By Greg Parks, PWTorch columnist

Once again, a mind-numbingly awful episode of Monday Night Raw was saved by a fantastic final segment. Much like the Viewer's Choice Raw that ended with the debut of the Nexus in 2010, another terrible episode ended on a high-note with something that will be remembered more than anything else on the show.

It wasn't just the angle itself that made the segment (despite a few holes in the storyline). It was the performances of Paul Heyman and Vince McMahon. Heyman's latest run has led to him getting his due from fans as an actor. He's been tremendous in his role as Brock Lesnar's mouthpiece and C.M. Punk's promoter. His subtle facial expressions and his off-mic comments really helped sell this angle. His hand-in-the-cookie-jar look when Vince aired the footage, and his steadfastness in sticking to his lie (in true Heyman form) was incredibly well-done and most importantly, fit with his character. Heyman hasn't come across as strong since he was prodding Triple H and Stephanie McMahon over the summer, but his turn acting as a mob-like boss in the video footage was a nice change-of-pace for him.

Vince knows his character so well by now, he could perform it in his sleep, which it sometimes looks like he does. Some of his appearances lately have been more "miss" than "hit" (thanks in part to the confusing authority figure storylines he's been trotted out to sell), but he was in his element here. It probably didn't hurt that he got to publicly fillet a long-time nemesis in Heyman.

Let's not forget the crowd. They had to sit through well over three hours of wrestling and a whole lot of bad comedy. They could've easily been burned out and just sat on their hands, waiting for the taping to end. Instead, they were into the angle and kept the chants going strong. The reaction to the surprise of Brock Lesnar was also a positive. The crowd added to the final segment, making it even better.

Lesnar's body language was strong, as usual, and continuing to allow him to be the silent assassin is the right move. This would seem to indicate the return of Triple H to stand up to his father-in-law, leading to a Wrestlemania match between Hunter and Lesnar. This match has been on the Mania books for a while yet many were wondering how WWE would get there. This was a sensible first step.

Everybody played their parts well, and this is the one segment from Raw that will be remembered for weeks and months to come. Unfortunately, it was one of maybe two or three bright spots (the others being Punk and Rock promos) on an otherwise dismal effort, and a disappointing follow-up to the Royal Rumble.

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