The Official TNA / Impact / GFW Discussion Thread

[Hyde Hill]

I watched tonight for the first time in awhile. It was pretty solid outside of the Brooke Hogan segments... and then the final segment. Awful. Pure wrestle-crap. Yeah, I'm gonna just keep staying away from TNA.

 

It's mainly bad timing papa this was the worst show in like 3-4 months. Try last weeks show that should show you more of what they are actually doing lately.

[jjohns44]

Would have been less confusing if it had been like a wrestler within the company, like wanting to keep it a secret because it would hurt their career. Or someone Dixie, AJ or Daniels knew personally like AJ's wife, or a storyline sister of Dixie or something. But just some random woman to throw in there who didn't really reveal who she was to AJ or Dixie.

[Bigpapa42]

It's mainly bad timing papa this was the worst show in like 3-4 months. Try last weeks show that should show you more of what they are actually doing lately.

 

I haven't watched regularly since the whole 10/10/10 crap. The problem is that every time I check them out for a show or two, there is something like this. I keep hearing "oh, its getting better" and end up checking it out. But its really the same thing every time. Some good, yeah, but still some crap. A couple months back, it was spamming Hogan and the whole Garrett Bischoff stuff. Some good and some bad just seems to be the TNA way. Unfortunately, the bad tends to be relative deal-killers for me. Which sucks at the moment, as the WWE is pretty atrocious of late.

[Astil]

From another board I go to

 

"I REALLY want to like TNA. But it's like being in an on-again/off-again relationship with an ex you're trying to get over. You notice their change in behavior, more refined manners, they've cleaned themselves up a bit. It's refreshing. So you go back and have a few really great, promising weeks. Things are looking up! And they have one bad day and wind up binge drinking for a month straight. They wind up going into a drunken rampage, making some obscene phone calls that ruin their already unstable image and THEN you remember why you left them in the first place."

-Grant

[Self]

After hearing critiques and watching the show, I'll take people's word that Impact's getting 'better'. The craftsmanship does seem to have improved. I applaud it, but I'm not a guy desperately searching for a wrestling show that 'doesn't suck'. Like any TV show, I'm after something that grabs me. Action that excites me. Plots that thrill me. Characters I can relate to. Objectively well-booked angles and finishes that make sense are nice and all, but ultimately my decision on whether to keep watching Impact comes down to the deeply subjective. What characters and storylines grabbed me? Alas, zero.

 

What would I be interested in seeing on next week's Impact? Brooke's ass? Kinda, but I could always rewatch this week's episode for that. I want to see Bully Ray with his shirt off, but I don't see that happening soon. I love the idea of the BFG league set up, but I can't say I'm clamoring for specific matches.

 

It's not the absence of negatives that will make me regularly tune in, but the presence of subjective positives. Not enough in TNA. Maybe I'll watch again next week. I certainly wasn't turned off. Which, sadly, represents a bit of an uptrend.

[Target Practice]

From another board I go to

 

"I REALLY want to like TNA. But it's like being in an on-again/off-again relationship with an ex you're trying to get over. You notice their change in behavior, more refined manners, they've cleaned themselves up a bit. It's refreshing. So you go back and have a few really great, promising weeks. Things are looking up! And they have one bad day and wind up binge drinking for a month straight. They wind up going into a drunken rampage, making some obscene phone calls that ruin their already unstable image and THEN you remember why you left them in the first place."

-Grant

 

Nail. On. Head.

[Bigpapa42]

After hearing critiques and watching the show, I'll take people's word that Impact's getting 'better'. The craftsmanship does seem to have improved. I applaud it, but I'm not a guy desperately searching for a wrestling show that 'doesn't suck'. Like any TV show, I'm after something that grabs me. Action that excites me. Plots that thrill me. Characters I can relate to. Objectively well-booked angles and finishes that make sense are nice and all, but ultimately my decision on whether to keep watching Impact comes down to the deeply subjective. What characters and storylines grabbed me? Alas, zero.

 

What would I be interested in seeing on next week's Impact? Brooke's ass? Kinda, but I could always rewatch this week's episode for that. I want to see Bully Ray with his shirt off, but I don't see that happening soon. I love the idea of the BFG league set up, but I can't say I'm clamoring for specific matches.

