10 Best WWE Network Shows Of 2018
3. WWE 24: Hardys - Woken
WWE's celebrated '24' series spun off the rails somewhat in 2018. The need to profligate rather than probe undermined the purpose of the productions. Fans wanted the company to show rather than tell when it came to the Women's Revolution, for example but an 'Empowered' special simply regurgitated platitudes in higher definition rather than examining why the company had to take such drastic steps in the first place.
Such redemption wasn't ignored in the illuminating and honest appraisal of The Hardy Boyz' 2017 return to WWE and the rocky road they took getting back.
Confronting the personal and public meltdowns the pair went through over the years, the documentary was obviously made in collaboration with the duo - Matt and Jeff filmed a lot of their darkest days for YouTube acclaim, and bravely allowed much of it to be repurposed as part of this deep dive. Jeff's regrettable TNA Victory Road 2011 performance is replayed in full (with Eric Bischoff's on-the-fly finish even subtitled), whilst WWE archive clips reveal a close-to-the-brink Matt falling asleep during promos.
It's not even framed around the traditional happy ending. Not entirely, anyway. Before a moving montage that broadly looks ahead to brighter days, Matt still openly expresses worries that his younger brother will never truly dominate his demons. Jeff's brutal honesty on display here is at least one ginormous - and hopefully final - step towards permanent sobriety.