TNA Reaction Report
September 16, 2010
Aired on Spike TV - Official episode #5 (pilot aired 4/12)
Report by James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor

TNA Impact came back from its final commercial break (a very long break) three minutes before the top of the hour, leading to Impact going off the air two minutes past the top of the hour. After TNA Impact went off the air, they picked up on Reaction with Kurt Angle vs. Jeff Hardy still on the air. It's one way to try to boost the rating. To set the stage, Mr. Anderson is on commentary, Dixie Carter is holding her iPhone ringside, and Angle is working on Jeff Hardy.

KURT ANGLE vs. JEFF HARDY -- Winner goes to Bound for Glory

Angle applied a rear naked choke with Earl Hebner now the referee after Dave...er...Brian Hebner was bumped during the match. Hardy mounted a comeback and landed a double foot kick in the corner for a two count. Hardy then clotheslined Angle over the top rope. Tenay passed along word that at the conclusion of the "no time limit" match, they will hear from both men on Reaction. Hardy rammed Angle face-first into the ring steps and they cut to a shot of Carter looking on with what appeared to be a look of concern. Back in the ring, Angle regained control with a series of German Suplexes. Angle eventually snapped off five Germans and Hardy kicked out of a pin attempt.

Brian Hebner started to stir ringside as Angle slowly went up top with Earl Hebner reprimanding him. Angle attempted a frog splash, but Hardy moved. Hardy then teased the Twist of Fate, but Angle countered into the Anklelock. Brian slid into the ring still selling the earlier ref bump to distract as Angle maintained the Anklelock. The announcers no-sold the presence of two referees in the ring as Angle and Hardy ended up locked in a body scissors mid-ring. And cue up the overly-choreographed double pin by two refs. "Come on," Anderson said on commentary. Earl and Brian discussed this as Carter sold that she was befuddled or perhaps perplexed by this turn of events. Eric Bischoff then came out as Carter looked around the Impact Zone. They cut to break with a decision still to come.

WINNER: No Decision. The finish was predictable a mile away, and it was made worse by the announcers being produced to no-sell the presence of two referees in the ring as they were building to the climax of the match. It hurts the trust between announcer and viewer that it seems like they're intentionally ignoring or omitting valuable information on commentary.

[Commercial Break]

[Q2]

Impact Zone: Bischoff consulted with Carter on what to do about the non-finish. Carter just had a blank look on her face. Carter and Bischoff discussed matters as Carter shook her head and folded her arms. Bischoff entered the ring and said he has never seen two competitors put so much on the line like they have the last two matches. He said they have nothing more to prove to anyone. He said they both deserve to be in the TNA Title match at Bound for Glory. Bischoff booked Anderson vs. Hardy vs. Angle for the TNA Title at Bound for Glory. They cut to Carter continuing to stare straight ahead selling slight agitation with Bischoff getting his way. Bischoff shook hands with Angle and Hardy, then they cut back to Carter. She mouthed something, then took her jacket and walked off. Back in the ring, Angle talked things over with the referees before shaking hands with Hardy. Tenay said they will talk to both men, as well as Carter.

Begin Reaction. No Surrender: Pope's title aspirations were ended at the PPV. They cut to Pope talking backstage about Anderson getting the best of him. "Right now, man, I'm thinking of Mr. Anderson as someone who has pulled the wool over everyone's eyes," he said. He said only him, Nash, and Sting get it. Pope said it starts at Hogan and Bischoff. He said his main objective is the TNA World Title, but to get there, he has to move certain stumbling blocks out of the way. Backstage: Jeff Jarrett said it's 100 percent ego with Pope. Jarrett talked about Pope needing to "perform" like Angle and "get the reaction" like Hardy.

Backstage: Jeff Hardy talked in the locker room about not being able to get any advantage over Angle in their series. They cut to Angle saying he doesn't agree with Bischoff's decision and he's never heard of time running out. Apparently he was talking about the No Surrender finish. They rolled footage re-explaining what happened in the Impact main event to set up the three-way at Bound for Glory. Coming up next: did Bischoff up-stage Carter? Is the Executive Committee on the same page?

