Young Rock Explained

Genre:Sitcom
Starring:
Narrated:Dwayne Johnson
Composer:Nathan Matthew David
Country:United States
Language:English
Num Seasons:3
Num Episodes:37
Camera:Single-camera
Runtime:22–24 minutes
Network:NBC

Young Rock is an American television sitcom based upon the life of professional wrestler and actor Dwayne Johnson, also known by his ring name "The Rock".[1] The series is created by Johnson, Jeff Chiang and Nahnatchka Khan. It aired on NBC from February 16, 2021, to February 24, 2023. In April 2021, the series was renewed for a second season. A holiday special episode aired on December 15, 2021, and the second season premiered on March 15, 2022. In May 2022, the series was renewed for a third season, which premiered on November 4, 2022. In June 2023, the series was cancelled after three seasons.

Premise

The sitcom is organized around a frame story set in the early 2030s, beginning with Johnson running for office in the 2032 United States presidential election. Each episode involves Johnson participating in an interview or other conversation which leads him to flashback to a story from one of three periods of Johnson's life, with occasional episodes where all three periods are shown. In the first season, Johnson is depicted as a ten-year-old in Hawaii; as a high school student in Pennsylvania; and as a college student and football player at the University of Miami.[2]

Cast and characters

Main

Recurring

1982

(Note: All the wrestling recurring characters who appear in 1982 also appear in 1987 and the 1990s)

1987

1990s

2032

Guest stars

Wrestler cameos

Episodes

Season 3 (2022–23)

Production

Development

On January 11, 2020, NBC gave a straight-to-series order to Young Rock, a comedy series based on Dwayne Johnson's early life created by Johnson and Nahnatchka Khan and produce the series with Jeff Chiang, Dany Garcia, Jennifer Carreras, Hiram Garcia, and Brian Gewirtz with Khan and Chiang writing the pilot.[5] In November 2020, production on the series commenced in Australia.[6] On January 15, 2021, it was announced that the series would premiere on February 16, 2021.[7] On April 30, 2021, NBC renewed the series for a second season,[8] again filmed in Australia.[9] A holiday special episode titled as "A Christmas Peril" airedon December 15, 2021, ahead of the second season premiere on March 15, 2022.[10] [11] On May 12, 2022, NBC renewed the series for a third season,[12] which was filmed in Memphis, Tennessee.[13] The third season premiered on November 4, 2022, following Lopez vs Lopez as a part of NBC's Friday Comedy Hour block.[14] On June 9, 2023, NBC canceled the series after three seasons.[15]

Casting

Three actors were cast to play Johnson at three ages from his youth.[16] On September 30, 2020, Johnson revealed that Bradley Constant was cast as 15-year-old Johnson, Uli Latukefu as 18–20-year-old Johnson, Adrian Groulx as 10-year-old Johnson, Stacey Leilua as Johnson's mother, Ata Johnson, Joseph Lee Anderson as Johnson's father, Rocky Johnson, and Ana Tuisila as Johnson's grandmother, Lia Maivia.[17] On August 3, 2021, Matthew Willig was promoted to series regular for the second season.[18]

Release

Marketing

During the 2020 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, an inflatable CGI float featuring Dwayne Johnson in his 20s was unveiled in promotion of the television show.[19]

Home media

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment released the complete first season of Young Rock on DVD and manufacture-on-demand Blu-ray on March 29, 2022,[20] with its second season was released on DVD and Blu-ray also as manufacture-on-demand titles on November 8, seven months after the first season's home release.[20] [21]

Reception

Critical response

The series received generally positive reviews from critics throughout its run. On Rotten Tomatoes, the first season has a rating of 90% based on 31 reviews, with an average rating of 7.70/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Anchored by a winsome ensemble, Young Rock is an endearing peek behind the curtain of both Dwayne Johnson's childhood and the wild world of wrestling."[22] On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 66 out of 100, based on 18 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[23]

Ratings

Season 3

Accolades

The series was one of 101 out of the 200 most-popular scripted television series that received the ReFrame Stamp for the years 2020 to 2021. The stamp is awarded by the gender equity coalition ReFrame and industry database IMDbPro for film and television projects that are proven to have gender-balanced hiring, with stamps being awarded to projects that hire women, especially women of color, in four out of eight key roles for their production.[24]

Award! scope="col"
YearCategoryRecipientResult
Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards2021Best Broadcast Network Series, ComedyYoung Rock[25]
Best Actor in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, ComedyJoseph Lee Anderson
Best Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, ComedyStacey Leilua
Best Supporting Actor in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, ComedyDwayne Johnson
Best Supporting Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, ComedyAna Tuisila
2022Best Broadcast Network Series, ComedyYoung Rock[26]
Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards2023Favorite Family TV ShowYoung Rock[27]
People's Choice Awards2021Comedy Show of 2022Young Rock[28]
Male TV Star of 2022Dwayne Johnson
Comedy TV Star of 2022Dwayne Johnson
2022Comedy Show of 2022Young Rock[29]
Male TV Star of 2022Dwayne Johnson
Comedy TV Star of 2022Dwayne Johnson

