How to Watch Dark Side of the Ring
Dark Side of the Ring is an acclaimed television documentary series that looks into dark stories from pro wrestling history. It explores controversies, mysterious deaths and unsolved homicides.
It is currently not available on Netflix, but you can watch it on Hulu Plus, Vice TV, Roku Channel or Tubi TV for free with ads.
Season 1
The first season of Dark Side of the Ring is a fascinating take on the history of professional wrestling. Featuring a lot of controversial stories, the show explores the polarizing figures and events within the industry. If you’re looking for a great way to get into the world of pro wrestling, this is a must-watch series.
The infamous Montreal Screwjob episode was the second episode of Season 1 and it tackled one of the most storied scandals in wrestling history. Bret Hart took part in this episode as he told the story of how Vince McMahon cheated him out of his coveted title.
Another topic that was explored in the first season was the Von Erich family. This family was known to have a terrible history of wreak havoc within the industry. In fact, four of their members took their own lives including David, Kerry, Mike, and Chris.
It’s amazing how this series has been able to tell such a controversial and tragic story in a way that everyone knew about before, but still made it exciting to watch. The series also did a great job of showing the human side of the characters, making sure to include their family members and friends.
Bruiser Brody was a very important wrestler in the history of professional wrestling, and his death was one of the most devastating moments in the industry. This Dark Side of the Ring episode brought his life to life through interviews with his family, and it’s a story that will have you crying by the end.
The series has also explored defunct wrestling companies, such as XPW and FMW, which I think is a great way to see the industry from a different angle. It is also a great way to get into the culture of wrestling, which can be difficult to do if you’re not familiar with it.
Season 2
Last year, Vice's pro wrestling docuseries Dark Side of the Ring made a huge impression on both fans and industry vets alike. It is considered one of the most watched shows on the network. Its first season explored a wide variety of squared-circle horror stories that illustrated the dangerous combination of egos, substance abuse and backstage politics within the world of professional wrestling.
Season 2 continues that tradition, exploring new subjects and taking a deeper look at the dark underbelly of this fascinating business. From the infamous Montreal Screwjob to the death of Bruiser Brody, it explores a series of cases that highlight how the sexy-and-talented athletes who compete for a living are often at their most vulnerable.
The second season opener opens with a two-part feature on Chris Benoit, a former WWE champion who committed murder-suicide in June of 2002. The episode focuses on how this tragic incident almost destroyed the wrestling business as a whole. It also explores the lingering effect of this tragedy on the family of Chris Benoit.
It was a very well-made episode, and it is definitely worth a watch. The narrator is Dutch Mantel, and the episodes are all accompanied by home videos and interviews with people who were present at the time of the events.
Other notable episodes in the season include David Schultz's violent run-in with a 20
The show is very well produced and features a lot of research and investigation into some of the most shocking and disturbing stories in the history of pro wrestling. It also shows the lengths that corporate moguls will go to protect their own interests at the expense of their talents' welfare.
Season 3
Dark Side of the Ring is Vice’s highest-rated series, exploring the most shocking moments in pro wrestling history. Created by Evan Husney and Jason Eisener, the show’s episodes explore subjects like the Montreal Screwjob, Chris Benoit’s death, Owen Hart’s accident, and the Plane Ride from Hell.
Although the show’s content can be pretty heavy, it’s mostly intended for adults and older teens. Each episode has a narrator who’s an actual pro wrestler, and they get real people to talk about the events that made them famous.
The most well-known episodes from the first three seasons include The Montreal Screwjob, the Plane Ride from Hell, and Owen Hart’s accident. In addition to those, Dark Side of the Ring has also explored Collision in Korea, FMW, Nick Gage, and XPW.
While the show has a reputation for covering controversial topics, the majority of the stories told in season 3 were positive. This was especially true of the story of deathmatch legend Nick Gage, who had a troubled life but fought through it to become one of the most successful independent wrestlers in recent memory.
But there were also some incredibly tragic episodes in the third season, including the Chris Benoit double murder-suicide. The death of the Montreal Screwjob’s father is an especially sobering reminder that professional wrestling can be dangerous.
Another dark episode covered the life of Grizzly Smith, who was a brutal father to Jake Roberts, Rockin’ Robin, and Sam Houston. He was a hard-drinking, alcoholic, and abusive person who would sometimes lock himself in his room.
Dark Side of the Ring also delved into the lives of other stars, such as Jim Hellwig and Daniel Warrior, who reportedly had a difficult time finding happiness in their professional careers. Despite Warrior’s abrasive and impulsive personality, the episode showed how he sought forgiveness at a time when it was most needed.
Season 4
The Dark Side of the Ring is a documentary series that explores some of the most outlandish, controversial, and tragic moments in pro wrestling history. It focuses on backstage controversies, mysterious deaths, and unsolved homicides to uncover truth at the intersection of fantasy and reality.
Its third season explored Chris Benoit’s murder-suicide, the Brawl For All tournament, and the life of deathmatch legend Nick Gage. This season also featured interviews with Brian Pillman, Ultimate Warrior, and a host of other pro wrestlers.
While the first two episodes of season 3 focused on the darker side of professional wrestling, season 4 takes things to another level. The episode that focuses on Grizzly Smith, the abusive father of Jake Roberts and Rockin’ Robin, provides a look at just how difficult it can be to make it in the industry.
Similarly, the Thomas Billington episode explores the underground world of bare knuckle fighting in the 1990s. Retiring from the ring, Billington found work as a bare knuckle fighter, and his experience was both depressing and dangerous.
This would be a great story to tell, as it’s very rare that we hear about someone who suffered so much for the sport. It could be an incredible episode to tell, and it might even help enlighten younger fans about what it’s like to work in the ring.
There are a lot of other great topics that Dark Side of the Ring hasn’t covered yet, but here are some that I hope they do cover:
One of my favorite episodes from season three was on Moolah, a woman who was accused of extorting young women through her training camp and pimping them to older promoters. It was a fascinating story that gave fans a glimpse into the underbelly of professional wrestling, and it was certainly one I never knew before watching the episode.
