After watching RAW for the first time in months, maybe well over a year (and the full episode, as well, which is a feat for 3 hours of wrestling), here's my thoughts:
The Great:
- Gunther's reference to Goldberg, good meme spot.
- Sami Zayn and Bret Hart together, with the Gaudreau jersey on.
- Jackie Redmond's Gaudreau segment (didn't even know she was in WWE, very cool!)
- Pete Dunne finally got his name back. Butch was terrible.
- Joe Tessitore: I love this guy as an announcer. Has Mean Gene Okerlund vibes, but can crank it up to Mauro Ranallo when he's excited. So much better than Pat McAfee (still don't get that appeal).
- Announcers on the mic hyping the start of the show in the arena. Good bit.
- Drew McIntyre - I like his delivery, am glad they kept his music too from years back.
The Meh
- I don't get the popular appeal of Gunther in his current character. I know his in-ring work is sublime but his character is kind of . . . . muted? Better as Walter IMO.
- Bron Breakker. He was in limited use last night, but I do like his mic work. Good at soft-spoken stuff, but I would like to see full Scott Steiner at some point.
- Jey Uso: I take it he's just a spot monkey and crowd pleaser?
The WWE=NG:
- Way, way, way too much Judgement Day on screen. What was it like, 50 times? How much Finn Balor do we need in a three hour show?
- Wyatt Six . . . . Gacy, Lumis and Erik make it work somewhat, but the rest is dumb. Bless Nikki Cross' ability to play characters, but that's just a straight up Abadon ripoff.
- Way to throw Dragon Lee in the LWO. There's the WWE I know.
- Why did they get rid of Pete Dunne's original theme?? That was a banger.
- Nattie Neidhart should not have been that mystery partner. What a letdown, even in Calgary. Should have been Trish or a Canadian female talent you don't see often.
- The 2nd and 3rd hour had to catch up on ads, so they were pervasive and always throwing WWE action figures in my face for 2 straight hours. Definitely catering the product to kids.
Overall, I can see the appeal, glad it's popular and wrestling is doing well, but it's too much of a big, shiny plastic product for my liking at the moment. I like more pure wrestling shows, a bit more violence, and that indie feel.
|