'Welcome to Wrexham' can be summarized with one word, and that word would be 'heart.' Not once did it cross my mind that I would be entranced by a series about football, but with the two leads being Ryan Reynolds and, as a big fan of 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia,' of course, Rob McElhenney, it offered a glimpse into a world that has been going strong for over 100 years but has fallen heavily in popularity with people under 30 and even older, or at least that is my observation.
'Welcome to Wrexham' is about how our two leading men (Ryan and Rob) decided to buy a football club in Wrexham, Wales. By generously investing a lot of capital to upgrade existing facilities and acquiring new talent, they witness how much Wrexham supports their team and just how much it means to them. Things change drastically, and now with a rejuvenated spirit and even more invested money, they are on a quest to bring endless success to the club and overwhelming joy to the town.
What sets it apart from a normal series/film about football or sports, in general, is the 'Hollywood' feel. In most cases, one team (normally the underdog) starts from almost last place and, against all odds, manages to beat the opposition and ultimately earn its place in first or at least near the top. This might sound rather harsh, but the truth is that it's a tested formula that has worked time and time again because people really like watching the underdog win, and that's why so many stories are done that way. 'Welcome to Wrexham' diverts from that path from the very start. It offers a glimpse into the team and football as a whole, but focuses more on how each player manages to work around their specific work/life balance and how the town, through football, becomes one. This change makes it utterly unique and made it stand out from all the rest.
We get glimpses into the lives of different people from Wrexham, about how the league is going, how they are helping in each and every way they can, and lastly, how much it means to them. These tiny interactions are specifically what makes 'Welcome to Wrexham' stray further from the traditional underdog story. Each respective person shows how much this club means to them and in their own specific way, whether it's supporting them through fundraisers, making the stadium wheelchair accessible, providing a dedicated place to drink after the match, and much more. Some stories are very wholesome, such as the strengthening connection between a child and a father through football, as the club means a lot to him and he wishes to pass that down to his child. So that in the future, when that child watches the club perform and hears the public roaring with excitement, he can always associate that feeling with his father. One thing I appreciated even more was that it would have been so easy to focus on the leading men and have the club take a backseat, but both Ryan and Rob are constantly there, albeit more in the background, never forgetting that the team and town should be at the forefront and should shine.
As someone who is not at all interested in football and, moreover, all the specific players, different leagues, rules, and much more, getting a recommendation after all that means they did something special. There probably won't be a second season, or if there is, it won't be soon. But even if this is all they had to show, 'Welcome to Wrexham' is still worth watching.
'Welcome to Wrexham' is about how our two leading men (Ryan and Rob) decided to buy a football club in Wrexham, Wales. By generously investing a lot of capital to upgrade existing facilities and acquiring new talent, they witness how much Wrexham supports their team and just how much it means to them. Things change drastically, and now with a rejuvenated spirit and even more invested money, they are on a quest to bring endless success to the club and overwhelming joy to the town.
What sets it apart from a normal series/film about football or sports, in general, is the 'Hollywood' feel. In most cases, one team (normally the underdog) starts from almost last place and, against all odds, manages to beat the opposition and ultimately earn its place in first or at least near the top. This might sound rather harsh, but the truth is that it's a tested formula that has worked time and time again because people really like watching the underdog win, and that's why so many stories are done that way. 'Welcome to Wrexham' diverts from that path from the very start. It offers a glimpse into the team and football as a whole, but focuses more on how each player manages to work around their specific work/life balance and how the town, through football, becomes one. This change makes it utterly unique and made it stand out from all the rest.
We get glimpses into the lives of different people from Wrexham, about how the league is going, how they are helping in each and every way they can, and lastly, how much it means to them. These tiny interactions are specifically what makes 'Welcome to Wrexham' stray further from the traditional underdog story. Each respective person shows how much this club means to them and in their own specific way, whether it's supporting them through fundraisers, making the stadium wheelchair accessible, providing a dedicated place to drink after the match, and much more. Some stories are very wholesome, such as the strengthening connection between a child and a father through football, as the club means a lot to him and he wishes to pass that down to his child. So that in the future, when that child watches the club perform and hears the public roaring with excitement, he can always associate that feeling with his father. One thing I appreciated even more was that it would have been so easy to focus on the leading men and have the club take a backseat, but both Ryan and Rob are constantly there, albeit more in the background, never forgetting that the team and town should be at the forefront and should shine.
As someone who is not at all interested in football and, moreover, all the specific players, different leagues, rules, and much more, getting a recommendation after all that means they did something special. There probably won't be a second season, or if there is, it won't be soon. But even if this is all they had to show, 'Welcome to Wrexham' is still worth watching.