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Welcome to Wrexham

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Welcome to Wrexham
GenreSports access-all-areas docuseries[1][2]
Opening theme"The Times They Are a-Changin'" by Keb' Mo' (episodes 1-2)
"Everyday" by Buddy Holly (episodes 3-present)
ComposerGiosué Greco
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes15 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
Producers
  • Drew Palombi
  • Jeff Luini
  • Aaron Lovell
Production locations
Editors
  • Mohamed El Manasterly
  • Curtis McConnell
  • Michael Brown
  • Peter Holmes
  • Janak Elise Cox
  • Peter Leininger
  • Marcella Serrano
Camera setupSingle-camera
Running time25–47 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkFX
ReleaseAugust 24, 2022 (2022-08-24) –
present

Welcome to Wrexham is an American sports documentary series that premiered on August 24, 2022, on FX. The series documents the events of Welsh association football club Wrexham A.F.C., as told by the club's owners Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds.[3][4][5][6]

Background

In September 2020, American actor Rob McElhenney and Canadian-American actor Ryan Reynolds announced their intention to buy Wrexham A.F.C., a Welsh professional association football club based in the Racecourse Ground in Wrexham, north-east Wales in the United Kingdom.[7] The company RR McReynolds was set up by November 2020, and the deal was completed in February 2021. Wrexham A.F.C. as of purchase, played in the National League, the fifth tier of English football, below the Premier League and the three tiers of the English Football League system.[8][9]

At the time, the non-league football team was described to be "struggling".[10] Following the suspension of the 2019–20 National League in March 2020, following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, Wrexham A.F.C. was said to have furloughed staff and players, and admitting the club was experiencing a "threat to the[ir] continued existence".[11] Prior to the pair's purchase, Wrexham A.F.C. was owned by the Wrexham Supporter's Trust, a fan-operated company, since 2011. The trust approved McElhenney and Reynolds' £2 million takeover by 98.6%.[12][13][14][15] Following the purchase, Wrexham A.F.C's Twitter account posted a skit, involving McElhenney and Reynolds performing a parody advert for Ifor Williams Trailers, the then only sponsor for Wrexham A.F.C.[16] The trust initially rejected any offer of a takeover by an intermediary but "soon changed their minds" following the revelation that it was McElhenney and Reynolds.[2]

Management before 2011, was described to have "mismanaged the club to the point of near collapse", with fans "starting to fall out of love with it", with the club served with a winding-up order in 2011.[12][17]

The series is said to be inspired by Sunderland 'Til I Die, which prompted McElhenney to be interested in buying an association football club,[12] as well as the influence of Humphrey Ker who was also interested in purchasing a club.[18]

Synopsis

The series centers on the Hollywood pair's attempts to revive the third-oldest professional association football team in the world, founded in 1864, and how the team has performed under the pair's ownership.[19] The pair have no known experience in managing a sports team.[10] The series would also highlight the pair's hopes in improving the team and bringing positive change to the local Wrexham community.[10][20]

During and since the takeover, Wrexham has risen in the rankings of the National League. In the 2019–20 National League (prior to any takeover rumors), Wrexham A.F.C. were 20th,[21] and by the 2020–21 season, Wrexham rose to 8th place.[22] In the 2021–22 season and first under the pair's ownership, Wrexham was 2nd finished as runners up; however, missed out on promotion to the EFL League Two.[23][24]

Production

The series is produced by Boardwalk Pictures, the company also behind Last Chance U and Chef's Table.[19] Maximum Effort, a film company founded by Reynolds is also co-producing and marketing the series.[25] FX has commissioned two seasons of the show.[10][20]

The executive producers of the series were stated to be Rob McElhenney, Ryan Reynolds, Nick Frenkel, John Henion, Andrew Fried, Dane Lillegard, Jordan Wynn and Sarina Roma.[9][20]

Describing the series, Nick Grad, FX Entertainment's original programming president said "Rob and Ryan will take fans inside the sport as never before, pairing their genuine love for the game with the welcome challenge of building on the heritage of this club".[20][26]

Filming for the docuseries began December 2020,[11] with the film crew appearing alongside the owners' first visit to the team at the Wrexham v. Maidenhead United F.C. match in October 2021.[27][28]

