Discount Wrestling
Status
Development
Format
Series
Genre
Comedy
LOGLINE:
A disgraced conman and a busted-up women’s wrestler run a dirt-cheap wrestling promotion while feuding with meathead wrestlers, a phantom, and the Dutch mafia.
SYNOPSIS:
In this half-hour “workplace” comedy, we see a struggling independent wrestling promotion through the eyes of childhood friends Ronnie Rhodes, a scheming porn/real estate videographer, and Marie Doucet, a failed Acadian wrestler with a bum knee. Both see the small-town promotion as a chance for redemption, but Marie’s passion for pro wrestling fundamentals butts heads with Ronnie’s lust for fame and fortune.
Despite what he will tell you about his exploits in the big city, Ronnie fucked up – all his scams and hustles have blown up in his face. He flees to his sleepy hometown and regroups in his mother’s basement – avoiding responsibility and the wrath of the Dutch mafia. While plotting his next move, Ronnie reconnects with his old friend Marie, who introduces him to the world of dirt-cheap independent wrestling. The flashing lights, athletic intensity, absurd drama, and endless opportunities for merchandising blow Ronnie’s mind.
Stump County Wrestling has a full roster of larger-than-life characters. The promotion’s owner, Doug Delong, is an enigmatic older man too distracted by secret business dealings to run the company effectively. If not for Marie, the show would have gone off the rails ages ago. Her knee injury keeps her out of the ring, but backstage, her dedication has earned the trust and respect of the locker room.
During the annual “Bingo Hall Beatdown”, a cryptic phone call sends Doug on a quest to fight an international crime syndicate. Ronnie seizes this opportunity and gains control of the promotion. Throughout the season, we see glimpses of Doug as he boldly hunts for his kidnapped son and topples anyone in his way. If you cut all of the Doug scenes together, you would end up with the trailer for his action movie – think of the killer determination of Liam Neeson but without the particular set of skills.
With Ronnie at the helm, the wrestling promotion enters a new era of twisted storylines and relentless stunts in a desperate attempt to go viral. To protect the wrestlers, Marie agrees to become Ronnie’s partner. They inadvertently create a monster after the wrongful termination of The Exterminator. Consumed by grief, The Exterminator builds a lair in the deep bowels of the bingo hall and brands himself “The Phantom“. He vows to destroy Ronnie and win the love of his precious Marie.
Backstage at Stump County Wrestling, you can find Ronnie and Marie filming unhinged promos, scripting twisted morality plays, and bulking up for their wrestling spectacular, the “Rural Rumble”. They have the guts to put Stump County Wrestling over the top. But even if they manage to work together without killing each other… the bizarre lives of the wrestlers, the overbearing fans, and the meddlesome Phantom threaten to keep them down for the three count.
PARTNERS:
CREDITS:
Co-Creator, Writer, Director: Bruce LeGrow
Co-Creator, Writer, Actor: Jake Martin
Producers: Steven Suntres, Sandy Hunter