The latest two episodes ofWelcome to Wrexhamtake a break from the dramatic and fan-centric approach that the docuseries had adopted in the first six entries to educate viewers on a bit of Welsh history with a very special guest.
However, perhaps these two episodes' biggest win is how well they illustrate Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s lack of familiarity with thesport, even one year after officializing their Wrexham acquisition. Sadly though, this means abandoning what possibly has madeWelcome to Wrexhaman entertaining watch until now, seeing how a tiny football club has the power to impact its community and learn some ins and outs of what it takes to run a team beyondthe fantasy that isFootball Manager 2023.
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As for the special guest, it’s none other than YouTuber andThe Fault in Our Starsauthor John Green, who gives the audience a quickCrash Course-style rundown on the country of Wales, how it came to be, why signs all over Wrexham are also written in the Welsh language, and toexplain why football stars like Gareth Balerepresent Walesat the FIFA World Cup, but the country plays under Great Britain’s flag at the Olympics.
Why is Green the man for the job? Well, like Reynolds and McElhenney, Green also became deeply involved with a low-tier English side just one division above Wrexham, AFC Wimbledon. While Green is not Wimbledon’s owner, he’s dedicated a ton of time to the team on his YouTube channel, though that didn’t prevent the team from getting relegated last season - in any case, it’s clear these three have a lot in common now.
“Wide World of Wales” works mostly like a variety show of sorts, it’s a small detour forWelcome to Wrexhamto make something out of the two Hollywood stars’ comedy chops,though it’s certainly noDeadpool. Sure, there’s a novelty factor to seeing Reynolds and McHelnney trying to make Welsh cakes, but it’s hardly too impressive.
Viewersmore familiar with football or FIFA playersmight even be thrown off by the SportsCenter segment anchored by the two actors, whose criteria for picking a proper Top 10 plays of the season so far seems somewhat questionable. Luckily, “Away We Go” goes back to business, chronicling the two owners' attendance of their first Wrexham game, which happens to be an away fixture visiting the modest Maidenhead Town FC in England.
9 games into the 2021/2022 season, manager Phil Parkinson’s tenure is already being questioned by fans who are eager to see the changes they were promised, instead, they’re disappointed at seeing the team stuck in the same place they were before the new Hollywood owners showed up to town. The chapter is a good nod to English football teams, especially the Premier League, and their lack of patience with new managers which statistically far exceeds the number of coaches being fired in American sports or even most football leagues around the world, and is the very reasonwhyTed Lasso’sjobis always on the line.
Parkinson has held onto his Wrexham post to this day after a rough start, and this episode gives viewers some further insight to his management style, as well as highlighting how lengthy of a process getting a team to gel together really is.Welcome to Wrexhamhas shown before that football at this level is defined by its lack of stability, with players swapping teams constantly and short contacts being the norm, so again, more football knowledge is to be found here.
Unfortunately, more casual football fans whoenjoy watchingWelcome to Wrexhamfor its peoplestories won’t find much to enjoy as the interviews with fans and those close to the club come off as a bit of an afterthought in these two entries. Such is the case for defender Aaron Hayden (still a Wrexham player), who gets some family spotlight before putting on a bad performance in the only game covered here without his spotlight getting any direct tie-in, resolution or purpose like in other episodes.
The nod to away game culture in European football is nice too because, as McElhenney points out, the continent’s size and transports network usually makes it easier for fans to keep up with the tradition of supporting their teams abroad. Unfortunately, Reynolds and McElhenney are witnesses to a disastrous Wrexham loss that throws some perspective at them, even in the latter doesn’t know the game’s rules concerning throw-ins.
Football is arguably a muchmore volatile competition than the NBA or the NFL, and the pair’s musings on the way back home about how the game toys with fans’ emotions is a great summary of why it’s the world’s most popular sport. Randomness and luck play a bigger role in low-scoring sports like football, and that lesson will surely resonate inWelcome to Wrexhamlater episodes as the season progresses and the potential for heartbreak grow bigger.
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