Heels Review: 10 Ups & 1 Down For Episode 1: 'Kayfabe'
7. The Real Wrestling References
Of course, a show likes Heels is always going to lure in wrestling fans. And for those fans, there were some nice references to keep an eye out for.
Interestingly, Kayfabe established that Heels takes place in a world where the very real wrestling promotions of today and yesteryear are present and accounted for. For example, as Jack Spade proposes a heel turn to 'Big' Jim Kitchen (Duke Davis Roberts), Jake recounts a tale of Sting battling Ric Flair, seemingly at WCW's Great American Bash back in 1990.
Likewise, there's a mention of Vince McMahon, 'Wild' Bill Hancock is said to work "up north" - a nod to WWE - and the DWL's rival promotion of FWD is positioned to be similar to ECW and its unique brand of hardcore wrestling from back during the '90s.
Sticking with FWD, the brief glimpses of footage shown from this promotion are largely made up of old TNA clips, with Samoa Joe and Abyss just two of the former TNA stars visible.
Going further than showing classic clips featuring real-life wrestling, mind, Kayfabe also includes Luke Gallows as an entrant in the Battle Royal that DWL puts on towards the end of the episode. Currently one half of the IMPACT Wrestling Tag Team Champions, the Big LG takes a crossbody off the top rope from Rooster Robbins.
In Kayfabe, Heels lets you know that it exists within the shadow of the wrestling promotions of the real world, yet it does so in a way that doesn't slap you around the face.