 

It's not the absence of negatives that will make me regularly tune in, but the presence of subjective positives. Not enough in TNA. Maybe I'll watch again next week. I certainly wasn't turned off. Which, sadly, represents a bit of an uptrend.

 

That's sums up how I feel pretty nicely as well, Self.

 

I want to invest in the show and the product. I can't do that if I'm only mildly interested by things, or turned off by just as much as I am intrigued by. That's an issue I have with the WWE as well - I can only invest so much because my reaction is very mixed. And if I can't invest myself in it, why bother? There are other things I can watch and be mildly entertained by.

[Astil]

That's sums up how I feel pretty nicely as well, Self.

 

I want to invest in the show and the product. I can't do that if I'm only mildly interested by things, or turned off by just as much as I am intrigued by. That's an issue I have with the WWE as well - I can only invest so much because my reaction is very mixed. And if I can't invest myself in it, why bother? There are other things I can watch and be mildly entertained by.

 

Have you tried NXT? It's silly fun.

[Bigpapa42]

Have you tried NXT? It's silly fun.

 

I have and enjoy it. Can't say I watch it regularly, as my PVR doesn't seem to like it and its only on TV here.

[Astil]

I have and enjoy it. Can't say I watch it regularly, as my PVR doesn't seem to like it and its only on TV here.

 

It's not on Youtube there?

[Bigpapa42]

It's not on Youtube there?

 

If I'm not mistaken, they IP block based on location. They still have a TV broadcast deal for it here, so they don't want people here watching it other ways. There are ways around that, of course, but I'm not usually determined enough to watch it to bother.

 

For awhile, it was best thing WWE had going. It was almost like certain individuals in the company overlooked it, so the wrtiers jut got to do whatever. And the result was fun with some rather compelling characters. I think both companies might want to take note of that....

[Hyde Hill]

I get all the complaints but this is the first time in a long while they had such an f up. And just watching one show especially with wrestling never really gets you emotionally invested imho. Ah well TNA will need another 2 months of good shows prolly to get people to give it a shot again. Such a shame. Post lockdown till this show was a really good run and most of the shows pre lockdown where good as well apart from GB.

 

On nxt haven't they basically fused it with FCW? So will prolly be a bit different show. Ring Ka king is also a good laugh to watch, with the crowd its like being teleported back to the 70s.

[Astil]

If I'm not mistaken, they IP block based on location. They still have a TV broadcast deal for it here, so they don't want people here watching it other ways. There are ways around that, of course, but I'm not usually determined enough to watch it to bother.

 

For awhile, it was best thing WWE had going. It was almost like certain individuals in the company overlooked it, so the wrtiers jut got to do whatever. And the result was fun with some rather compelling characters. I think both companies might want to take note of that....[

 

This is the main reason I enjoy it. The "oh what could be" factor.

 

Also I enjoy getting weird

 

I get all the complaints but this is the first time in a long while they had such an f up. And just watching one show especially with wrestling never really gets you emotionally invested imho. Ah well TNA will need another 2 months of good shows prolly to get people to give it a shot again. Such a shame. Post lockdown till this show was a really good run and most of the shows pre lockdown where good as well apart from GB.

 

On nxt haven't they basically fused it with FCW? So will prolly be a bit different show. Ring Ka king is also a good laugh to watch, with the crowd its like being teleported back to the 70s.

 

The whole AJ-Dixie storyline was a huge mistake imo. Dixie can't act. Just a huge flop.

 

Also, didn't they recently do a Hogan tape thing that flopped.

 

Also also James Storm has to win the BFG thing to get at Roode at BFG, no?

[Bigpapa42]

I get all the complaints but this is the first time in a long while they had such an f up. And just watching one show especially with wrestling never really gets you emotionally invested imho. Ah well TNA will need another 2 months of good shows prolly to get people to give it a shot again. Such a shame. Post lockdown till this show was a really good run and most of the shows pre lockdown where good as well apart from GB.