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Dwayne Johnson's 'Young Rock' NBC Comedy Sets Main Cast . Will. Thorne . Variety . September 30, 2020. November 23, 2020.
  2. Web site: Young Rock Is a Pro Wrestling Sitcom Begging to Break Free. Joe. Reid. Primetimer. February 16, 2021. April 1, 2021.
  3. Web site: Denise. Petski. 'Young Rock': Matthew Willig To Play André the Giant In Dwayne Johnson's NBC Comedy Series. February 10, 2021. Deadline Hollywood. February 10, 2021.
  4. Web site: Thomas . Jeremy . 2020-11-25 . First Young Rock Stills Feature Iron Sheik, Andre the Giant, Junkyard Dog . https://web.archive.org/web/20211027044755/https://411mania.com/movies/first-young-rock-stills-feature-iron-sheik-andre-the-giant-junkyard-dog/ . 2021-10-27 . 2021-02-14 . 411Mania.
  5. Web site: Nellie. Andreeva. 'Young Rock': Dwayne Johnson Teams With Nahnatchka Khan For NBC Comedy Series Inspired By Him. January 11, 2020. Deadline Hollywood. June 17, 2020.
  6. Web site: NBC's Dwayne Johnson Comedy Series 'Young Rock' Kicks Off Production In Australia . Deadline Hollywood . Patrick . Hipes . November 23, 2020 . November 23, 2020.
  7. Web site: Andreeva. Nellie. NBC Opens Tuesday Comedy Block With 'Young Rock' & 'Kenan' As 'Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist' Goes On Hiatus. Deadline Hollywood. January 15, 2021. January 15, 2021.
  8. Web site: White. Peter. 'Young Rock' & 'Kenan' Renewed For Season 2 At NBC. Deadline Hollywood. April 30, 2021. April 30, 2021.
  9. Web site: Queensland Shines in the Latest Season of Universal Studio Group's Young Rock .
  10. Web site: NBC Sets Holiday Previews For Five Comedy Series– 'Young Rock', 'Kenan', 'Mr. Mayor', More. Deadline Hollywood. Petski. Denise. November 3, 2021. November 3, 2021.
  11. NBC Rings in 2022 with Dynamic Talent, A Double Dose of New Comedy, Bold Dramas and Supercharged Unscripted Formats. NBC. The Futon Critic. November 12, 2021. November 12, 2021.
  12. Web site: White. Peter. Petski. Denise. 'Young Rock' Renewed For Season 3 By NBC. Deadline Hollywood. May 12, 2022. May 12, 2022.
  13. Web site: EDGE Board approves deal to keep "Young Rock" filming in Memphis . October 27, 2022 .
  14. News: NBC Confirms Premiere Date For Young Rock Season Three . Wrestling Inc.. June 29, 2022. en-us.
  15. Web site: Nemetz. Dave. Hatchett. Keisha. Young Rock and Grand Crew Both Cancelled at NBC. TVLine. June 9, 2023. June 9, 2023.
  16. Web site: Dwayne Johnson Announces Cast of 'Young Rock' . Hype Beast . October 4, 2020 . Jeff . Yeung . October 4, 2020.
  17. Web site: Denise. Petski. 'Young Rock': Dwayne Johnson's NBC Comedy Sets Cast. September 30, 2020. Deadline Hollywood. November 23, 2020.
  18. Web site: 'Young Rock': Matthew Willig Upped To Series Regular On Dwayne Johnson's NBC Comedy Series. Deadline Hollywood. Denise. Petski. August 3, 2021. August 3, 2021.
  19. Web site: Best Moments of the 94th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade . MSN . January 29, 2021 . February 6, 2021.
  20. Web site: Young Rock DVD Release Date .
  21. Web site: Young Rock: Season Two Blu-ray .
  22. young_rock. Young Rock. tv. 1. December 12, 2021.
  23. young-rock. Young Rock. tv. 1. March 23, 2022.
  24. Web site: Behzadi . Sofia . July 19, 2022 . ReFrame Gives 117 Shows Gender-Balance Seal of Approval Including 'Pose,' 'Bridgerton,' 'WandaVision,' More . December 10, 2022 . Deadline Hollywood.
  25. Web site: Anderson . Erik . August 29, 2021 . 'Ted Lasso,' 'WandaVision,' 'The Crown' top 1st Hollywood Critics Association (HCA) TV Awards winners . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210830024823/https://awardswatch.com/hollywood-critics-association-hca-tv-awards-winners-updating/ . August 30, 2021 . August 30, 2021 . Awards Watch.
  26. Web site: Gajewski . Ryan . HCA TV Awards: 'White Lotus,' 'Abbott Elementary,' 'Better Call Saul' Lead Winners . . December 10, 2022 . August 14, 2022.
  27. Web site: Nordyke . Kimberly . March 4, 2023 . 'Wednesday', 'Sonic the Hedgehog 2', Taylor Swift, Harry Styles Among Winners at 2023 Kids' Choice Awards . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230305024337/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/kids-choice-awards-winners-jenna-ortega-taylor-swift-harry-styles-1235341096/ . March 5, 2023 . March 5, 2023 . The Hollywood Reporter.
  28. Web site: 2021 People's Choice Awards Winners – Full List. Chitwood. Adam. December 7, 2021. TheWrap. https://web.archive.org/web/20211208060950/https://www.thewrap.com/peoples-choice-awards-winners-list-2021/. December 8, 2021. live. December 8, 2021.
  29. Web site: Piña . Christy . December 6, 2022 . People's Choice Awards: Doctor Strange 2, Don't Worry Darling Take Top Prizes . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221207080113/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/2022-peoples-choice-awards-winners-list-1235276432/ . December 7, 2022 . December 7, 2022 . The Hollywood Reporter.

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