TV Show review
Review basis: 5 seasons, 57 episodes · through June 18, 2026
August 24, 2022 · TV-MA · Returning Series
Woke Score
Lower is better
Review
Welcome to Wrexham is a sports documentary series that follows Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney as they buy and run a struggling Welsh football club. The show highlights the team's matches, the loyal local community, and the club's rise through the sports leagues. While the core focus is on football, several episodes emphasize modern social themes. The series features storylines about the women's football team, LGBTQ+ family stories, and progressive accessibility initiatives.
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for Welcome to Wrexham.
Woke representation / casting
As a documentary, traditional casting does not apply, but the series heavily prioritizes progressive representation in its selection of subjects. It dedicates prominent segments and entire episodes to the Wrexham Women's team and diverse fan stories. The series also prominently features LGBTQ+ family members, including Rob McElhenney's two lesbian mothers and player Ollie Palmer's gay father.
Woke political dialogue
The unscripted dialogue includes explicit discussions championing progressive social causes. Creative partners and interviewees speak openly about the historical struggles of the LGBTQ+ community, the importance of non-traditional family structures, and systemic barriers in women's sports. Rob McElhenney also explicitly discusses the ethical responsibility of investing in women's football to combat historical inequalities.
Identity-driven story themes
The docuseries frequently pivots away from soccer matches to focus on identity-driven narratives. Key themes highlight the struggles and triumphs of women in sports and the acceptance of non-traditional family structures. An entire episode highlights player Ollie Palmer's relationship with his gay father, while McElhenney details his own upbringing by two lesbian mothers. This strong integration of LGBTQ+ themes significantly increases the score.
Western institutional / cultural critique
The series critiques traditional sports culture as historically exclusionary, male-dominated, and homophobic. It highlights modern efforts to reform these institutions, such as the club's campaign against homophobic chanting and plans to build gender-neutral facilities at the stadium. It frames older, traditional sports cultures as flawed and in need of progressive modernization.
Woke character or canon changes
Not relevant
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
Some viewers have expressed frustration on social media, complaining that the series is too focused on emotional and identity-driven subplots instead of football. Critics argue that the heavy focus on the women's team and LGBTQ+ stories feels forced and overly sensitive. Additionally, a local business in Wrexham made headlines for flying a "Woke-Free Zone" flag, highlighting some community division over progressive cultural shifts.
Creator track record context
The key creative minds behind the series have a mixed track record regarding progressive activism. Writer and star Rob McElhenney has a high woke score of 65 due to his active push for LGBTQ+ representation. Several of the show's producers also have scores of 60 for their work on socially conscious documentaries. However, co-owner and writer Ryan Reynolds has a lower score of 24, balancing out the overall creative team's profile.
Production