Episodes

No.Title [29]Original air date [29]U.S. viewers
(millions)
1"Dream"August 24, 2022 (2022-08-24)0.319[30]
Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney attempt a takeover of the world's third oldest professional football (a.k.a. soccer) club, located in Wrexham, a working class town in northern Wales in the United Kingdom.
2"Reality"August 24, 2022 (2022-08-24)0.225[30]
Wrexham Football Club attempts to qualify for the playoffs as their new owners try to very quickly learn the ins and outs of a game and an industry they know nothing about.
3"Rebuilding"August 31, 2022 (2022-08-31)0.232[31]
With just weeks before the season begins, Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds find themselves having to convince star football players and executives to take a chance on Wrexham.
4"Home Opener"August 31, 2022 (2022-08-31)0.160[31]
The first Wrexham home opener of the new era arrives, and whether Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds are ready for it or not.
5"Fearless"September 7, 2022 (2022-09-07)0.278[32]
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney land an important partnership as the Wrexham goalies, and fans, face some tough contests.
6"Hamilton!"September 7, 2022 (2022-09-07)0.213[32]
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney try to fulfill one of their biggest promises to Wrexham as a previous owner's dark shadow still lingers.
7"Wide World of Wales"September 14, 2022 (2022-09-14)0.242[33]
In this "very special episode," Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney give a tour of Wales, and other TV show formats.
8"Away We Go"September 14, 2022 (2022-09-14)0.142[33]
Wrexham Chairmen Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney make a surprise appearance at an away game to watch Wrexham play in person for the very first time.
9"Welcome Home"September 21, 2022 (2022-09-21)0.203[34]
After a year of cheering from afar due to COVID-19, co-chairmen Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney finally get to visit Wrexham and spend time with their team and the town.
10"Hooligans"September 28, 2022 (2022-09-28)0.206[35]
Unfortunate occurrences at the first home game attended by the co-chairmen lead to a police investigation and raise the ugly specter of football hooliganism.
11"Sack the Gaffer"September 28, 2022 (2022-09-28)0.147[35]
Fans grumble about Wrexham's lackluster performance and aim their ire at manager Phil Parkinson; Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney debate his future with the club.
12"Wins and Losses"October 5, 2022 (2022-10-05)0.203[36]
Wrexham AFC begin to play up to their potential while off the field challenges put match play in perspective.
13"Worst Team in the League"October 5, 2022 (2022-10-05)0.149[36]
Roster changes threaten Wrexham's momentum as they prepare to face the worst team in the league.
14"A Hollywood Distraction"October 5, 2022 (2022-10-05)0.095[36]
Ryan Reynolds surprises the team with a visit as Wrexham prepares for the biggest match of the season against Stockport County, their rivals for promotion.
15"Daggers"October 5, 2022 (2022-10-05)0.101[36]
With one match left to play in the regular season, Wrexham has a chance to win the league and promotion.
16"Hello Wembley"October 12, 2022 (2022-10-12)N/A
17"Wromance"October 12, 2022 (2022-10-12)N/A
18"Do or Die"October 12, 2022 (2022-10-12)N/A

Marketing

In May 2021, an announcement trailer for the series was released onto Reynolds' Youtube channel, titled "Welcome to Wrexham". The roughly 2-minute parody sketch comedy involves McElhenney and Reynolds announcing the docuseries, as well as former BBC News and S4C journalist Maxine Hughes, who acts as a "pretty disgruntled" Welsh language translator for the pair, but adds some "creative" translations to the pair's words.[37][38][39][40][41]

In December 2021, FX released a video promo for the series, titled "It's Never Sunny in Wrexham".[42] The short 30-second clip involved lookalikes of the It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia cast, including a Danny DeVito lookalike, set inside the Turf Hotel located next to Wrexham A.F.C's Racecourse Ground.[9][43] In the clip, the lookalike cast looks confusingly at a television screen showing the true cast of the American series starring McElhenney, staring back from their Philadelphia Irish bar. The clip also includes the two owners. The scenes involving the lookalike cast and the two owners were filmed in October 2021 as the two owners visited Wrexham.[9][43] When the lookalike of Danny DeVito visited Wrexham, he was confused for the real actor.[42]

