TNA Impact turns into Jeff Jarrett-Kurt Angle reality show
It’s often been said that pro wrestling is a soap opera for men. Thursday night’s episode of TNA Impact certainly fit the description.
Despite it being the go-home show for Sunday’s Final Resolution pay-per-view, the focus was on Jeff Jarrett returning to the Impact Zone for the first time since being sent home last summer by TNA president Dixie Carter, who made the decision to do so after it had been made public that Jarrett was in a real-life relationship with Kurt Angle’s ex-wife, Karen.
The problem with the show-long story line is that it probably confused a lot of viewers. TNA doesn’t seem to realize that not everyone watching knows about the Jarrett-Angle off-camera situation.
With that being said, however, I found the dramatization of Jarrett coming back to the company that he founded and apologizing to Carter and Angle to be quite compelling.
I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next. I suspect that Jarrett’s apologies are insincere and it will be revealed that he was just saying whatever was necessary to get his foot back in the door. It also wouldn’t surprise me if Karen Angle returned as an on-air character and she and Jarrett became a heel couple in a feud with Kurt.
There’s one other thought that I can’t get out of my mind, which is that the whole thing has been an elaborate work from Day One, and that only Jarrett, the Angles, Carter and Vince Russo were in on it. Then again, perhaps I’ve just been watching too much of Jesse Ventura’s “Conspiracy Theory” show.
Other thoughts on Thursday’s show:
Right after a tense scene between Jarrett and Angle, the 10-man tag team main event took place, which featured Scott Steiner and Bobby Lashley on opposite sides. Referring to Steiner and Kristal Lashley, Taz said, “You just don’t mess with somebody’s wife.” Considering that there were severe repercussions for Jarrett hooking up with Angle’s ex-wife but none for Steiner forcing himself on Lashley’s wife and then mocking her, TNA made it clear that one is “real” and the other is just a silly story line. …
TNA threw fans who don’t really care for worked-shoot, soap-style story lines a bone in the form of a really good match between Desmond Wolfe and Daniels. The 10-minute draw was a different type of match than fans are used to seeing on TV, as the emphasis was on technical wrestling. …
With the pay-per-view just three days away, TNA world champion A.J. Styles surprisingly didn’t have much of a presence on the show (he was part of the 10-man tag team match). The booking of Styles as champion has been less than stellar. …
Speaking of questionable booking, I think it was a mistake to have Matt Morgan lose to Brother Ray. I get it that Morgan lost because Jesse Neal gave him a low blow and TNA is trying to get some heat on the eight-man tag match at Final Resolution, but I thought the idea coming out of Morgan’s match with Angle at Bound for Glory was to make him something special. There’s nothing special about getting pinned by Brother Ray in a singles match. …
We all knew that Kevin Nash was putting one over on Mick Foley when he said last week that he had arranged for a meeting with “Hulk,” but the punch line turned out to be better than I expected. The meeting was with “The Incredible Hulk” Lou Ferrigno. …
I sure hope the payoff to the story line of “Black Machismo” Jay Lethal losing to the “legends” is a good one, because right now it just looks as if he is getting buried. At least Tatanka was in better shape than Jim Neidhart. …
I don’t know if Awesome Kong and Hamada are going to be a regular tag team, but I think a program between them and TNA women’s tag team champions Sarita and Taylor Wilde would be really good. …
I’m happy to see Roxxi back in TNA and even happier that the horrible potty-mouth gimmick that she was saddled with before she left has been dropped. Having her score a pinfall victory over Knockouts champion ODB in a nontitle match was a nice way to re-establish her. …
ODB appears to be a heel now, although in TNA you never really know for sure. …
When Lauren slapped Lacey Von Erich and stormed off, I wondered if it was an angle to set up Lauren’s first wrestling match. Apparently, it was Lauren’s swan song. It has been reported that she is leaving TNA because she is getting married. I guess that means the story line that I thought was a sure thing – Lauren turning on Abyss – is never going to happen. …
I’m certainly not a fan of Taz as an announcer, but he does make me laugh at times. When Brother Ray was doing the deal in which he grabs his crotch and gyrates, Taz said to Mike Tenay: “That looks like you at the bar, Mike.”
Comments
The Daniels/Wolfe match was outstanding! I hope Daniels takes the belt from Styles. He deserves a title run.
I was kind of surprised they threw Tomko out there. I thought they would save him for something better. I guess we will find out if he is AJs attacker or not.
ODB has been booked horribly as well. She deserves a better title run than she has received.
Steiner is still the man. If they want to form a group, he should have Kong and ODB as his freaks. There are many possibilities with this.
In wrestling, who knows where the Angle/Jarrett story goes, or if it is even real. I just hope they don't bring the kids in the story line.
I kind of like Hemme as a new backstage announcer. If only they can replace Taz.
Posted by: Flair | December 19, 2009 2:26 PM
I thought work too with Angle/Jarrett, at the time all that went down Jarrett's gimmick was a sleeping pill. About the "war" starting soon, TNA will have the better show but WWE will make the money. WWE is unwatchable for me, just horrible and I would hope anyone over 14 feels the same way(I'm 29). Kevin, Happy Holidays to you and your family!
