The character of a show can be discerned through the protagonist. That's why RAW in the Attitude Era was always so glowing in our collective memories. Many of us aren't remembering Beaver Cleavage and the Karate Fighters Tournament. It's Stone Cold, Rocky, and evil Mr. McMahon. The last one is the problematic guy. While McMahon was one of the most effective bad guys ever, he's probably the most destructive character archetype in history. People look at how successful he was, and think that anyone could be thrown into the deus ex McMachina role. That's when you get shows like tonight, where everyone called out Booker T.
I have not a whole lot against the Book as a character if he's an active wrestler. He's great in small doses, but if you have him on the mic for an extended period of time, you get stuff like the managing manager of managerville managerial school for managers. Or something infinitely worse. Thankfully, we didn't get that tonight, but at the same time, why does everyone beef with the goddamn boss? Is Big Show going to get in the ring and reverse out of a Bookend? As much as I'd love to see Mark Henry induct Book into the Hall of Pain, that's not the endgame here. The only thing separating Booker from Hulk Hogan is that if Booker does any of his signature moves, he won't disintegrate on spot.
Between Book-spam and the recaps out the wazoo, parts of Smackdown dragged like a tugboat dredging the bottom of a river. There were good nuggets, oh boy were there good nuggets. Henry went on a destruction spree tonight, not unlike the one he went on RAW, but this time, his targets were a bit beefier. I don't care how old hat doing moves to Khali is, it'll never not look awesome when Henry gives him the World's Strongest Slam. Say what you want about Khali, and judging from the RSPW worst of award, you do, but the guy is at least a great punching bag.
Antonio Cesaro and Sin Cara also had a really neat short-style free TV match that was very reminiscent of a Chikara match. Jack Swagger and Justin Gabriel had a cool sprint too, but it's so funny that Swagger's character right now is a stylistic mainstream Republican but still a heel. You'd think that the All-American American who really plays up his American-ness would be a hero, especially since there's a Very European guy holding the United States Championship. But who the fuck knows anymore, right?
I have not a whole lot against the Book as a character if he's an active wrestler. He's great in small doses, but if you have him on the mic for an extended period of time, you get stuff like the managing manager of managerville managerial school for managers. Or something infinitely worse. Thankfully, we didn't get that tonight, but at the same time, why does everyone beef with the goddamn boss? Is Big Show going to get in the ring and reverse out of a Bookend? As much as I'd love to see Mark Henry induct Book into the Hall of Pain, that's not the endgame here. The only thing separating Booker from Hulk Hogan is that if Booker does any of his signature moves, he won't disintegrate on spot.
Between Book-spam and the recaps out the wazoo, parts of Smackdown dragged like a tugboat dredging the bottom of a river. There were good nuggets, oh boy were there good nuggets. Henry went on a destruction spree tonight, not unlike the one he went on RAW, but this time, his targets were a bit beefier. I don't care how old hat doing moves to Khali is, it'll never not look awesome when Henry gives him the World's Strongest Slam. Say what you want about Khali, and judging from the RSPW worst of award, you do, but the guy is at least a great punching bag.
Antonio Cesaro and Sin Cara also had a really neat short-style free TV match that was very reminiscent of a Chikara match. Jack Swagger and Justin Gabriel had a cool sprint too, but it's so funny that Swagger's character right now is a stylistic mainstream Republican but still a heel. You'd think that the All-American American who really plays up his American-ness would be a hero, especially since there's a Very European guy holding the United States Championship. But who the fuck knows anymore, right?
