So yeah, did anyone else find it really, really fucked up that days after getting arrested for DUI, Christopher Daniels was accusing Samoa Joe of drinking Cristal with Booker T? Yeah, thought so.
Okay, now that that volley's out of the way, I can say that Impact really didn't feel like it was the steamtrain of suck it was earlier in the year. They figured out that AJ Styles is born to play the confident and even cocky wrestler rather than some emo douchebag. Hernandez and Homicide had a good match, even if the build was too melodramatic for my tastes.
The wrestling action itself was good, and the best thing about it was that the matches themselves have a different feel than WWE matches, which goes a long way in establishing identity. While the matches I feel are in some way flawed at heart (in that many guys aren't really coached in the nuances of proper pacing, selling and flow), you at least get the feeling that you're not watching the same match over and over again, especially when it comes time to finish. I think this is where the indie mentality can be a plus for a company like TNA. You're not limited to either a finisher pin or a flash roll-up type pin for the win. AJ Styles got wins with a DDT and the Styles Clash in his two matches tonight. Those are positives that need to be pointed out, because they can make up for some of the most glaring flaws and make the matches seem a lot more pleasing to the eye.
Why I can't call the show "good" though is that it felt too disjointed. There never seems to be a lot of cohesion, things just sort of jump from place to place even in the same break. Plus, a lot of the players aren't camera ready when it comes to cutting a promo. Look at Daniels as an example. In the hands of someone who knew how to cut a promo, his material would have worked, but he has no believability in his voice when it comes to cutting a serious promo. He sounds like an actor going through a monologue, which is funny, because I'll bet you that TNA probably gives their wrestlers more freedom to create on the mic than what I hear about the rigid scripting of WWE promos for nearly everyone on the roster.
And the big brawl to end the show. It seemed like they were trying to capitalize too quickly on the huge riot they had last month, and it felt forced. I was baffled as to why Styles would come out to help Hernandez before Homicide would. And with that many players out in the ring area, it's hard to keep your eyes fixed on one point of action, even if the camera's placed on what's going on center stage. There's something to be said for economy of camera space. I know the intention is good to get as many guys exposure as possible, but there comes a time when too many bodies are too many bodies.
TNA looks to be in the right direction here. I'm harsh in this review, but the future is brighter now than what it was six months ago. I'm impressed that a Russo-booked company isn't insulting everyone's intelligence, and I'm further convinced that Jarrett and the old boys network was the company's biggest problem in the dark days. However, it's important that they don't devolve and that they stay the course.
PS, Impact Zone... stop with the "TNA! TNA!" chants. It's bushleague. I knew original ECW. This is no original ECW.
PPS, "Brother Ray", it's "was blown up", not "was blew up". Way to fuck the gravitas of your promo up beyond all recognition, jackass.
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