[Commercial Break]

Backstage: Eric Bischoff was shown talking to no one in particular that he had to make a tough decision after an inconclusive ending to Hardy vs. Angle. He said he had no options. Well, they could have had a re-match of the re-match. Anyways, they recapped Bischoff "getting his way" with the three-way match. Bischoff said what Carter and he said to each other is irrelevant and he feels he made the right decision regardless of the consequences. He said this isn't a game of cards and no one is trying to trump anyone; it's about making the right decision for TNA. Bischoff said what he cares about is that when TNA crowns a new World Hvt. champion, they will have the right champion. He said Carter hired her to make decisions and that's what he did.

They suddenly cut to Carter walking backstage after Hardy vs. Angle on Impact. Asked about Bischoff's decision, Carter quickly said, "No comment," and walked off. They cut away.

Backstage: Samoa Joe said TNA apparently thinks there's no money in just seeing someone dominate week after week. Joe said there is an inevitable situation where they have to put the champion in the ring with someone like him. Jeff Jarrett talked about wanting to see Angle vs. Hardy again.

On the outside looking in is Rob Van Dam. They aired audio clips of RVD's interview on Impact. They cut back to Bischoff saying they wish RVD the best and hope to see him back in TNA. Only time will tell when RVD will return to in-ring action. Next week, RVD makes his return to the Impact Zone to confront Abyss.

[Q3]

[Commercial Break]

Impact Player of the Week: Jesse Neal part two. Neal talked about how losing his "brother at sea" in the USS Cole bombing eats at him. He said when he sees people taking life for granted, it pisses him off even more. Neal said when he was done with the Navy, he was lost. Then, one day, he was bouncing at a club and wondering what he was doing with himself. Neal said he heard about the Team 3D Academy and they showed clips of the Academy with students doing work-outs in the ring. Neal talked about his rough training early on. He said he learned to respect wrestling and hone his skills on the independent circuit. They showed clips of Neal making his first TNA appearance at Destination X 2009.

Now, Neal is pursuing his own path with Shannon Moore. Neal said he watched Moore "in the other company" and was proud to form a team as Ink, Inc. They focused on the significance of Neal's tattoos. He said he hasn't felt happy since the bombing and he finally had a true smile that his dad noticed at a family BBQ. Neal teared up and wiped his face before saying he feels he's on the right path in TNA. Neal said he hopes his Navy brother is proud. Neal summed up the interview that Shannon and he are looking to get tag title gold.

Still to come: a look at Jay Lethal taking the X Division Title from Douglas Williams. Also, is Tommy Dreamer's EV2 done?

[Commercial Break]

[Q4]

Nash & Sting vs. Joe & Jarrett focus. Backstage, Kevin Nash talked about the "greatest worker" in wrestling. He said there are wrestlers who can do "magical things out there" and there's workers, who "get paid." Nash said Hulk Hogan is the ultimate worker. He brought up Samoa Joe walking into the production truck and getting himself sent home without 30 days of pay. They cut to Joe saying you let the warriors settle things in the ring without a time limit. They're twisting the story to fit the storyline here. Nash said Joe has a wife and baby at home. So, now, Joe comes back. Nash said Hogan gave Joe that money back with a slap on the wrist teaming with Jarrett. Joe said he's never really been on "good terms" with TNA management because he's not going to fill into a slot. He said he walks into the ring to destroy with style. Trying to get over Joe as the "rebel without a cause" here.

They cut to Jarrett in the dark with no lighting saying Joe is a long way from understanding how to handle business like Nash and Sting. Jarrett said Joe doesn't quite understand professionalism and locker room etiquette. He said if you don't learn etiquette, you end up on the outside of the business looking in. Now, Joe is looking to "rid TNA of the cancer" known as Nash and Sting. They cut to Nash saying Joe has been swayed by Hogan and Jarrett. Nash said they're trying to work Sting or him to death before one of them goes down.

