TNA Impact: On Thanksgiving, Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff get served more than turkey
Perhaps it was just the tryptophan kicking in after I partook in my family’s Thanksgiving feast, but I found myself struggling to stay focused during Thursday night’s TNA Impact.
The show wasn’t bad, but nothing particularly noteworthy happened until the spillover into Reaction, when “former” TNA president Dixie Carter showed up as Eric Bischoff’s invited guest at the Immortal/Fortune Thanksgiving celebration.
Carter did not come empty-handed, as she served Hulk Hogan and Bischoff with a court injunction that prevents Hogan from signing any new talent. So that’s the first step in Carter seeking to regain control of her company.
“Until this is resolved, your duties are over,” Carter told Hogan. “I’ll see you guys in court.”
On a side note, there was an amusing exchange during the segment when Hogan was telling Carter how well things have been going in her absence. “Have you looked at the numbers lately?” he asked. Carter cringed and said, “Yeah, I have.” Ouch. And that’s a shoot, brother!
Other thoughts on Thursday’s show:
The eight-man elimination tag match that pitted Matt Morgan, “The Pope” D’Angelo Dinero, Samoa Joe and Douglas Williams against Fortune wasn’t anything special, but it did further establish Morgan as a top-level babyface. The match came down to Morgan against A.J. Styles and Robert Roode, and just as Morgan was about to finish them off, Jeff Hardy attacked him from behind. …
The video of Jeff Jarrett applying MMA holds to a bunch of little kids in a karate class was pretty funny. Jarrett continues to be my favorite performer in TNA at the moment. He can be intense and get serious heel heat, but he also has the ability to pull off comedy bits such as this. I also loved him smashing Jesse Neal over the head with his guitar while the referee was incapacitated, and then applying a rear naked choke onto the already unconscious Neal for the win. …
Question: How do you get Rhino ready for a feud with Rob Van Dam, who clearly is a bigger star than him? Answer (if you’re Vince Russo): Have Rhino lose to Tommy Dreamer, of course. You can’t make this stuff up. I’m convinced more than ever that Dreamer has naked pictures of somebody in TNA. …
I had high hopes for the Brother Ray-Brother Devon feud, but so far I’m just not feeling it. Ray cut a promo that would have been acceptable if he was in a program with some other wrestler, but this is his “brother” that he just turned on. The emotion isn’t there the way it should be. …
The impromptu match between Madison Rayne and Sarita was a cluster. It was filled with weak-looking offense and sloppy transitions before Sarita got the pin out of nowhere with a rollup. This was an odd match-up to begin with, as Rayne and Sarita are both heels. Of the two, Sarita was acting more like a babyface, so perhaps she is turning (again). …
I felt like I was watching a bad horror B-movie when Winter saved Angelina Love during the backstage brawl between all of the Knockouts and shrieked, “Leave her! She’s with me now!” At least we now know that other people can see Winter and she isn’t just a figment of Love’s imagination. …
Could someone please explain to me what the point is of having Ric Flair chug Smirnoff Ice every week? I’m sure Russo and the boys find it entertaining, but how does it get heel heat on Flair? …
Is there a reason why Eric Young was dressed as a waiter during the Thanksgiving dinner scenes with Immortal and Fortune? ...
A couple quick thoughts on Reaction: Samoa Joe was very good on this show. He does much better when he speaks about how bad he is and what he’s going to do to his opponents rather than screaming about it. … Stevie Richards, when talking about the scary-looking spot on Impact two weeks ago when Styles dropped him on his neck while delivering the Styles Clash, said: “That wasn’t a planned, protected spot.” Ugh. Thanks for telling us on a wrestling show that everything we just watched was a work. TNA has come up with an innovative concept in Reaction, but there’s a way to add an element of realism to the story lines without the lame “the business is a work but now I’m shooting” gimmick that was passé a decade ago.
Comments
Kev,
I have read a few places online lately that say TNA will be cutting a lot of expenses because Dixie Carter's parents aren't happy with how much they are paying in operating cost & salaries for how little return they're seeing. I read that they may even be approaching some of their recently hired main eventers and saying pay cut or go home. Do you think maybe this thing with Dixie's court order will be a quick end to Immortal and the end of Hogan & Bischoff with TNA? I can't imagine them being to keen on building TNA with a now limited Dixie checkbook. Plus since they already shelved RVD once to make sure his appearances don't equate to bonuses do you think any if not all of RVD, Hardy, Anderson and Angle will stick around? With Hardy especially I'm sure Vince would open up the checkbook with them being a little starved for stars right now.
Posted by: MechanicalBull | November 27, 2010 2:04 PM
"Is there a reason why Eric Young was dressed as a waiter during the Thanksgiving dinner scenes with Immortal and Fortune? ..."