 

On nxt haven't they basically fused it with FCW? So will prolly be a bit different show. Ring Ka king is also a good laugh to watch, with the crowd its like being teleported back to the 70s.

 

Its only one show, but its the same basic thing I get out of TNA every time I go back. A few months back, I watched a few episodes. I was drawn back by the same claims - they are doing good things, the "stupid" crap is almsot gone, etc. And in some ways, they were doing good. Roode with the beld, feuding with Storm... Aries and Bully Ray being allowed to be pretty awesome. It was around the time they were diong the UK episodes. Some stuff. But also moer than a bit of crap. They had Garrett Bischoff all over everything at that point. They did the "big reveal" of Hogan being behind Garrett, even though Hogan's return was already hyped for that episode, plus they had something like 7 segments in total on the show on the topic, which was ridiculous overkill. There was another nonsense segment around then where two of the top heel Knockouts were suddenly teaming together to attack the babyface Knockouts, and then back with their regular tag team partners the next week like nothing happened.

 

You're right that one show isn't enough to invest. But it can give me an indication if I want to continue watching and try to get invested. And I don't. Same TNA.

 

They keep making mistakes. And worse, they don't learn from those mistakes. Its why I cannot bring myself to expect something different from them. I truly truly hope they prove me wrong, but so far, after watching/following for the past four years, they haven't yet.

 

And yeah, they have fused NXT tapings with FCW. The first episode last night was pretty okay. Not fantastic and really not close to as good as what they had going, but their were some pieces there.

 

This is the main reason I enjoy it. The "oh what could be" factor.

 

Also I enjoy getting weird

 

The whole AJ-Dixie storyline was a huge mistake imo. Dixie can't act. Just a huge flop.

 

Also, didn't they recently do a Hogan tape thing that flopped.

 

Also also James Storm has to win the BFG thing to get at Roode at BFG, no?

 

Yeah, it makes you realize what the WWE could do on a weekly basis. Which is as discouraging (since it won't happen) as it is encouraging.

 

Poor decision making by TNA. Just consistently poor decision-making. I've slowly taken a strong dislike to Dixie Carter. Not necessarily as a person, but in regard to how she runs the company - and her putting herself into a key storyline (or allowing herself to be put into it, not much different) isn't really jmuch less selfish than Hogan and Bischoff getting their kids tons of air-time for no other reason than they can.

[Warhawk8492]

WWE is far worse then TNA. At least TNA is not the watered down PG crap that it is today. I HATE the current WWE product.

[Hyde Hill]

The whole AJ-Dixie storyline was a huge mistake imo. Dixie can't act. Just a huge flop.

 

Also, didn't they recently do a Hogan tape thing that flopped.

 

Also also James Storm has to win the BFG thing to get at Roode at BFG, no?

 

It wasn't too bad except for tonight and yeah Dixie isn't the best on screen but the backstage shots she did weren't that bad.

 

Hogan tape thing was just pure rumor from one of the least reputable sites around.

 

So what? Journey there will still be fun and they might decide to change it up you never know till it happens. Apart from Kneejerk jobber Robbie E all the contestants are good ones and the rules are better this time.

 

And yeah there is still crap on TNA but there is less crap and the focus has been shifted a lot. With Hogan(s) in supporting roles, GB in the undercard now and the "names" being used to mainly make their own talent. That was my biggest gripe before and for the large part has been fixed. If you watch the shows from Lockdown till one past Slammiversary there isn't much cringe worthy, Dixie in ring one time and the endless Robbies vs Devon (+GB) stuff, and a lot of good stuff. WWE is just plain snore with one decent storyline and a bucket of crap to me.

[Astil]

WWE is far worse then TNA. At least TNA is not the watered down PG crap that it is today. I HATE the current WWE product.

 

I enjoy both products (at times), but don't see anything more edgy about TNA's product than WWE's.

 

So what? Journey there will still be fun and they might decide to change it up you never know till it happens. Apart from Kneejerk jobber Robbie E all the contestants are good ones and the rules are better this time.

 

I think you misunderstand my statement for criticism. Just because something is predictable doesn't mean it's bad.

 

Although I'm not a Storm fan per se.

[Hyde Hill]

I enjoy both products (at times), but don't see anything more edgy about TNA's product than WWE's.

