Netflix Series 'We Are The Champions' Is The Perfect Holiday Binge-Watch
Rainn Wilson is the perfect narrator for the docuseries
If you haven’t seen the new Netflix docuseries We are the Champions what are you even doing with your life? The show follows an array of unique competitions across the globe, and it’s perfect for kids of all ages.
Narrated by Rain Wilson, this series is a must-watch over this holiday break. It’s fun, at times disgusting (I’m looking at you chili pepper-eating episode), thrilling, and you also might learn a little something. For instance, did you know dog dancing is a thing and that a signature move in dog dancing is called the “drunken bunny?” You’re welcome.
The show spans from the farmlands of England to Fort Mill, South Carolina where the aforementioned first-ever World Championship of Chili Pepper Eating. Wilson opens this show with, “How do you measure pain?,” and I am here to tell you after watching this particular episode four times already (I have a nine-year-old son), the pain of inbred Carolina Reaper peppers from Smoking’ Ed Currie’s garden is something to behold. The eclectic group who come together form an instant bond with viewers leaving you screaming for your favorite participant.
But if I may back up for a moment to the first episode titled “Cheese Rolling,” this one would be the bet (and most logical) place to start. If you don’t love the series five minutes in I’m not sure we could be friends. Wilson takes us Cooper’s Hill in Gloucestershire, England to a wheel of cheese pummeling down a super steep slope at 80 miles per hour. After it come hoards of runners (which quickly turn to fallers) trying to be the first down the hill, all to claim their prize of that year’s Cheese Rolling Champion title.
Other episodes include dog dancing, frog jumping, fantasy hairstyling, and the yo-yo. The beauty is the way Wilson narrates, giving us personal details that make it impossible not to root for someone — or something. I have a hatred of frogs that stems from childhood and dammit if I didn’t find myself rooting for one frog in particular and the people who so adore them.
Similarly for dog dancing, the amount of time and effort put into training and loving these dogs is nothing short of miraculous. I can’t even get my dog to stop eating toilet paper and these trainers have their pups performing elaborate dance routines. The Russians are the featured team and by the end you’ll be chanting at the TV like the first time you watched Rocky IV — but the opposite.
We Are The Champions tells each story in a unique way that shows a lot of respect for the traditions and the people who love them. I cannot recommend the show enough, but might I warn against watching the chili peppers one until after Thanksgiving dinner is over.
