I've been trying to figure out why I liked Impact more than RAW last night. And I think I've got it.
RAW has been so stale and boring (save for a few gems here and there) for so long, that I needed something that was such a trainwreck of a show to make me excited, and interested, and entertained.
I watched Impact live, then tuned in for the RAW replay, and after all of the Bret Hart stuff had finished up, and we got back to real life as it is on RAW… I was instantly brought back to earth. RAW still is mediocre.
I had a lot of moments watching RAW going... if I had the option to change the channel to a different wrestling show, I would (I could've had I decided to watch them both live, but Canada gets a 15 minute time delay on RAW, so it wouldn't work out the same. BUT ANYWAY).
Those moments include: The fourway match, the divas match, the DX segments, the countless recaps, parts of the Kofi/Orton match, and so on. Not entirely because those moments sucked a big dong, but more because they weren't super captivating, or great wrestling
Impact did, however, have some great wrestling... and, some zany surprises, and a lot of absurdity. BUT I was interested the whole way through. People can shit on the show as much as they want, and I'll agree with most of their points (a lot of stuff didn't make a ton of sense), but I just can't disagree with my actual feelings last night.
I was simply more entertained by Impact than I was RAW. And I am more shocked than anyone that I'm saying this.
Because, it was awful. But not awful in the way that RAW has been awful. Maybe awful in the way that Jersey Shore is awful. Or that 90's wrestling was at times (er, and not just because half of the guys on Impact were at their most popular in the 90's).
RAW, on the other hand, makes me humiliated and frustrated and embarrassed that I'm a wrestling fan on a regular basis, with Hornswaggle, and terrible Triple H jokes, and excruciatingly bad women's wrestling, and Michael Cole saying ANYTHING, and guest host's botching lines left right and centre, proving they don't give a shit about what's going on, so why should we?
Sure, the matches made sense or did their job or whatever, storylines moved forward a smidge and all that stuff. But nothing was exciting (save for the Hitman).
Impact was awful in the way that at least entertained the hell out of me. It was complete chaos, and it felt like the show was constantly on the brink of complete disaster, instead of feeling like you're watching a template that someone has just plugged different pieces into each week.
A lot of people will compare that brink-of-disaster feeling to late WCW, which I can't disagree with, but I also can't fully get behind that idea. I actually almost feel like Hogan and Bischoff are making it as much like old WCW on purpose, then righting the wrongs they last made, i.e. highlighting the incredible talent that's in the ring, and is regularly overlooked.
In fact, I totally thought that that was the point of Hall and Waltman showing up, only to be shut down by Hogan. And the Nasty Boys showing up, only to be shut down by Hogan. I thought it was literally Hogan silencing critics by saying, "this isn't going to happen - we're doing what's right for this business and this company." … which I think he actually said on the show.
But then it all went to hell in that last scene when the nWo beat down Foley, and the Nasty Boys seem to be starting a feud with Team 3D. Jesus. Definitely one thing I wasn't too entertained by.
But either way, I'm curious about where they go from here. Even if it means they continue to put on a crazy show that makes less and less sense as time goes on, they'll just be back to where they were before.
And, if WCW was any indication, WWE will start pillaging their best talent and rock some face once again sometime down the road. Right guys? RIGHT?!
I don't know what to think anymore. All I know is, I had more fun watching wrestling on a Monday night last night (remember, I watch ROH on YouTube), than I have in a long, long time. I hope it continues to be this way.
Here's the chaos all wrapped up in one little YouTube video, if you didn't catch it:
The end.
P.S. I hate writing these long winded posts, but I couldn't stop myself from blabbering. Now, on with my 2010 preview and 2009 review! WEEEE!
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