On Sept. 25, Netflix released its documentary series about former head of WWE, Vince McMahon.

Vince McMahon’s controversies are no secret to the public and certainly not old given his most recent allegations from January this year by former employee, Janel Grant. She accuses McMahon of sexual assault including trafficking her to other employees including fan favorite wrestler, Brock Lesnar. The allegations included other disturbing imagery provided by Grant, and since then, McMahon officially stepped down from all involvement with WWE and its partner, TKO Group. 

The documentary talks about not only this controversy but many others including the multiple lawsuits he’s gotten from former employees over sexual assault and harassment as well as lawsuits involving steroids with some even saying that he was selling steroids to employees. These problematic lawsuits are heavily talked about in this docuseries, but so is the history of the WWF/WWE and this is where criticism and confusion could fall in place. 

Each episode takes the viewer along the timeline of the WWE from its humble and colorful beginnings, to its edgy “Attitude Era,” to where the WWE is currently with Paul “Triple H” Levesque and Stephanie McMahon are running the company. This serves as a sort of historical piece on how the WWE came to be and its many ups and downs along the way but also provides where Vince McMahon was in accordance with the rise and fall and rise again of the company. 

There are several interviews including with McMahon himself where he addresses his views on the topics addressed by the interviewers, and most of the time, they are very shocking. There are many instances of irony used by either the editing or by another interviewee answering a question such as a moment where the “Attitude Era” was heavily criticized for advertising the show towards kids. The show at that time was extremely vulgar, women were treated poorly and it was not at all intended for children. 

McMahon gave his response to that criticism by saying that despite all of the graphic imagery displayed on his show, the show was still family-friendly because there were no guns, sexual activities or any sort of taboo that children should be kept away from. As he said this, clips from the “Attitude Era” popped up on screen, outwardly showing that there was in fact sexual content and excessive violence shown and that McMahon was lying. 

There is an episode dedicated to Vince’s children, Shane and Stephanie, and they talk about how it was to not only be the boss’s children but working with him as well. Both said they had a very rocky parental and work relationship with him. Shane would often be upset with his father’s decisions and was emotionally manipulated by Vince to go with what he says.

Shane left the company but came back to have a match with The Undertaker at WrestleMania 32. Stephanie, although she wasn’t happy about everything her father has done creatively, was more open to his ideas. Her father shared that there was a scrapped storyline where Stephanie was pregnant and that Vince’s character on Monday Night Raw was the father. Stephanie currently runs WWE with her husband Paul “Triple H” Levesque and has been breaking record after record that her father was not able to reach. 

At the very end of the series, the interviewer asks the interviewees what they think Vince McMahon’s legacy will be. Many are reluctant to answer while others call him a great businessman with a messy background. 

This question is not only geared towards the interviewees but to the audience as well. From everything that this documentary showed from his many accusations and controversies, to the monumental phenomenon that is the WWE, this documentary asks the viewer, “What legacy do you hold for Vince McMahon?” 

In my opinion, I see him as a monster who ruined many lives. He would sacrifice even the respect of his wife and children all to hold onto the business. He is irredeemable and power-hungry.

Even though it is great to see what he has done with the WWE, the real money-makers and the reason why WWE is where it is at right now is because of the wrestlers and the team behind the storylines. People don’t line up for the newest Marvel movie for Disney or Kevin Fiege; they go to see a story with the characters they love and the same can be said about the WWE and Vince McMahon.