Blog Question

Scott,

Here’s a question that might get some interesting thoughts and comments among yourself and the blog regulars :

If you were invited to be a showrunner for a medium-budgeted HBO show (with actors, not a documentary) about wrestling, and, assuming there were no rights issues concerning the use of actual historical / living people, would you.

1. Tell a completely fictional story with an invented federation and fictional characters? (And if so, would you do it as a period piece, or set in the current-ish era?)

OR

2. Tell a ‘loosely based on reality’ story (a la Deadwood or Boardwalk Empire) using actual people from the past? (And if so, which period of time and which federation(s) would you focus on?)

[Brief non-profit plug : About 6 months ago, you kindly mentioned my Way of the Tiger gamebook blog. I’m now playing through the (more) well-known Lone Wolf series at www.lonewolfsaga.wordpress.com]

​Oh, I’d be all over #2, and in fact there was a proposed HBO series in the works with the Rock playing his dad, all about the Hulkamania era and all the crazy drug stuff that was happening backstage. It was apparently pitched as "Boogie Nights meets ​Rock N Wrestling" and I think it would have been a fantastic idea. You could follow some kid up the ranks while we meet Hogan and Savage and all those guys in their prime. Not sure whatever happened to it or if it just ended up in development hell or what.