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Bon Namihira travels into the past to save innocent lives. But potential viewers won’t travel far before they encounter the show’s violence and profanity.
It’s 2032 and Dwayne Johnson is running for president. That’s right: ‘The Rock’ wants to be the President of the United States of America.
Most folks seem pretty excited. I mean, who doesn’t love Dwayne’s warmth and relatable personality? For others, the idea of the Rock becoming president is mediocre at best. They claim that all of Dwayne’s time as a big Hollywood star has put him out of touch with the American people.
Dwayne rejects that statement, countering it with personal stories from his past. But will his past life experiences be a bit too personal for the presidential standard?
This TV-14 show features Dwayne Johnson as a semi-fictional version of himself, interviewed by Randall Park who digs into the presidential candidate’s past—something that the American people want. And it turns out, The Rock is more relatable than we’d ever guess.
Each episode, with its purposeful sarcasm and awkward tension, feels like an episode of Fresh Off the Boat, which would make sense because it’s made by the producers of the show. And each episode begins with an interview that inevitably gives a glimpse into stories more or less pulled from Dwayne’s real life. From his time as a 10-year-old boy, to his rebellious high school years in Pennsylvania to his college career as a football player with the University of Miami.
But what really shines through are his stories about being surrounded by wrestling legends his entire life (like dad Rocky Johnson), his love for his family and the important lessons he’s learned. Yes, we hear some bad words, and we see a few references to alcohol and stealing. And, of course, plenty of shirtless men in somewhat revealing tights wrestle away. Dwayne’s positive and negative childhood experiences shape him into who he is in this visual Bildungsroman.
Season two continues the message Dwayne Johnson wants to communicate—what matters most are the people you love, the integrity you possess and the legacy you create. All good things, but maybe they won’t be enough to give this a green flag for some families.
Dwayne Johnson discusses his difficulties in moving from Hawaii to Tennessee, and he reminds us of when he played football for the Canadian Calgary Stampeders. And though Dwayne gets more personal than most presidential candidates, one disgruntled man reveals he has important dirt on him.
Shirtless men fight in a wrestling ring in tight, revealing lycra. In a daydream, Dwayne flips a table and punches and chokes a man. At a dinner, Dwayne’s parents drink wine, and “Downtown Bruno,” a family friend, drinks a beer. Bruno is insulted with a rude euphemism and responds in kind.
A man tells Dwayne that a “sex motel” throws out their mattresses every few months if he is looking for a deal on furniture. In response, Dwayne takes “the least yellow one” and cleans it, but it remains with a pixelated censor bar over its center. Interviewer Randall asks Dwayne about his sex life.
Dwayne learns from the men in his family that you have to put on a front to impress people. But, as he ages, he realizes that it’s most important to just be yourself.
Dwayne’s father and mother try to teach him to be a hard worker and a respectful young man. But, really, it’s his mother who encourages him when his father constantly disappoints him by choosing work over spending time with him.
Words and phrases like “d–n,” “oh my God,” “h—” and “a–” are used a few times. The f-word and s-word are both bleeped out. A family member tells Dwayne to never say that wrestling is fake, which (he’s told) is the real “f-word.”
A family member offers young Dwayne an alcoholic beverage while others drink wine. Teenage Dwayne talks about buying beer for a party (although he doesn’t).
A homeless man dies in the back of Dwayne’s car. A dog has a belly tumor and writhes on the floor. A man talks about how his girlfriend stabbed him. Dwayne steals clothes as a teenager, admitting it was wrong. Dwayne makes a joke about Kevin Hart’s ego.
Men wrestle in speedos. Dwayne’s parents kiss. A homeless man jokes about women freezing “their eggs.”
Kennedy Unthank studied journalism at the University of Missouri. He knew he wanted to write for a living when he won a contest for “best fantasy story” while in the 4th grade. What he didn’t know at the time, however, was that he was the only person to submit a story. Regardless, the seed was planted. Kennedy collects and plays board games in his free time, and he loves to talk about biblical apologetics. He thinks the ending of Lost “wasn’t that bad.”
Kristin Smith joined the Plugged In team in 2017. Formerly a Spanish and English teacher, Kristin loves reading literature and eating authentic Mexican tacos. She and her husband, Eddy, love raising their children Judah and Selah. Kristin also has a deep affection for coffee, music, her dog (Cali) and cat (Aslan).
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