Young Rock makes its debut on February 16 on NBC. The show revolves around a flashforward and three separate flashbacks on the life of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. In the flashforward, Johnson is running for President of the United States in the year 2032. The three flashbacks cover his life in Hawaii as a young boy, his high school years in Nashville, Tennessee, and his college life at the University of Miami.
As a mark for 80s pro-wrestling, the trailer has me amped for the show. Before I ever heard of The Rock, I was a fan of his father — “Soul Man” Rocky Johnson. The trailer features Rocky Johnson, as well as other pro-wrestling legends of the 80s, including Andre the Giant, the Iron Sheikh, Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat, “Macho Man” Randy Savage, The Wild Samoans, and Junkyard Dog. Seeing TV adaptations of these legends is simply awesome. Check them out in the Young Rock trailer below.
While I’m sure the show will be a bit fluffy (it’s network TV, after all), I could not be more excited for the classic pro-wrestlers. That said, I hope that Young Rock takes a serious look at Johnson’s high school behavior. Before he became one of the biggest WWE Superstars and movie stars in the world, Dwayne Johnson was a punk.
Many people are unaware that Johnson was a troubled kid in high school. He had multiple arrests for incidents of violence, theft, and check fraud. That he became who he is today is even more remarkable considering the circumstances. Hopefully the writers cover those years honestly.
I haven’t been intrigued by network television in well over a decade. Prestige shows on premium cable and streaming exclusives have made it difficult. Writers, showrunners, and actors are afforded more freedom on those platforms and generally make more interesting programming.
Having said that, I can’t wait to start watching Young Rock. I’m hoping for a semi-biographical look at one of the biggest stars in the world, with writing that’s full of humor and heart.
What do you guys think of the trailer? Any interest or hopes for the show? Lay the smack down in the comments section (please!).