even everyone’s friendship must get challenged when Bloom announces only two people from their group will get to make their TV debut.
My favourite two folks to keep an eye on are Jonah Niesenbaum because he exudes a presence similar to Chris Evans and Kennedy Smith is just cute. I won’t say if they made it to the end, but they were two personalities who I liked. If there’s another season, it’ll be about the next recruits and maybe seeing last year’s talents butt heads with them. After all, without some conflict, what we see wouldn’t be a WWE style wrestling match.
4 Stars out of 5
WWE Next Gen Trailer
