Reality TV keeps trying to pull the wrestling business back in

We are forty-eight hours out from the lights hitting the stage in Las Vegas, and yet, the gossip mill is spinning around a completely different orbit. PWInsider confirmed that another project involving Brandi Rhodes is officially on the way. Because clearly, what we needed right now is more camera crews backstage while the actual business of body slamming people is trying to happen.

Look, I get it. The cross-pollination between the squared circle and unscripted television is as old as time. Remember when we all sat through the E! Network years waiting for something to happen? Now we have this latest development involving Rhodes, which is reportedly moving forward despite the fact that our collective attention span is currently occupied by the biggest card of the year.

Does the wrestling industry actually need more cameras?

Here is the reality of the situation: wrestlers are performers, but they are also humans who need a break from the lens. When you start inviting producers into the mix, that line between work and real life gets blurred to the point of being invisible. I have watched many of these projects crash and burn because the drama on screen feels manufactured, even when the people involved are genuine stars.

My biggest concern isn't about Brandi or her capability as an entertainer. She has proven her ability to handle a microphone and command a room since her days in the ring. My problem is the constant need to strip-mine the personal lives of wrestlers for content. We just spent months watching the SmackDown production team scramble to fix a card that was already packed to the rafters. Now we are supposed to shift focus to a reality show slate?

It feels like a massive miscalculation by the powers that be. We want the intensity of a blood feud at WrestleMania. We want the heat of a title match. We do not necessarily need a breakdown of household logistics or the nuances of behind-the-scenes life unless it directly correlates to the story being told inside the ropes. When you pull back the curtain too far, you end up ruining the magic trick.

The missed opportunity for actual character building

What bothers me about these shows is the lost potential. There are so many interesting ways to build characters within the current WWE format that don't involve filming someone doing laundry or arguing about catering. Why not lean into the documentary style that shows the physical toll of a 30-minute iron man match? Show me the ice baths, the chiro appointments, and the absolute hell these people put their joints through for our entertainment.

That is the kind of reality content that resonates with the hardcore base. Instead, we are likely getting a glossed-over, highly edited version of life that feels about as authentic as a scripted promo during the 2005 era of the business. It is lazy booking for the viewing habits of a general audience that doesn't actually care if the person in the ring can back up their trash talk with a clean suplex.

We have two nights of professional wrestling nirvana coming up in Las Vegas. The stage sets are excessive, the card is overflowing, and the hype is at a fever pitch. Introducing news of a reality series right now is like trying to sell someone a life insurance policy while they are standing on a rollercoaster. The timing is atrocious, and it takes the focus away from the people putting their bodies at risk on the biggest stage on the planet.

I will probably end up hate-watching an episode or two, just like everyone else. I am a sucker for the train wreck. But do not expect me to pretend this is moving the needle for the art form we all claim to love. Sometimes, the best way to develop a star is to let them be a star, not a reality television caricature.