Explore the Life and Legacy of Iconic Luchador Rey Misterio Sr. in LEGENDS OF LUCHA LIBRE
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Chelsea Grosbeck
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Select programming will also be available to stream on PBS.org and the free PBS App. Members of PBS SoCal get extended access through PBS Passport.
Los Angeles, Calif. – Feb. 17, 2026 – PBS SoCal, Southern California’s flagship PBS station, announced the four-episode short documentary digital series LEGENDS OF LUCHA LIBRE which explores the life of Rey Misterio Sr., the legendary luchador from Tijuana, whose influence reshaped lucha libre in both Mexico and Southern California. As part of PBS SoCal’s Arts & Culture content, the series showcases the region’s vibrant cultural landscape and transforms everyday curiosity into deeper understanding and connection. Through interviews with leading voices in the sport, his son El Hijo de Misterio, luchadoras Lady Lee and Zyra La Tóxica, journalist Chema Castro and with Rey Misterio Sr. himself, the series captures a legacy that lives on in the ring and across Los Angeles and the U.S.-Mexico borderlands. New episodes will drop weekly on PBS SoCal’s YouTube channel starting today on Tues., Feb. 17 and will be available to stream for free on the PBS app and on PBS SoCal’s website. All four episodes will have a back-to-back, half-hour special broadcast premiere on Wed., March 18 at 8 p.m. on PBS SoCal Plus with an encore airing on PBS SoCal Thurs., March 19 at 7:30 p.m. PT.
LEGENDS OF LUCHA LIBRE episodes are as follows (subject to change):
Chapter 1: "Introducing Rey Misterio Sr." – Tues., Feb. 17
This episode explores Rey Misterio Sr., the late patriarch who shaped modern Lucha Libre along the Tijuana and Southern California border with his unique hybrid style of wrestling. His legacy continues through his son El Hijo de Rey Misterio and devoted student Lady Lee, both facing the challenge of carrying his name across borders.
Chapter 2: "The Mask" – Tues., Feb. 24
This episode explores the Lucha Libre mask as an artistic extension of a wrestler’s spirit and identity. It examines the craft of building a luchador persona, blending visual design and physical performance inside and outside the ring. Highlighting Rey Misterio Sr.’s legacy of elegance and self-promotion, the story also enters the studio of Lady Lee’s mask maker, revealing the intimate process of creating a mask and persona as a living canvas.
Chapter 3: "The Strict School of Sacrifice" – Tues., March 3
This episode examines the discipline and sacrifice of lucha’s old school system, led by the notoriously strict Rey Misterio Sr., trainer of many of Tijuana’s greats. Lady Lee shares how training against men forged her aggressive, hard-hitting style. The story also explains Técnicos and Rudos, and shows Lady Lee passing her mentor’s lessons to the next generation of luchadores.
Chapter 4: "The Dignity of a Name" – Tues., March 10
The series concludes with the emotional legacy between Rey Misterio Sr. and his son, El Hijo de Rey Misterio. Archival recordings of the Maestro are woven with his son’s present-day reflections, revealing shared pressures and philosophies. The episode underscores the finality of Rey Misterio Sr.’s passing and the weight of his name, as El Hijo and Lady Lee face the challenge of honoring a legend across borders.
LEGENDS OF LUCHA LIBRE is supported by generous institutional funders.
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PBS SoCal uses the power of public media for good, strengthening the civic fabric of Southern California and providing our community with an essential connection to a wider world. As a local, donor/member-supported non-profit organization, PBS SoCal is available to stream on the PBS app and the PBS Kids App and reaches 22M viewers across 7 Broadcast channels — including 2 primary channels, PBS SoCal and PBS SoCal Plus and 5 digital subchannels. Select programming is also available on PBS SoCal’s YouTube channel. With a commitment to make content available anytime and anywhere for free, PBS SoCal offers programming that reflects the diversity of Southern California and showcases the full schedule of beloved and trusted PBS content spanning Education, News, Environment and Arts & Culture. PBS SoCal also sparks the sharing of ideas at in-person cultural events and community conversations as well as prepares children for kindergarten and beyond by bringing bilingual, hands-on learning experiences to the community for free.