On July 20, 2022, the official trailer for the program was released.[44][45] The series' official synopsis read "From Hollywood to Wales, from the pitch to the locker room, the front office to the pub, Welcome to Wrexham will track Rob and Ryan’s crash course in football club ownership and the inextricably connected fates of a team and a town counting on two actors to bring some serious hope and change to a community that could use it".[46]

Release

In May 2022, it was announced that the first two episodes of the series would premiere on August 24, 2022, in the US on FX.[47] All episodes would become available on FX on Hulu in the US and Disney+ in the UK on August 25, 2022.[8][48][49] The series would be composed of 30-minute episodes.[49] The series would also be released in Ireland on the same day and on Disney+ as the UK. Dates for other international releases have yet to be announced but are expected to be on Star+ in Latin America and Disney+ (under the Star banner) in various other territories.[50][51] It is set to be released as a Star Original outside the United States.[45]

Reception

Audience viewership

According to the streaming aggregator Reelgood, Welcome to Wrexham was the 7th most watched program across all platforms, during the week of September 2, 2022.[52][53]

Critical response

The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported an 90% approval rating with an average rating of 7.3/10, based on 30 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "Plunking two famous funnymen into the unpredictable journey of a sports documentary, Welcome to Wrexham is a calculated gamble that pays off."[54] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 75 out of 100 based on 16 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews."[55]

