For the uninitiated, like myself, WWF Tough Enough is not another hour of male soap opera scripted acting. It is actually a reality competition much like Big Brother and MTV's own The Real World. Thirteen contestants were chosen from submission tapes by MTV and the WWF. They are placed in a house and will undergo a 9-week training under the supervision of established WWF stars. There will be two winners (one female and one male) and each will receive a contract with the WWF.

Even that description likely would not have gotten me to watch the show, but once started, I found it impossible not to like. They had a great cast from the beginning with a popular mix. They are likeable, despicable, and every personality in between. What follows is a rough breakdown by episode:

Episode 1 - Casting Special: This is the casting special and it is easily the most hilarious of the episodes. Every stereotype that you associate with wrestling is here in full force. On top of that, there are truly interesting people that easily standout. Many of those make the final cut and it's easy to see why. There's an overall picture that they are looking at and the decision making process is interesting.

Episode 2 - Welcome to the Jungle: The cast arrives and deals with a sudden change of plans. They meet their trainers and learn what their regimen will likely be each day. WWF star Taz treats them to some country, mud-wrestling fun and several cast members begin to question their commitment to the trials ahead.

Episode 3: I've left the title of this episode off, because it gives away a major plot point of the episode. WWF star Triple H makes a guest appearance that frustrates some and encourages others. He's frank and honest about what to expect from the life they choose. This is where I became hooked on the show. The personalities had developed and the relations between the trainers and group themselves were beginning to form.

Episode 4 - If You Can't Stand the Heat: Major changes and previous events cause several of the cast to rethink their position and question their desire to become a wrestler. They receive a visit from another wrestler and get front-row seats to a WWF SmackDown show.

Episode 5 - Dispatching ****: Another spoiler title. I hate that, but not that you couldn't see this one coming. The first official cut is made from the group. I wish I could say this was a great episode, but the cut is obvious and the rest of the episode shows the cast preparing dinner for Pat Patterson.

Episode 6 - Tears Idle Tears: More filler for the MTV audience as the cast members visit a drag bar in New York. The second half of the episode involves another member getting cut and is more emotional than the first occurrence.

Episode 7 - A No-win-ski situation: A surprise trip to the Bahamas eases tension for some and builds barriers for others. Injuries keep forcing others to examine their desire and a visit from WWF star and former Olympic wrestler Kurt Angle opens the casts' eyes to the opportunities that are available in the WWF.

Episode 8 - Dropping Like Flies: Two more members leave in this episode as the training and injuries intensify. Most never realized the stress and physical strain they would go through. WWF stars Lita and The Hardy Boys pay the cast a visit and mix it up with them.

Episode 9 - The Vicious Circle: The relationships in the group are solid as we see when a classic prank is turned into a humiliating bet between trainer and trainees. One of the best episode as another cast member is forced to make a decision that could affect them for the rest of their life.

Episode 10 - Timing is Everything: A Family illness worsens and another member is given a short leave. With this person gone, others feel the affect and question their resolve. Humiliation and punishment from the team and a trainer force another member to realize that they aren't wrestler material.

Episode 11 - The Rules of the Road: The cast and trainers go on the road and visit several events. At one event they are allowed to cut fake promo spots that show new strengths and weaknesses in the media eye that will ultimately play a role in the winning members careers. Numerous guests are present and the cast sees the respect they've earned from their trainers.

Episode 12 - No Hill to Tall, nor Water to Deep: They cast kick things into high gear on the final regular episode as they compete at a rock quarry in several physical challenges. In a lesson of humility, one boastful contestant realizes they aren't as good as they claim to be.

Episode 13 - That's Not the Story: This is the first half of the live (originally) finale. The cast is gathered in New York to see who wins. They are excited to get a chance to wrestle their trainers but hardly realize the beating they will take in what is considered a rite of passage.

Episode 14 - The Beginning: The winners are announced and all finalists receive their last minutes of televised fame.

There are truly touching moments on the show as the relations between these people became stronger. It was a great look at the support and strength needed to compete in such an event. Yes, we know that wrestling is fake and scripted, but the "actors" are definitely athletes in every sense of the word and take the bumps, cuts and bruises with the best of them.

Video: All the shows are presented in the televised 4:3 standard. The quality is great for TV and the transfer is pretty much flawless. There are extended scenes that are included in all three discs that vary in quality, but there is nothing distracting about the video.

Audio: The audio quality varies on the disc because of the source. The mix is a nice Digital Stereo, but dialog can be hard to hear at times, especially on the cut footage. Nothing earth shattering, but good enough.

Extras: Aside from the numerous amounts of extra footage included in each episode all of the casts' audition tapes are on the first disc as well. These are quite funny and easily show why they were called in as part of the original 4000-person cattle call. It would have been nice to see auditions of others that didn't make the final 13.

Overall: This was a great and entertaining set that easily surprised me. I found myself involved and looking forward to the next installments of each episode. I haven't watched wrestling in 15 or more years, and I won't start now, but it was a fun show to watch. I would recommend this to wrestling fans obviously, but also to anyone who loves a good realty show with great characters.