For a docuseries about a history-making football club, Welcome to Wrexham Season 5, Episode 8, “We Go Again,” makes some great and some frustrating choices. Of course, this season finale is always going to have a bit of a different energy. There’s far less built-in fanfare if you follow Wrexham AFC because you know how this story ends–without another promotion. So, Welcome to Wrexham has the opportunity to tell a different story. Therefore, it is fascinating to pull back on the history of the Racecourse itself. However, that lead-in also sets “We Go Again” up to be a little heavy-handed with the “race” of it all.
It often overuses the word. That causes the docuseries to undercut the sincere moment between Wrexham AFC co-owner, Rob Mac, and Gemma Oakley. It feels less full-circle and more of a way for Welcome to Wrexham to go all in on the race bit. But that’s down to the edit and structure of the documentary, not the effort and sentiment. It’s moving to imagine how impactful it will be for Oakley’s bears to go to children’s hospitals. On the other hand, the docuseries doesn’t deliver on a dangling thread. Oakley still wants one of her bears to get to Wrexham AFC co-owner, Ryan Reynolds. There’s still time! The parallel journey of this club and docuseries is far from over.
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Catching Up with History Makers
It’s both exciting and disappointing to see the women’s team again. One of the most frustrating parts of the Welcome to Wrexham viewing experience is this pattern where the women’s team is rarely seen. They get one isolated act in this season finale, which is simply a wild choice. The last time they had any substantial screentime was more than half of this season ago.
That fact emphasizes how jarringly imbalanced the docuseries is in its coverage of Wrexham AFC’s men’s and women’s sides. That difference is also visible when “We Go Again” flashes back to February with the women, when the men’s storyline (for all intents and purposes) is in May. Wrexham A.F.C. Women have broken records in their season, but Welcome to Wrexham doesn’t show any of that in the same detail as with the men. It’s truly bizarre that the women won the Genero Adran Trophy, and it’s merely a blimp in this season finale.
They’re the first Wrexham team to become the champions of Wales, which is huge. That sentiment is present in quick glimpses, like the young girls showing up for the game and Phil Parkinson being in attendance. It’s just a shame that there isn’t more. Likewise, the flaws in the show’s structure are evident when the women speak about the environment that manager, Jenny Sugarman, created. Frustratingly, the show has so little footage to support that.
Welcome to Wrexham’s focus on the men’s team reflects how beneficial it is to spend time with the players, the manager, and see that culture before big games. It creates investment opportunities for a viewer, and those inarguably don’t exist in the same abundance for the women’s team. It doesn’t help that Rob Mac has the great line of saying that Wrexham A.F.C. Women “are the story of the year.” Welcome to Wrexham’s season doesn’t reflect that, and it should.
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Can’t Count Wrexham AFC Out
Meanwhile, the men’s team is in this race, which creates a lot of movement for the season finale. It works to the episode’s benefit because there’s a lot of story and momentum. Also, presumably, a lot of the people watching Welcome to Wrexham know how this season ends, so “We Go Again” has to find an angle that works for everyone. Sometimes, it struggles, like with the random interview with Sam Smith during the Middlesbrough match. It’s a little jarring to hear from him because he’s been so absent this season, like many of the players. Therefore, “We Go Again” finds a better throughline with Josh Windass.
He and Kieffer Moore have become really strong voices throughout Welcome to Wrexham Season 5. Honestly, so has Rob Mac, especially as community director, Humphrey Ker, appears less and less. Mac’s speech in that final act is really strong. But Windass, seeing his family and watching him be a team player, strengthens that personal connection. “We Go Again” finds the payoff in his goals (and the ones he misses) in those final four matches.
I also appreciate Welcome to Wrexham’s sharp humor – down to the edit. I love the one-two bit of Mac missing Sam Smith’s goal. This docuseries is also incredibly sentimental, which is why it works to end the season with a positive note despite the loss. Rob Mac says, “So much has changed, but the club always remains.” The passion does, too, so we go again.
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