Monday Night Musings: TNA Impact
The ratings are in, and it doesn’t bode well for TNA: Raw: 3.4; TNA: 1.0
Ouch.
Chris Jericho tweeted this review of the RVD segment: “The beat down of RVD 20 seconds into his debut in TNA was mind boggling. I dont understand how so many talented people can be so clueless.” He’s got a strong point. Really, they should have had RVD scoot after the quickie win. The only logical explanation would be if RVD is somehow unable to wrestle for a few weeks because of a legit injury or scheduling conflict, so they booked the Sting attack to explain his absence. Otherwise, it doesn’t make much sense beyond their intense effort to get Sting over as a ruthless heel. Personally, I think Sting should have left the building after shoving Dixie aside–why would he stick around following the Hogan/Abyss attack?
Noticeably absent last night: Samoa Joe. Not a good sign.
If TNA shoots an angle nearly every segment, they collectively lose their effectiveness: That’s Booking 101 stuff. More wrestling–I still say that’s the key to gaining ground on WWE.
Nice to see the X Division title emphasized again–but where were the World tag-team champions? Give us something WWE doesn’t–a competitive tag scene like the ’80s and ’90s, when lots of today’s now 30-something men were teenage fans.
One bright spot from TNA last night: No segments filmed in Eric Bischoff’s “office.”
I can’t help but think Nick and Brooke Hogan will become “family characters” a la Shane and Stephanie at some point. God help us.
Actually, the segment with Brooke and Hulk last night was a lot better than it reads. OK, well, it was better than, say, this emotional backstage scene with Hogan and Miss Elizabeth from 1989 (in which the Hulkster sounds like he’s about to have an orgasm).
I agree with Jericho, the RVD debut was not handled well at all. It doesn’t make sense that Dixie would set this match up after getting shoved by Sting, only to allow Sting to beat RVD down, as he did.