Not right now. But in eight months there will be a special Reaction dedicated to the story of Eric Young serving turkey to Fourtune and how it was all part of an elaborate plot to slowly poison all of Fourtune to save TNA, but then it's revealed it was all a swerve on the portion of the audience who noticed Eric Young in the background. Eric is Immortal!!
But now Eric Young is the special guest referee in a championship match between Jeff Hardy and Samoa Joe. (spoiler alert: Joe has been part of Immortal all along and Immortal has been stringing Eric Young along this entire time!!!!)
CROSS THE LINE
Posted by: sebastian | November 27, 2010 2:47 PM
About the thing with Ric Flair and the Smirnoff Ice. You're right that it doesn't get Flair over as a bigger heel than he already is, but that's not the point of it. It's a little recurring joke that takes up about three seconds of screen time each week. Some folks obviously find it amusing -- did you see the fan sign in the crowd about it earlier in the night?
It's obvious that the guys booking take a broader view of storytelling than having everything relate to the face-heel dynamic. It's about being entertaining, which in their view including things like like in-jokes, characters with shades of gray to them, swerves, etc.. I understand that that's not everyone's cup of tea, but the WWE has several shows that are probably right up the alley of folks who don't like TNA "attitude era" type booking. There's room in the wrestling world for all sorts of different approaches, IMO.
Personally, the WWE is really boring me right now. I tune in and try to watch here and there, and can't make it through 10 minutes of a WWE program these days. TNA is doing something interesting, like the way wrestling was at it's peak. TNA isn't perfect, but I can watch an entire episode of Impact and enjoy it, which is more than I can say for WWE shows right now.
Posted by: John | November 27, 2010 2:53 PM
What garbage.....and people bash the Nexus/John Cena storyline?
Posted by: Horseman420 | November 27, 2010 4:59 PM
Poor booking has plagued TNA for years. Not months, but years.
At this point, I don't think there is much hope in turning around this sinking ship...
Posted by: bennyd | November 27, 2010 5:07 PM
About the thing with Ric Flair and the Smirnoff Ice. You're right that it doesn't get Flair over as a bigger heel than he already is, but that's not the point of it. It's a little recurring joke that takes up about three seconds of screen time each week. Some folks obviously find it amusing -- did you see the fan sign in the crowd about it earlier in the night?
Posted by: John | November 27, 2010 2:53 PM
Its called "Bros Icing Bros" and it was frat boy joke turned web meme that died out in popularity a couple of years ago. So naturally Vince Russo is doing it on TV now. $20 says they have Eric Young doing "Star Wars Kid" in 2011,
Posted by: MechanicalBull | November 27, 2010 6:28 PM
I love the interviews with Fortune on ReACTION. These guys are feeling more and more like a unified team.
By the way, Fortune planted the seeds for turning on the Immortals down the line.
Posted by: Jack Windham | November 27, 2010 7:54 PM
Saw this on youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JK81_uHRjc4
Got to say they are doing a good job of not pretending Matt Morgan has always been a little angel while giving reasons and motivation for his change of attitude centered around what all wrestlers should theoretically be aiming for when kayfabe - the world title.
Posted by: Yogi | November 28, 2010 1:05 AM
I really, really, really would love to see a lawyer explaining to a judge how Eric Bischoff managed to get Dixie Carter to sign over the rights to TNA. I don't know if that scene would hold up any better in court than it does in the court of popular opinion.
The thing about Tommy Dreamer back in the day was that his whole gimmick was about being the guy that gave it his all but came up short in the end. That's why his feud with Raven went years without him picking up a win. Clearly, the TNA "brain trust" isn't really familiar with his work at all. I wonder if he's being booked to win against his will, or if he just figures he's done enough jobbing for one lifetime.
Posted by: Ken Raining | November 28, 2010 7:42 AM
Dreamer would be my pick to end the Undertakers' streak...
Posted by: Mil | November 29, 2010 10:47 AM
Hey Kev,
Is it safe to say that with all things considered, Smackdown and ReAction are the two best wrestling programs on television?
Posted by: Jarvie | November 29, 2010 1:42 PM
Just watched an old episode of tna, its depressing to see how far backwards the programme has gone. Maybe I'll just stick to watching old episodes until hogan etc go
Posted by: scott | November 30, 2010 6:13 AM
Kevin,I think TNA is getting better week by week..I like the fact that alot of the performers are "Gray" not Black and White,think about it,would it surprise you if Joe,Pope and Morgan all went heel at the same time?..That would open up the story line for the return of "The Icon" Sting..who does his best work when it's him againest all.Didn't think I could ever buy Hardy the heel,but,I really dig his stuff now..would love to see Aj lead Fortune againest the Immortals..Hardy vs AJ would be epic..just one man's thought...as always God Bless. Phil4:13
Posted by: David Baugus | December 1, 2010 10:44 AM
I think that Dixie carter lier to take
the hogan and bischoff to court
leave them alone
Posted by: Stephanie | December 2, 2010 8:09 AM