“Heels” is now officially streaming both seasons on Netflix, giving the former Starz series the opportunity to attract a much larger audience than ever before.
In an interview with Varietyseries creator Michael Waldron joked that he and the show’s team would often discuss what it would be like if the series originally debuted on Netflix.
“We used to say, ‘Well, shit, if we were on Netflix, everyone would be watching this thing!’ Waldron said. “And now it’s kind of like, okay, the universe called our bluff.”
“Heels” premiered on Starz in 2021, while the second season dropped in 2023 before being canceled along with several other Starz shows. The series follows the Duffy Wrestling League (DWL), a small-town Georgia pro wrestling promotion run by Jack Spade (Stephen Amell). Jack inherited the league from his father and now struggles to keep it afloat while also trying to take the league to the next level.
The cast also included Alexander Ludwig, Chris Bauer, Mary McCormack, Kelli Berglund, Allen Maldonado, Trey Tucker, Robby Ramos, Alice Barrett Mitchell, Roxton Garcia, David James Elliott, Joel Murray and CM Punk. Mike O’Malley, who was also the series’ showrunner, played the role of Charlie Gully, a rival promoter.
Waldron praised Starz for giving the show a chance, saying, “I’m so grateful to them for letting us make this show, and for that they took the opportunity on me.” But he continued, “In some ways it feels like the show is coming out to a big, real audience for the first time. It’s like, damn, you can’t pin this thing down.
Fans of the series are no doubt hoping that Netflix can revive the show for a third season, although that remains a remote possibility given the cast and creative team’s commitment to other projects. But if the response is truly overwhelming, the opportunity still exists. Waldron said a possible third season would explore the dark side of success, with DWL breaking through to a new level.
“If that’s true when they’re on TV, and if all these people in this town haven’t had a lot of money, what does it look like when suddenly everyone’s doing a lot better?” he said.
Waldron also rejected the idea that the show is just for wrestling fans. “I always felt like it was a show for everyone,” he said, comparing it to shows like “Friday Night Lights” and “Mad Men.”
“It’s also just a show about South and Central America, people who don’t normally see themselves on TV, and if they do, it’s a caricature,” he said. “Just because you live in a small town doesn’t mean you don’t have big ambitions and artistic ambitions… The show is on the surface a show about athletes, but when you really dig into it, it’s a show about the creative process.”
Waldron also said that the “Heels” team has had “great conversations” with WWE and that “they are big fans of the show.” Should “Heels” continue on Netflix, there is a possibility that the show and WWE could enter into a serious partnership, as WWE’s flagship show “Raw” will air weekly on Netflix starting in January. There were hints and some references to WWE in certain “Heels” episodes, but they mostly had to keep direct mentions to a minimum.
“I think what’s really exciting is that if we can move forward with the show, we can better integrate the WWE into the storyline as the DWL becomes a competitor,” Waldron said.