While Smackdown has been the torchbearer for quality in the WWE this year, I have this sinking feeling that it's about to taper off. In fact, it may have already started with last night's show which was a bit on the lackluster side. While ECW introduced new stars that injected energy and excitement into their program, Smackdown's two new debutantes leave a lot to be desired. I am totally not impressed by either Eric Escobar or Drew MacIntyre... and yet they're going to be featured on the Smackdown Seven team at Bragging Rights. Joy. I can't put my finger on why I don't like either guy. They give me a Tyler Reks vibe rather than a Sheamus O'Shaughnessy vibe.
Still, that's not the biggest reason why I think Smackdown could be headed for a tumble, and it's at the top of the card. At the conclusion of Extreme Rules, it looked as if the banner year for Smackdown would get even more awesome. You had the insertion of CM Punk into the main event, feuding with Jeff Hardy, a tailor made feud. Edge was there as a standby, looking as if he'd feud with Chris Jericho at the point where they lost the Tag Team Championships. That would leave Rey Mysterio, Kane and Finlay to work with the up and comers, specifically Dolph Ziggler and John Morrison, easing them into main event spots. But then, it all started to unravel. Edge got hurt, so they put Jericho with Big Show, a move that looked to bolster the profile of the Tag Team Titles on both programs. Then, Jeff Hardy left, and while it was great for the company that he left when he did in terms of PR and public image (i.e. a week before he got busted for drug possession), it was an awful blow to the company from an in-ring and from a star power standpoint.
So, going into panic mode, the WWE had to throw Undertaker into a program with Punk to keep from having to have Punk/Morrison as the title program with no real sure-fire background program to help draw and then brought over Batista from RAW. Then, instead of having a more defined and settled-in draw in Mysterio to help along the maturation of Ziggler and Morrison, ReyRey had to go and get busted for wellness, throwing the midcard into a holding pattern.
SO that's where we are today, and last night's show was an indication into how much the tenor of the show has slowed down with Hardy and Edge not there and with the new blood of MacIntyre and Escobar really not jiving.
However, it wasn't all bad. CM Punk running in at the end of the main event was awesome. Jericho's opening promo was, as always, blistering until Kane came out and kinda brought it down. And the Dirt Sheet was really, really good. Miz and Morrison have really good interplay, and I was impressed that Morrison held his own on the mic. He's had some epic fail moments in the past, but this week, it felt like he was at ease. He also said what a lot of fans were thinking when he compared RAW to SNL and said Smackdown was the "action" show, well at least in reputation.
The only thing I had a problem with was Miz backing down. He's gone from the delusionally cocky heel who in his character's mind mind thought he could take down John Cena, to backing down from the guy he just called Marty Jannetty. I really wish the WWE knew how to book heels more than just as chickenshits, and it seems like they follow that mold with everyone now. CM Punk, Randy Orton, Chris Jericho, Zack Ryder, William Regal, Jack Swagger... I mean, Big Show (and to a lesser extent, Sheamus) can't be the only heel who gets the fans to boo him because of his dominating intimidation. Miz would work great as a cockroach heel, a guy that keeps running his mouth, whether he gets his ass kicked or not. I don't need to see every heel not named Show get stage fright every time a face not named Rey Mysterio comes around.
Still, while I think Smackdown might be ripe for a fall, it's still watchable and at the very least on par with the strongest RAWs at its weakest points. The culture is just so different and more conducive for a smooth wrestling-style show rather than a variety show like RAW can be some weeks.
Banner by K. Sawyer Paul
