Two brothers and rivals – one a villain, or “heel,” in the ring; the other a hero, or “face,” war over their late father’s wrestling promotion, vying for national attention in small-town Georgia.
Dad shows are back in vogue with Taylor Sheridan’s “Yellowstone” and its spinoff, “1883,” as well as new shows announced. It follows then that those shows appealing to good ‘ol American drama would get the pay-to-order treatment with language, nudity, and violence. I just never expected Michael Waldron, creator of Disney+’s “Loki,” to turn out a by-the-beat melodrama about wrestling men deep in the heartland of Georgia. This show revives the television southern aesthetic conjured by shows like “Hart of Dixie” and “True Blood” with an emphasis on men this time around. Waldron’s show, while a little tedious at times, delivers compelling drama with clear character arcs and a stripped-down production that we used to get from nighttime cable shows.
Stephen Amell plays Jack Spade, son of legendary southern wrestler-turned-league manager King Spade. In the wake of his father’s suicide, Jack tries to hold the league his father created together, scrapping for attention from a waning audience and stifling helpful voices. He faces his brother, Ace Spade (played with soulful conviction by Alexander Ludwig), in the ring and out of the ring as the two struggle over their father’s death. Alongside this grieving family are Jack’s wife Staci (Alison Luff), kickass manager Willie Day (Mary McCormack), former friend-turned-competitor Wild Bill Hancock (Chris Bauer), and direct nemesis Charlie Gully (the always wonderful Mike O’Malley.) While the wrestlers fight over who should claim the coveted belt, a wrestler’s valet, Crystal (played with ferocity by Kelli Berglund), fights just to get in the ring with the boys.
It’s a primetime drama with plenty of material to cover. Between the two brothers struggling with their mental health, a failing wrestling circuit just waiting for a jumpstart, and countless personalities sucking up all the oxygen, it’s a deft thrill ride with all the twists and turns of a “Friday Night Lights.” The ironic twists of villains in the ring becoming heroes in the show and vice-versa is not lost on me as even the manufactured drama of the ring feels fresh.
It’s a lot to accomplish and the show does it with very little. The most important sets feel like real locations while the average places (bars, restaurants, houses) feel like stages. The costuming and production design feel a little TV over-the-top which pushes the needle towards artifice and away from reality. Still, the overall feel of the show hits firmly within the “just real enough” aesthetic that it feels utterly relatable. Small town barbecues on Sunday after church where everyone brings a dish. The hole-in-the-wall bars for wrestlers to get piss drunk at and regret their lives. The crushing pressure of a small town’s hopes and dreams you might escape. They’re all achingly familiar to anyone from small towns or the south, they’re just dressed up nicely.
Amell’s casting attracted me to the show at first, and Waldron’s proven to be adept with a pen. It’s Alexander Ludwig who gets all the scene-stealing moments. Between him and Kelli Berglund, the former wrestler and valet absorb the attention. Everyone else rounds out the cast nicely with comedy breaks and scowling cigarette smoking aplenty from everyone involved. The show’s main heft follows the mental health of the two leads and it’s not afraid to show us men learning to be vulnerable. Breaking down those walls is half the subject of the show, allowing Ludwig to be both ridiculously manly and hurt in equal measure.
The season overall starts off strong. Its pilot and follow-up episode carry you into the story fast. The center episodes carry fewer ramifications, more bridging the pilot and finale, but there’s character drama for all. The show really picks back up by its end but with only eight episodes it’s not much of a dip in terms of pacing. Instead, it holds its own, carrying our attention. It can be easy to take a break on, but it’s just as easy to pick up, and for anybody curious – there is plenty of wrestling action to fill in. It’s not all men being teary.
I was pleasantly surprised by “Heels.” Waldorf’s strong sense of character and pacing guided the season to a succinct story told. Stephen Amell draws the crowd but it’s Alexander Ludwig who keeps them. The screws turn with each episode until we’re left wondering what line will Jack cross to save his father’s legacy. While a little overproduced, the whole production still carries that honest-to-goodness heart that makes a show like this work. Fans of “Friday Night Lights” and “Yellowstone” will enjoy “Heels” immensely. It has everything those shows delivered on a tight budget.
Now available on DVD
