Special edition of Impact really is special
I was talking with my wife yesterday about TNA Impact being a “Best of 2008” episode last night. “Yeah, it’s going to be a 15-minute show,” I said. OK, it was a lame joke, but she laughed.
All kidding aside, the special New Year’s edition of Impact was highly entertaining. If you missed it – and especially if you didn’t see any TNA pay-per-views last year – you definitely should check out the replay (Saturday, 9 a.m.).
This wasn’t a typical year-end recap show consisting of TV matches that everyone has already seen. Of the four 2008 matches that were shown, three were from pay-per-views. All of the matches were outstanding – Jeff Jarrett vs. Kurt Angle (Bound for Glory), Samoa Joe vs. Angle (Lockdown), Awesome Kong vs. Gail Kim (Impact) and Sting vs. A.J. Styles (Turning Point). A first-run match that was billed as the first TNA title match of 2009 – tag-team champs Beer Money Inc. versus LAX – was very good as well.
I certainly can’t argue with any of the choices for the matches that aired, although it would have been nice to have gotten in an X Division match, perhaps at the expense of the tag match.
I thought it was a nice touch to have commentary from the participants interspersed throughout the matches. That wasn’t possible for the women’s match, of course, because Kim left for WWE and Kong doesn’t speak (they had commentary from other TNA women wrestlers instead). Angle was especially good on commentary, although I could have done without yet another disrespectful remark about Jarrett’s deceased wife.
Beyond the great matches, what made the show so enjoyable was that it was a departure from the usual bad comedy skits and illogical booking. Some of the sillier moments of the past year – “Stone Cold” Shark Boy, Styles “marrying” Karen Angle, etc. – did show up in a video package of 2008 highlights, but the overall tone of the program reminded me a lot the excellent Global Impact show of a year ago.
Comments
Firstly, Happy New Years to you and yours, Kevin.
I still haven't seen the show (doesn't air in Australia for another 24 hours), but i'm glad to see you praising TNA.
I'm a big fan of both yourself and the TNA company, so it was great to read your weekly review and see some genuine positivity.
I know there are a lot of problems with the TNA product, but i do feel you mark it a little harshly (especially when compared to your reviews of WWE shows).
Either way, i love reading your insights, so keep up the good work, Kevin.
Posted by: John | January 2, 2009 2:24 AM
Hey Eck....
Have you seen The Wrestler yet? If so, how's about a review. Just saw it today and I thought it was pretty good. It's kind of a story about having to be what you are because, at the end of the day, that's exactly what you're going to be. And your boy R Truth even has a little cameo.
RESPONSE FROM KEVIN ECK: Haven't seen it yet, but I'm working on it.
Posted by: ryan errol | January 2, 2009 3:42 AM
hey kevin,
when's the sexy gail kim gonna finally re-debut in the wwe on smackdown?
gail's the best female wrestler/personality in the business
you know, she carried the tna knockouts division on her back for 2 years. was her dream. former champion
before that, she beat trish stratus when trish was in her prime for the women's belt on raw in wwe the first time
gail shined as a manager for both AMW and Jeff Jarrett when Jeff was the cartoon villain champion of tna
she can do what the wwe divas can't do in the ring or on the mic. gail can high fly off the top rope. she can flip. bridge
gail has so much potential ready for utilization in a new way with the wwe for a second run
when's gail finally re-debut on smackdown?
thanks
RESPONSE FROM KEVIN ECK: She has been backstage at the tapings, so she could be on TV anytime now.
Posted by: andy phillips | January 2, 2009 4:33 AM
That goes to show how opinions can vary, John, because I think Kevin is sometimes too friendly toward TNA. I think it's a terrible product that is much worse even than WCW was at its low point.
And that's not coming from a WWE fanboy: I often fast-forward through WWE programming, lately. (Khali Kiss-Cam, anyone?) I miss the old NWA/WCW, and I'd love to see another wrestling company succeed.
But I'm not thirsty enough to drink the sand.
Posted by: Stephen | January 2, 2009 11:47 AM
The commentary actually ruined the Gail/Kong match for me. It felt like they threw faces in there for no reason, and they blatantly edited in a line praising Christy Hemme (who was being squashed at the time the match originally aired), Traci as Knockout Law (hadn't happened yet), and Taylor Wilde (not even in the company). I know it was a best-of episode, but was all of the editing really necessary? And what was the point in changing all of the old name and replay graphics to the ones they use now?
Posted by: Zack | January 2, 2009 12:03 PM
That was a very well put together show. They focused on the best of TNA and did a great job of glossing over the bad. Their resolution for '09 should be to not have as much bad to gloss over.
Posted by: Chris Slater | January 2, 2009 10:57 PM
I got to watch the replay of this more carefully last night. I had the sound turned down and was just watching to see what the wrestlers were actually doing without the mindless blather of announcers.
I have to say that this was the most I've been entertained by actual matches rather than other shenanigans on a regular TV wrestling program in quite a while. Kurt Angle is at a level of his own. SAmoa Joe made the match with Angle very entertaining. The Styles/Sting match was also top notch. LAX/Beer Money even held my interest and had some great spots.
Its clear that TNA has the wrestling talent to do well. If only the writing and general mindset of the company was not so stale and 20th century.
What in the blue heck is that senseless bit going on now for weeks with the beautiful people and Sarah Palin? Last night's installment in particular made zero sense. OK, the BP were grossed out by Sarah Palins farm. She lives on a farm? That's news to me! I guess it was inferring that people like her are just dumb farmers/hicks. That should go over real well!
RIP TNA.
Posted by: AMC | January 9, 2009 10:31 AM