Once Young Rock spins the hands of time backward, the show gets much more fun thanks to Johnson's unusual yet somehow still relatable upbringing and a cast filled with instantly likable actors.
Young Rock comes most fully alive in the stories involving the youngest Rock-to-be, warmly re-creating his charming dad Rocky's (Joseph Lee Anderson) rambunctious pro-wrestling world.
Fans shouldn't expect any revelations, or to leave with a brand new understanding of their favorite celebrity, but it has a lot of heart and might even make you want to go lift a dumbbell.
Loud though his aspirations are, three episodes of Young Rock gave no further sense of who Johnson is -- only what he wants. That may someday be your vote, but for now, it's your attention, and it can be hard to feel he's earned it.
The goal of wrestling is entertainment, and Young Rock provides that in spades; it's a sweet show, and earnestly likable. So even if viewers do feel like we're being worked, do we mind?
[Stacey] Leilua is quite magnetic to watch here, and while everyone in "Young Rock" is pretty perfectly cast, her role, the least showy, is the most compelling surprise.
There's a too-crazy-to-be-true quality to Johnson's real-life story that plays well in a TV comedy, but it's wisely leavened with more grounded, vulnerable moments, particularly the warts-and-all portrayal of Johnson's father.
It's also unfortunately rare to see this many people of color on one broadcast TV show, and "Young Rock" benefits from the carefully chosen group filled with distinct, vibrant personalities.