Posted by: Al | December 19, 2009 2:41 PM
It's good to see Roxxi back, but she needs to change her hairstyle away from the Kate Gosselin look. Too much of that show with my wife has warped my mind.
Posted by: Mike in AZ | December 19, 2009 3:08 PM
Lauren is leaving?
Say it ain't so.
Oh well. All things must pass.
I read her Wiki profile and did not know she also has a gig with The Golf Channel. The temptation to make a Tiger Woods reference is overwhelming but I will refrain.
Whatever Lauren does from here on out we will always have her doing a jig with Curry Man.
RESPONSE FROM KE: That girl dancing with Curry Man was actually Crystal, who had the job before Lauren.
Posted by: Aaron Goldstein | December 19, 2009 3:45 PM
The Daniels-Wolfe match was outstanding. I wasnt sure whether to get on the Desmond Wolfe Express, but after that match with Daniels (Who i have often considered in leauge with the likes of AJ, Kurt, and at times even Randy Savage as a performer) I am definatly on board.
I agree that TNA is failing in booking both Morgan and AJ. the two have fantastic talent, and they appear to be wasting it.
PS. Tatanka was one of my favorites. I loved seeing him again
Posted by: Ace | December 19, 2009 4:04 PM
Burned! Kev pick the man's face up so he can go home.
Posted by: Lemmons | December 19, 2009 5:03 PM
What a tasteless and insensitive storyline, when considering the real life family circumstances.
The creative team is really scraping the bottom of the barrel with this sorry stuff. Really.
Posted by: Mark | December 19, 2009 6:26 PM
I loved the Daniels/Wolfe match and judging by the crowd reactions and chanting, so did they. You don't see ones that full of quality very often any more.
The Hulk/Foley bit was an amusing payoff for the tease.
Now I see it does look like Lethal will be dropping matches to old wrestlers, so maybe we'll see him dropping the Black Machismo gimmick by the end of it and go on to wrestling more as himself.
Hamada is fun to watch.
Posted by: James | December 19, 2009 7:09 PM
This iMPACT was the best TV they've done in about two months. That Daniels & Wolfe match was a thing of beauty, and felt longer than 10 minutes in a good way. They both made you feel like you were watching a legitamite sporting event, which is special for a wrestling match. I enjoyed the Jarret angle too, because he's such a compelling talker, as is Mick. I'm curious where they'll go with it. The ODB and Roxxi match was also solid, and I liked the 10 man main event. TNA needs to produce more tv like this, if so then they will eventually be strong rivals to WWE. Hopefully the next impact doesnt fall back into the usual nonsense.
Posted by: Nick Rini | December 19, 2009 7:43 PM
I love tna
Posted by: Buck | December 19, 2009 11:51 PM
Oops. I guess I can't tell the blondes apart.
Posted by: Aaron Goldstein | December 20, 2009 1:54 AM
Hamada, now that is a real woman. Pity WWE has its thinking too warped to have more women like her and James.
Posted by: Dhananjay Mhatre | December 20, 2009 3:19 AM
Desmond Wolfe and Daniels had an Impact match of the year contender. Not as good as Angle/Styles, but it was awesome. Styles/Doug Williams from a few months back ranks highly too.
So Mr. Eck, are you going to give us a break down of your favorite free TV matches of the year for each brand? It's hard, and even harder to consider an overall favorite (mine is likely Bryan Danielson vs Roderick Strong, but Jack Swagger vs. Christian 2/24 ranks up there).
Matt Morgan and company haven't won anything since this awful feud started (except Pop vs. Neal). Once again, TNA proves they don't care about the young talent.
Posted by: Another Wrestling Mark | December 20, 2009 7:22 PM
I thought this was one of the BEST episodes of iMPACT! I've seen yet! Great pacing, some well worked matches (less gimicks!), less wacky humor (but when there was, it worked great, like the Lou Ferigno thing, which had me laughing out loud), a really compelling saga with good acting between Mick, Jeff, and Kurt, and one AMAZING match between Daniels and Wolfe. Notice how the crowd started chanting "This is awesome?" just as time ran out - great drama! I wanted MORE!!! I think the last time a crowd chanted that was HBK/Taker at WM (and some killer matches in ROH).
I GREAT episode that I wouldn't hav been embarassed to watch with a non-wrestling fan.
Thanks so much for the blog, Kevin! It rocks, and I look forward to reading every new post.
Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!
Posted by: Curtis | December 20, 2009 11:27 PM
I hope they're not turning ODB into a heel. I like her character a lot more as a babyface.
Maybe they just had her playing the role of heel because she was involved in a feud with another babyface?
Posted by: Jack Windham | December 21, 2009 4:26 AM
Was there ever any doubt that Russo would turn the Kurt/Karen/Jarrett love triangle into a worked-shoot eventually?
So, so horrible. God forbid they simply ignore it on television like they do so many things that are actually relevant to their storylines so that Angle and Jarrett can get on with elevating younger talent.
Posted by: Don | December 22, 2009 4:05 PM