 

 

 

I think you misunderstand my statement for criticism. Just because something is predictable doesn't mean it's bad.

 

Although I'm not a Storm fan per se.

 

Just slightly atm they learned from their past mistakes there by not going overkill and having blood, swearing etc actually mean something. But the higher intensity and danger in TEW terms matches are still there. It's more less stale then more edgy if you catch my drift imho.

 

Ok misread that then as you used also and it was in the same list of some I did think you took as criticism. Anyhoo if/when Storm beats Roode for the title for BFG it will be a hell of a moment.

[Astil]

Just slightly atm they learned from their past mistakes there by not going overkill and having blood, swearing etc actually mean something. But the higher intensity and danger in TEW terms matches are still there. It's more less stale then more edgy if you catch my drift imho.

 

Ok misread that then as you used also and it was in the same list of some I did think you took as criticism. Anyhoo if/when Storm beats Roode for the title for BFG it will be a hell of a moment.

 

I agree WWE is more "safe" than TNA, it's why I enjoy watching TNA (even if I don't like there storylines 50% of the time) And somehow WWE has more injuries. Odd.

 

It was stream of consciousness type thing. Yeah that will be a moment for sure.

[Hyde Hill]

I agree WWE is more "safe" than TNA, it's why I enjoy watching TNA (even if I don't like there storylines 50% of the time) And somehow WWE has more injuries. Odd.

 

It was stream of consciousness type thing. Yeah that will be a moment for sure.

 

Schedule and backstage atmosphere that passively encourages working hurt.

[Self]

WWE has more things that annoy me right now. Or at least, would annoy me if I was in any way invested in what they do. I get sad when I hear my indy favourites have try outs now. Good for them, but it bums me out I can only see them if I suffer through a product specifically designed for people with such different interests than me. I'm interested in NXT though. We'll see if the newfangled version is as free as the previous version.

 

I'm hoping they set up a couple more of the BFG guys as folks who 'need' to win. James Storm 'needs' to win, to confront his former partner. The other guys are just there. They want the belt but they don't need it. If you get, for example, Bobby Roode to attack Jeff Hardy and break his wrist (causing Jeff to go on a 2-3 match losing streak via submission) then Jeff 'needs' to win to get revenge. And set up Kurt Angle with another, similar reason to 'need' that belt or 'need' to get Roode. Then when those guys face off in the latter stages there's uncertainty and drama, and whoever wins, it makes sense. You can push guys like Kurt and make them pure obstacles for Storm to overcome, points wise, but I'd rather have more protagonists in the story.

 

I love leagues. Thumbs up, TNA. Please do it right.

[Hive]

I'm hoping they set up a couple more of the BFG guys as folks who 'need' to win. James Storm 'needs' to win, to confront his former partner. The other guys are just there. They want the belt but they don't need it. If you get, for example, Bobby Roode to attack Jeff Hardy and break his wrist (causing Jeff to go on a 2-3 match losing streak via submission) then Jeff 'needs' to win to get revenge. And set up Kurt Angle with another, similar reason to 'need' that belt or 'need' to get Roode. Then when those guys face off in the latter stages there's uncertainty and drama, and whoever wins, it makes sense. You can push guys like Kurt and make them pure obstacles for Storm to overcome, points wise, but I'd rather have more protagonists in the story.

 

Now this is the kind of great storytelling that both TNA and WWE seems incapable of constructing these days. I like it a lot.

[Hyde Hill]

Quite a good piece covering the AJ/Dixie/Daniels/Kaz/Lynch stuff with my more detailed observations in the comment section.

 

http://www.tnasylum.com/2012/06/lynchpin-to-story.html#idc-container

[Hyde Hill]

Ok this one of the best before the bells ever focusing on Aries:

 

http://www.tnasylum.com/2012/06/before-bell-destination-x.html#idc-container

 

Before the bells are generally good but this one is great imho, check it out.

[20LEgend]

Awesome show so far - lots of really good and those terrible bits leave me happy, I can enjoy the good and laugh at the bad. And I'm still waiting for Aj/Angle vs. Kaz/CD!