Made for Viceland, airing May 6th in the US.
Season 3. Episode 2.
The story: Brian Pillman AKA the Loose Cannon was being compared to Andy Kaufman due to putting people on for attention and press exposure.
His plan was to manipulate his way to the top as a wrestler who wouldn't do as he was told.
His plan was to manipulate his way to the top as a wrestler who wouldn't do as he was told.
The one thing that drove the Loose Cannon was his responsibilities of taking care of his family.
After being involved in a very bad car accident, he was lucky to be alive but very disappointed in himself, thinking he would never be able to continue to support his family.
When word got out, many believed that this could very well be just another stunt for attention on Brians' part and even close friends weren't sure what to believe.
In reality, Brian had to go through many serious reconstructive surgeries.
But one result of the accident may have very well kept him from going as far as he was expecting in his career.
His ankle was pretty messed up, shattered in fact.
Even still, while in recovery and rehabilitation Brian was signed to WWF by Vince McMahon without actually admitting just how bad his injuries really were.
His plan had worked and he was going to be doing the work and making the money that he hoped for.
Brians' first TV reappearance was WWF's King of the Ring, for which he showed up on crutches spewing threats.
A scheduled surgery kept him from any matches for a while until he was finally involved in a storyline with Steve Austin which kept him in the spotlight.
The next extreme angle Vince attempted for Brian was directed to an extent that backfired causing Vince to have to apologize publicly.
Then Brian was cast as a sideline announcer, which he was advised would be best for him, although he didn't want to do it even though he was in a lot of pain.
He wanted to have matches still and he was always heavily medicated as a result.
He wanted to have matches still and he was always heavily medicated as a result.
Dependency and pressures were now pushing him to the limit.
Brian couldn't even walk but he was still wrestling and many of his friends were worried about him.
An intervention was in order but Brian was pissed and felt betrayed so in the end, any kind of intervening failed.
On October 5, 1997, Brian was scheduled to appear in the Pay Per View/WWF event Bad Blood.
When he did not show, Jim Cornette called his hotel to check in on him and found out Brian was dead.
The very next night, Vince made a public statement on WWF Raw about Brians' passing.
Everyone was devasted.
Vince then called Melanie via video call and in very bad taste did an interview with her.
Anything for ratings.
In the end, it was finally announced what ultimately caused Brian's death.
He was 35 years old.
Leaving Melaine and his five children without a father, things got progressively worse.
Melanie was deeply depressed and her actions weren't the best for a mother of five young kids.
Just when it seemed like there was no hope for the kids' future, their fathers' sister stepped in to keep them all close as a family, which they are completely grateful for in many ways.
Stars (voice) Chris Jericho, Kim Wood, Melanie Pillman, Linda Pillman, Brittany Pillman, Brian Pillman Jr, Danielle Pillman, Jim Cornette, Dave Meltzer, Jim Ross, Steve Austin, Eric Bischoff
Directed by Jason Eisener
Rated TV 14
DOCUMENTARY/BIOGRAPHY/HISTORY/SERIES
"The only hurdle he couldn't get across was the last one."
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