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TV Reports
TNA IMPACT ROUNDTABLE REVIEWS 10/15: McKinley, Parks, Shanks rate and review Oct 16, 2009 - 9:15:36 PM
"Super Impact"? "Three Hours of Wrestling?" This experiment looked to be more horrifying than the upcoming "Saw VI." Thankfully, this show kinda-sorta worked in hyping up Bound For Glory. People have been digging the PPV video packages, calling them "well-done". Odd that the "live action" was your typical TNA drudgery: your TNA standard kidnapping angle, your TNA standard (and now a staple of every Impact) random brawl, British Invasion becoming jobbers, TNA still loving Eric Young despite evidence to the contrary, and so forth. Don West speaking for Amazing Red is a weird apology to West. The Main Event Mafia stopped really mattering the time that World Elite came around. And to me, the prospect of two hardcore dudes (Abyss, Mick Foley) going at it is ruined with Dr. Stevie being the special guest ref. Goody. More fake tasering. A.J. Styles vs. Kurt Angle was great as expected. More videos and less booking, please! Because I don't trust your booking!
Greg Parks, PWTorch.com Columnist (6.5)
TNA certainly succeeded in making Bound for Glory feel special, especially with the last 30-40 minutes of straight BFG hype. We could debate whether or not that was a good idea, but it was something different and if there's anything TNA needs to concentrate on, it's making their PPV's feel important.
The rest of the show was hit-or-miss. Obviously, Angle vs. A.J. was the stand-out, but the lack of long-term selling is really becoming more and more evident not just in the main events, but everywhere. It's tough to suspend disbelief when they sell a painful-looking move for only a few seconds. I just plain don't know what to make of Don West as Amazing Red's spokesman; it certainly won't help anyone take Red seriously.
I don't know much about D'Angelo Dinero's gimmick, but pimping Five Hour Energy just doesn't seem to fit it. Constantly having wild brawls and kidnappings, as Shane mentioned, just waters down future angles of the like that could really draw. It's just foolish to give things like that away seemingly every week. Hernandez blowing through the British Invasion was effective. Hamada vs. Alyssa Flash has been a fun feud and Rhino vs. Lashley continues to do nothing for me.
Curtis Shanks, PWTorch.com Contributor (8.0)
Overall, this was a solid episode of Impact this week. Going into tonight, I feared that we were just going to get a two-hour show that was stretched across three hours. But all the feuds got some time in, we had some good in-ring action, and we were treated to some well-done videos to hype the PPV this Sunday.
Angle vs. Styles was the epitome of a main event match. Great story telling, good athleticism, and drama that got the fans involved. The ending was not what I wanted, but I don't know who could have taken the pin there. Imagine how great this show would have been if we got another match earlier in the show of that quality.
So far, I like Don West as Amazing Red's manager. I just worry that he'll get annoying as a babyface manager, as he didn't become great in TNA until his heel turn as an announcer. Small worry, but overall no complaints from me about getting Don West back into an on-air role. The best women's segment of the night was from two Knockouts not even on the BFG card, Hamada and Flash. When's the last time you saw a female go through a table in WWE? I like the Homicide hint that he may reveal who Suicide is. The character has become stale, and I wouldn't mind seeing Kaz return to the X Division.
All around solid show with only a few minor complaints (yet another tag team brawl?). I liked the hype videos throughout the show, as it gave BFG a major PPV feel. If TNA can translate what they're doing for this videos into their weekly Impacts, we could have many more solid shows in the future.
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