By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE issued the following press release on Thursday to announce that “WWE Evil” will premiere March 24 on Peacock.
NEW YORK & STAMFORD, Conn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Peacock today announced that its first WWE original series, WWE EVIL will begin streaming exclusively on Thursday, March 24.
Created and hosted by John Cena, the 8-part docu-series is the latest expansion of WWE programming on Peacock, and the first-ever original from WWE Studios. Taking an unprecedented look inside the psyche of the most diabolical antagonists in WWE, the series unveils the Superstars’ impact on mainstream culture.
“As Peacock continues to expand its WWE programming, we are thrilled to bring the new original series ‘WWE Evil’ to platform, working with the one and only John Cena,” said Benny Reuven, Vice President of Entertainment Unscripted Content at NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. “There is no one better to take viewers into the minds of WWE’s fiercest villains than Cena himself. We can’t wait for WWE fans to devour this series.”
Each one-hour episode of this psychological exposé, dives deep into a single infamous heel, unveiling rare behind-the-scenes details from some of the biggest names in the industry. These “evildoers” undeniably shaped pop culture through the decades, making a tremendous nostalgic impact that bled into mainstream culture today.
WWE EVIL exposes new details from the characters who defined a generation of WWE including each villain’s history, their key rivalries and career defining moments.
WWE EVIL Superstars featured include:
- EPISODE 1 – “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan: Hulk Hogan goes “Hollywood”, betraying his fans and beliefs to become the personification of evil.
- EPISODE 2 – The Miz: From reality star to Superstar; Mike Mizanin took fame to new heights with his villainous alter-ego, The Miz.
- EPISODE 3 – Sasha Banks: There’s a villain inside all of us. Sasha Banks unleashes hers to become “The Boss”.
- EPISODE 4 – Brothers of Destruction: Brothers and sworn enemies The Undertaker and Kane align to become the ultimate evil duo in WWE.
- EPISODE 5 – Randy Orton: Randy Orton’s “evil” evolution into the “Legend Killer” unleashes the true demons lurking within.
- EPISODE 6 – Stephanie McMahon: Stephanie McMahon steps out of her father’s shadow to forge a legacy of power and corruption in WWE.
- EPISODE 7 – Ric Flair: Witness how the “Dirtiest Player in the Game” Ric Flair became one of WWE’s greatest villains.
- EPISODE 8 – Roman Reigns: From hated good guy to beloved bad guy; Roman Reigns finds new life by embracing his dark side.
WWE EVIL was created by executive producer John Cena. As the narrator of the series, Cena gets to re-engage his bad side, as well as celebrate other Superstars who became pop culture icons like himself.
As the exclusive streaming home in the U.S. for WWE, Peacock offers fans a catalog of compelling content in addition to premium live events. Featuring a massive content vault of iconic WWE historical moments and events, WWE on Peacock just got bigger with the addition of the very first original series co-produced by WWE Studios and Bunim Murray Productions. For more information about WWE on Peacock visit: www.PeacockTV.com/sports/WWE.
ABOUT THE SERIES:
- Creator / Executive Producer / Narrator: John Cena
- Showrunner / Executive Producer / Director: Micah Brown
- Executive Producers: Vince McMahon and Kevin Dunn for WWE; Julie Pizzi, Farnaz Farjam and Steve Ezell for Bunim Murray Productions
- Studio: WWE Studios
- Production Company: Co-produced with Bunim Murray Productions
- Format: 8 x 60 binge
SERIES DESCRIPTION:
The battle between good and evil is as old as time itself. But the line between the two is often blurred…and sometimes, what side you stand for is simply a matter of perspective. This fascinating subject matter is the focus of WWE EVIL, an entertaining psychological exposé into the minds of the most diabolical villains in WWE history. Journey into the deepest and darkest recesses of these WWE Superstars’ psyches, uncovering dastardly secrets and exploring the real-life motivations for their turn to the dark side. Examine the ultimate rogues in WWE; from the “Nature Boy” Ric Flair, The Miz, and “Legit Boss” Sasha Banks, to the “Billionaire Princess” Stephanie McMahon, “The Viper” Randy Orton and “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan, to the “Brothers of Destruction” and the “Head of the Table” himself, Roman Reigns! Discover why there is no light without darkness, and why there can be no hero…without a true villain.
Powell’s POV: I was hoping that the series would dig deeper into WWE’s history. How can you have a show that focusses on WWE heels and not spotlight Roddy Piper, Bobby Heenan, or Ted DiBiase in season one? And while I’m sure he’ll be included several of the episodes, its’ interesting that Triple H isn’t getting his standalone episode.
I’m guessing current world events/social standards kept them from running with some of the great foreign heels as well (which is a wise choice until the show is established as a success). I have no idea if this will actually be good, but it’s an interesting concept.