The 2024 Paris Olympics are almost here, so it’s not surprising that one of the most watched series on Netflix in the US is a documentary series about Simone Biles. “Simone Biles Rising” has climbed to the first spot in the most-streamed list just a day after its premiere on July 17, according to FlixPatrol.
The series comes four years after Biles’ decision to withdraw from numerous events during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. At the time, it was a surprise, as she was the front-runner for several gold medals. However, the athlete was also struggling with mental health at the time.
The four-episode series chronicles Biles’ preparations to resume her position at the top. The documentary series is directed by Katie Walsh, who was also behind the docuseries “Simone vs Herself” (2021).
What does Simone Biles say in the docuseries?
In the documentary, Biles speaks about how she connects with Maya Angelou’s poem “Still I Rise,” and why she chose to tattoo with it. “I was like, ‘And still I rise is perfect,’ because I feel like that’s kind of the epitome of my career and my life story. Because I always rise to the occasion and after all of the traumas and downfalls, I’ve always risen,” she said.
On the other hand, the gymnast says that, after getting the “twisties” during the Tokyo Games, she had to “start from the basics.” The twisties caused her to lose track of where she was in the air while doing a vault jump.
“Like when kids come and ask me for advice, when they have a mental block or they’re scared, I’m like, ‘We’ll go all the way down to the basics and then build your way back up,’” she explained.
What are the reviews saying?
The documentary series has received positive reviews from critics. The Guardian gave it four out of five stars, and writes that the series “takes on the dark side of being an elite athlete. It’s a touching plea for compassion that sets up her Olympics return beautifully.”
On the other hand, Variety says that the series is “an elegantly paced and vulnerable account that infuses the history of gymnastics with Biles’ personal legacy– which has been hard-won but mesmerizing to watch.”
