Mr. McMahon premiered on Netflix earlier today and, while most critics didn't get to see the series in advance, we do have some early reviews offering a better idea of what to expect from the controversial documentary series.
Vince McMahon has claimed it's misleading and we've heard lots about people in WWE being unhappy with what they consider a character assassination. The series was initially made hand-in-hand with the company but, when the allegations of McMahon's sexual misconduct surfaced, it transformed from a look back at his life to a piece chronicling that and the scandal which pushed him out of WWE.
Without having Vince on hand to respond to those claims, it doesn't sound like this is necessarily the tell-all some expected (in the sense that it only tells us what's been reported in the press). It also covers a lot of ground that, to pro wrestling fans, will likely be familiar.
Overall, though, the consensus seems to be a positive one and all signs point to it being a must-watch for WWE fans.
The Washington Post was first to highlightsthe fact that, despite chronicling McMahon's rise and fall, he wasn't on hand to discuss the latter. "Bad for the subject. Both good and bad for the documentary: Mr. Smith doesn’t get to ask about the latest developments," the review explains. "But the McMahon he does capture is relatively unscathed, despite the WWE’s history of scandals ranging from the distribution of illegal steroids to the alleged sexual abuse of underage 'ring boys.'"
CBS Sports says, "Those unfamiliar with the intimate details about McMahon's personal and business life will receive a thorough education. Die-hard wrestling fans will be familiar with nearly all of the stories and controversies, though there are still enough nuggets of information and revelations to make 'Mr. McMahon' a more-than-worthwhile watch."
Interestingly, Paste gives Mr. McMahon a 7.5/10 for those who know nothing about pro wrestling and 5/10 for those who do. "Vince McMahon’s life defies a conventional documentary because there’s nothing conventional about his malignant, destructive, half-real and half-fictional life, and that means something like Mr. McMahon was basically doomed from the start," the review concludes.
Slash Film was far more impressed (the site's 8.5/10 verdict has a killer line: "This Netflix docuseries didn't screw Vince McMahon. Vince McMahon screwed Vince McMahon") and Men's Journal, while not quite as complimentary, states, "The entire series has undeniably presented a negative spin on Vince’s life. It digs up every skeleton he has and puts it on display - even if I don’t think it adequately examines most of them."
Finally, The Daily Beast perhaps puts the documentary's impact best by exclaiming, "Mr. McMahon contends that McMahon was many things to many people: a father figure, a genius, a tyrant, a fighter, a cheater, and (per Phil Mushnick, who held his feet to the fire in his New York Post columns), 'a dirtbag.'"
All episodes of Mr. McMahon are now streaming on Netflix.