Welcome to Wrexham

It can't decide whether it wants to be a sociological probe à la Dycky Sunderland or a docu-series with a "how two clueless Yanks get to know the uncompromising world of lower-division football management" angle, while realising that they don't make money in football and are purely in the role of sugar daddies with marketable faces. But it’s too forced, it feels cynical, that they went into it for the documentary rather than for their proclaimed altruistic reasons. Add to that a straddling concept where one scene deals with how a guy's life sucks (his job sucks, his partner left him, his small-town prospects are nil, all he has left is the club), only to be followed by a scene where Reynolds does the obligatory funny thing. One moment you're dealing with a fan's cancer, the next you're dealing with the issue of "how fans have been screwed over by previous managements", and then it's on to like TV sports news where the duo of owners make (un)funny quips. It doesn’t feel like a whole. The more interesting sociological aspect doesn't get the necessary space, the behind-the-scenes part doesn't go deep under the hood of the club's management, if at all (and it's a pity, the story around finances, ownership rights, contract negotiations it's SO rewarding). It's rather about those two, who (logically) only have it as an appendage to many other investment activities or don't have much to offer as subjects of documentary interest. It's not bad, not really (the episodes are short and snappy), especially when the plans fall apart under their hands, but it's too much in the shadow of many other sports docuseries in concept, delivery and moving outside the sports box. | S1: 3/5 | (04.12.2022)

I never thought I'd become a Wrexham fan so easily. Well, maybe not that easily — it took me the entire first season, all 18 episodes. But that's actually a good number of episodes by today's standards. And honestly, I never found myself bored. Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney bought one of the oldest football clubs in the world, Wrexham AFC, and while it might have been a calculated move given this series, it turned out to be a great one. The show brilliantly showcases how football can impact a community — how it can hurt it, but also uplift it. Ryan and Rob managed to elevate the town and the club, earning deep respect. Despite calling it soccer, a term that makes any football fan cringe, they quickly bonded with the town, making it a joy to watch each episode and follow the club’s journey. This isn't just a social commentary on an industrial town past its prime; it's also an inside look at the football world, showing that running a football club is no easy feat. The series almost made me feel sympathy for the football club owners back home, but then I snapped out of it, remembering that Wrexham's story is driven by love. Here’s hoping it stays that way. After finishing the first season, I’m now a committed fan of the club and eagerly await the emotionally charged second season. (29.04.2023)