Average Joe is partially inspired by the aftermath of the true story of creator Robb Cullen's father who was in cahoots with the Russian Mafia. Actor Dean Cole takes on the creator's role as Joe Washington - Robb Cullen. The show was recently released on Netflix and is already a big hit for viewers.
Average Joe unravels the unruly circumstances Cullen and his family had to undergo to protect themselves. All while dealing with the Russian mafia breathing down their throats.
The show explores several raw and real aspects of Cullen's struggles as a result of his late father's crimes. Additionally, it funnily unfurls how his family dealt with paying them back while being threatened. The Washingtons faced an array of challenges including dealing with the ordeal legally.
Keep reading to learn more about a loosely-based adaptation of Robb Cullen's life in Average Joe!
What is Rob Cullen's real-life story in Average Joe?
Creator Robb Cullen has been tight-lipped about revealing the true fragments in Average Joe. Per BET's website, the series is "loosely" based on real events from his life.
In the series, Joe Washington is described as a blue-collar working-class individual who loves his family and his job and works as a plumber in the series. All was smooth sailing ahead until he was contacted by a band of dangerous gangsters from Russia out of the blue.
They urged Washington to return the $10 Million and the Lamborghini his father stole from them. If he refused to comply with their requests, the mafia threatened the safety of his loved ones. Cullen did eventually get out of the dilemma he and his family were in, but he wasn't happy with his father's actions.
In an interview with Variety, Cullen reflected on the day he found out about his father's wrongdoings. The creator of Average Joe claimed his father was a conman who conned a lot of people into loaning him money and never gave it back.
Furthermore, he added that life did a 360 after he and his family moved to New York when a Russian man reached out to him - the same was emphasized in the series. Cullen claimed that the alleged felon wanted to have a chat about his father not too long after his passing.
Cullen recalled hearing the chilling threat for the first time, he claimed the Russian's words were,
"Just tell me where the f***ing money is, Rob."
How accurate is Average Joe?
As mentioned earlier, per Robb Cullen, the show is vaguely based on events from his life. While Cullen reportedly did engage with the mob and threats were made, there's no official confirmation about whether or not his family members were tortured by the mafia, like depicted in Average Joe.
The show has some pretty intense scenes including dumping a body from a pier of a lake, severe forms of torture, a whole lot of screaming, and blood - a grisly scene. In reality, should any of those have unfolded, Cullen might just be in a world of legal trouble or maybe even in prison - which he isn't.
Average Joe: Episodes and cast
Average Joe has one fully released season with 10 episodes that are all available to stream on Netflix. Here's a complete list of the episodes from Robb Cullen's series:
- EP 01 - Pilot
- EP 02 - Bachelor in Paradise
- EP 03 - Donuts & Whiskey?
- EP 04 - The Above Average School Teacher
- EP 05 - A Cautionary Tale of Frontier Justice
- EP 06 - Green and Blue
- EP 07 - Prisoners
- EP 08 - Ride or Die
- EP 09 - Sounds Like Mail Man
- EP 10 - You Must Be Joe
Along with thrilling episodes, Robb Cullen picked some pretty incredible cast members to bring his story alive. Here's a list of the main cast members from Average Joe:
- Deon Cole as Joe Washington
- Tammy Townsend as Angela Washington
- Ashley Olivia Fisher as Jennifer Washington
- Malcolm Barret as Leon Montgomery
- Cynthia Kaye McWilliams as Cathy Montgomery
- Pasha Lynchnikoff as Nicolai Dzhugashvili
- Michael Trucco as Benjamin Tuchawuski or 'Touch'
Likewise, the show features several actors who appeared in Season 1 of the show. Average Joe also got the green signal for Season 2 and will explore more about Cullen's life.
Season 2 of Average Joe is yet to receive a release date but should come out sometime next year. Until then, binge the entire first season on Netflix to get a glimpse into the alleged circumstances in Robb Cullen's life.
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