References

  1. ^ "Welcome to Wrexham: release date rumours, trailer for Ryan Reynolds series on Disney Plus". Radio Times. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney go to first Wrexham game since becoming club's co-owners". Sky News. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  3. ^ "Hollywood duo announce Wrexham TV show". BBC Sport. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  4. ^ "Welcome to Wrexham: Release date & how to watch Ryan Reynolds-Rob McElhenney documentary TV series | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  5. ^ "Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney's docuseries 'Welcome To Wrexham' gets new trailer". NME. December 9, 2021. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  6. ^ "Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds to release 'Welcome to Wrexham' docuseries". NME. May 18, 2021. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  7. ^ "Hollywood star Reynolds in Wrexham bid". BBC Sport. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  8. ^ a b Villei, Matt (May 13, 2022). "'Welcome to Wrexham': Ryan Renolds and Rob McElhenney-Led Series Sets Late Summer Release Date". Collider. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  9. ^ a b c d "WATCH: New video shows 'The Gang' in The Turf to promote Welcome to Wrexham doc". The Leader. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  10. ^ a b c d "FX's "Welcome to Wrexham" Teaser Released". whatsondisneyplus.com. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  11. ^ a b "Lights, cameras, Wrexham - the Hollywood story". BBC Sport. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  12. ^ a b c Daigle, Thomas (February 7, 2022). "How Ryan Reynolds gave hope to a small-town Welsh soccer club". CBC News. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  13. ^ Gibbons, Brett (February 10, 2021). "Wrexham FC takeover deal sealed by Hollywood stars". WalesOnline. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  14. ^ "Hollywood duo complete Wrexham takeover". BBC Sport. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  15. ^ Davies, Mathew (November 16, 2020). "Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney's brilliant video following Wrexham takeover". WalesOnline. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  16. ^ Davies, Mathew (November 16, 2020). "Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney's brilliant video following Wrexham takeover". WalesOnline. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  17. ^ Nash, Brad (May 20, 2021). "Ryan Reynolds is making a doco about the Welsh soccer club he just bought". GQ Australia. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  18. ^ "Wrexham AFC: When Wales became toast of West Hollywood". BBC News. March 6, 2022. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  19. ^ a b "FX sets premiere date for "Welcome to Wrexham" docuseries". Awful Announcing. May 13, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  20. ^ a b c d Kanter, Jake (May 18, 2021). "Ryan Reynolds & Rob McElhenney's Soccer Club Wrexham To Be Subject Of FX Documentary Series". Deadline. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  21. ^ "National League Table - 2019/2020 Season". Sky Sports. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  22. ^ "National League Table - 2020/2021 Season". Sky Sports. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  23. ^ "National League Table - 2021/2022 Season". Sky Sports. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  24. ^ "Wrexham miss out on promotion after last minute play-off loss to Grimsby". ITV News. May 29, 2022. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  25. ^ "Wrexham FC: Welcome To Wrexham By Maximum Effort Productions". The Drum. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
  26. ^ "Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney star in Welcome to Wrexham trailer". Radio X. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  27. ^ Chandler, Andy (October 27, 2021). "Maximum Effort: Reynolds and McElhenney watch first Wrexham game". Herald Wales. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
  28. ^ Longmire, Becca (May 18, 2021). "Ryan Reynolds And Rob McElhenney To Star In New Docuseries 'Welcome To Wrexham' After Buying Soccer Club". ET Canada. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  29. ^ a b "Shows A-Z - Welcome to Wrexham on FX". The Futon Critic. Retrieved August 13, 2022.
  30. ^ a b Metcalf, Mitch (August 25, 2022). "ShowBuzzDaily's Wednesday 8.24.2022 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals Updated". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
  31. ^ a b Salem, Mitch (September 1, 2022). "ShowBuzzDaily's Wednesday 8.31.2022 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals Updated". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
  32. ^ a b Salem, Mitch (September 8, 2022). "ShowBuzzDaily's Wednesday 9.7.2022 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals Updated". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  33. ^ a b Metcalf, Mitch (September 15, 2022). "ShowBuzzDaily's Wednesday 9.14.2022 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals Updated". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  34. ^ Salem, Mitch (September 22, 2022). "ShowBuzzDaily's Wednesday 9.21.2022 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals Updated". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  35. ^ a b Metcalf, Mitch (September 29, 2022). "ShowBuzzDaily's Wednesday 9.28.2022 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals Updated". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  36. ^ a b c d Salem, Mitch (October 6, 2022). "ShowBuzzDaily's Wednesday 10.5.2022 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals Updated". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  37. ^ "How a journalist got to tease Wrexham FC's star owners". BBC News. May 19, 2021. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  38. ^ "Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney include reluctant Welsh translator in video announcing Wrexham TV series". Nation.Cymru. May 18, 2021. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  39. ^ "Wrexham documentary about club takeover commissioned for two seasons". ITV News. May 18, 2021. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  40. ^ Williams, Kathryn (June 22, 2021). "When you can see the Wrexham AFC documentary in the UK". WalesOnline. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  41. ^ Owen, Cathy; Gilpin, Andy (May 19, 2021). "Welsh mum answers ad for translator and ends up working with Hollywood star". WalesOnline. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  42. ^ a b Jones, Branwen (December 9, 2021). "'Danny Devito', a pub and a bit of Welsh - the Welcome to Wrexham trailer". WalesOnline. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  43. ^ a b "Watch: Hilarious Welcome To Wrexham trailer featuring 'Danny DeVito'". Nation.Cymru. December 9, 2021. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  44. ^ Whittock, Jesse (July 20, 2022). "'Welcome To Wrexham': Trailer Drops For FX And Disney+ Docuseries On Rob McElhenney And Ryan Reynolds' Purchase Of Struggling Welsh Soccer Club". Deadline. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
  45. ^ a b "FX's "Welcome To Wrexham" Trailer Released". Retrieved July 26, 2022.
  46. ^ "'Welcome to Wrexham' Trailer Follows Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney as They Buy a Football Club". HYPEBEAST. July 22, 2022. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
  47. ^ "Welcome to Wrexham TV series gets August release date". Nation.Cymru. May 14, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  48. ^ ""Welcome To Wrexham" Disney+ UK/Ireland Release Date Announced". whatsondisneyplus.com. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  49. ^ a b "Disney+ debuts trailer for new original docuseries "WELCOME TO WREXHAM" from executive producers Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds". Disney Press. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
  50. ^ Beck, Michelle (June 23, 2022). "FX's 'Welcome to Wrexham' Disney+ Premiere Date Announced (UK/IRE)". Disney Plus Informer. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  51. ^ ""Welcome To Wrexham" Coming Soon To FX & Hulu". Retrieved July 22, 2022.
  52. ^ Team, Mashable (September 3, 2022). "The most watched TV and movies of the week: Targaryens, twins, and therapists rule". Mashable. Retrieved October 4, 2022.
  53. ^ "Reelgood: HBO Max's 'House of the Dragon' Tops Weekly Streaming; Sylvester Stallone's 'Samaritan' Has Strong Debut – Media Play News". Retrieved October 4, 2022.
  54. ^ "Welcome to Wrexham: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
  55. ^ "Welcome to Wrexham: Season 1". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved August 27, 2022.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Welcome_to_Wrexham&oldid=1115029597"