Nash said Carter can think she's running the show, but Hogan and Bischoff are driving the car. Nash said Hogan and Bischoff aren't in the chess box because they're on the board and Hogan is the king. Jarrett, in the dark, talked about not always making the best decision when pressure is high. He said Carter is day-in, day-out making the very best decisions for TNA. But, there's going to come a day where push comes to shove and it's going to be real interesting. "There can't be a draw in business," he said. "Someone has to win the argument." Nash talked more about "the office" and trying to go against "the power" known as Hogan. He said if you feel you're fighting the right fight, it takes a special co-conspirator, which would be Sting. Nash said Sting and he will go home if they need to and TNA can't punish them by firing them. Nash said he has aches and pains that he doesn't feel when he's out there in the ring because he's motivated by proving they're right.

X Division focus: Jay Lethal was shown talking on the phone to someone about winning the X Division Title. Lethal was in a normal voice. His dad said World Title is next. Lethal said he'll take the belt with him when he visits the family again.

Still to come: EV2 vs. Fortune focus.

[Commercial Break]

Tommy Dreamer interview: For the first time ever, he said he quit against A.J. Styles at No Surrender. Dreamer said it was something he thought he would never have to do. He took a mild dig at Paul Heyman, saying he doesn't quit anything, as he stayed longer in his former company "than the owner." They cut to Kazarian saying they didn't need Dreamer trying to kill them with kindness on Impact. A.J. Styles said that stuff doesn't matter because it's about making money. Kazarian said it's clear Dreamer can't cut it in Styles's house. Styles said this thing is over when they say it's over.

[Q5 -- over-run] No Surrender: blood and forks. Kazarian said Brian Kendrick has never been part of anything and now he wants to be part of EV2. They cut to Dreamer saying he wants to help TNA by telling them and showing them there were other guys who paved the way. Dreamer said they are "all the same person." He said there is something called age, injuries, and life that if you get so wrapped up in this, it will all pass you by before you know it. The voice-over man speculated on whether Kendrick is ready to lead EV2 into battle.

They cut to Brian Kendrick doing his fuzzy philosophy. He said he is co-creating this reality with the cameraman and the audience. Apparently he's trying to do a Leonardo DiCaprio movie. Styles called him a crazy man. Kazarian and Styles argued on Kendrick's craziness and Styles settled the issue that Kendrick is looking for the spotlight from Fortune.

Next Thursday on Impact: Samoa Joe was shown talking backstage saying he could end Nash or Sting in a split-second. Joe said he's beaten all of them. He said he is the future and what will be. Joe said he's here to remind them of what was. They cut to Pope saying he's encountered a lot of stumbling blocks, but you get up and try again. Pope said it's not about the pole, but the climb. He said he's going to get there where he has to be. Pope said he's on board with Sting and Nash for 10-10-10 at Bound for Glory. He said they're the saviors of TNA.

They cut to Eric Bischoff saying there's a lot riding on the future of TNA at Bound for Glory. End show. Roll credits.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Strong start, then the overbearing "management/office power-play" discussion took the show hostage. It weekly distracts from what should be the purpose of a wrestling promotion: getting over the wrestlers who should be competing for titles and prestige in the ring. The non-wrestlers and even the wrestlers being produced to discuss power and office politics is so far removed from anything most viewers care about. I say that because TNA has been doing the same thing for five years and there are no signs of growth despite a massively expanded talent roster compared to where they were in 2005. It's an inefficient use of TV time from a writing team that still has deep-seated issues from the end of WCW, with TNA being their therapeutic release. TNA has the talent roster and a very innovative, unique Reaction format, but they don't have the vision or creative chops to make it mean anything.

We welcome your 0-10 score and comments on this show for a "TNA TV Reax" feature in the Torch Feedback section of PWTorch.com. To contribute your thoughts on Reaction, click here.

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