Steve Austin was the star of the first "Tough Enough." The show was good enough all around that I think I would have liked it without Austin, but he really took it to another level of enjoyment.

Bill Demott was good as the grumpy hard-ass who looked like he couldn't make it through the first minute of the physical endurance challenges he's yelling at the contestants to perform. Booker T was okay, but not a big part of the show. Trish Stratus seemed likable, but also not a central figure in the debut episode.

The mix of contestants was diverse. By the end of the show, I wanted to get to know them better and experience their journey. The show was edited to make the three potential cuts predictable, which is good. They told the story well enough that by the time they reduced it to three potential contestants to get cut, we knew why they were there.

Austin was tremendous start to finish. He was likable, passionate, and demanding with just the right balance of knowing he's a star, but also realizing this is a show about the contestants and their dreams.

Rather than having a panel of judges sitting at a table, Tough Enough had Austin stand in the ring with the three candidates to be cut. He grilled them about why they should be saved. I felt that Austin was deciding on the spot who to cut. It didn't feel like a charade where the coaches and producers already knew whom they wanted cut and the show-closing session with Austin was just for show.

When Ariane tripped up and said her latest new passion was pro wrestling, as a viewer Austin did exactly what you rooted for him to. He stopped in his tracks and asked just enough questions that she did herself in. When he asked what her favorite match was, she said Melina vs. Alicia Fox. Austin said, "Who?" (which won't please Melina and Fox). He then asked if she had any other favorite matches. She clearly had nothing at that point.

Austin showed his softer side when Eric Watts explained his situation at home with a special-needs older adult brother whom he takes care of, including diaper changes. Austin asked if he made that story up to try to stay on the show or if he was just trying to break his heart.

Michelle, the wife of "Survivor" contestant and former TNA on-air personality Jonny Fairplay (Jon Dalton), took heat for being green and out of shape despite having been a wrestler on the indy scene dating back 11 years before she got into modeling.

Ultimately, Ariane was the clear choice to cut. She was talking about the physical aspects being just a hurdle to get past because she was "Diva-licious." She didn't perform well in the running-the-ropes three minute challenge. She seemed to have the highest b.s. factor during the closing arguments with Austin, even causing Watts and Michelle to roll their eyes.

I'm more interested in episode two than I thought I would be. This was very different from the original "Tough Enough" series with Al Snow and Taz as the lead coaches. It's production is in step with the advancements and evolution of other reality series, including its close cousin "The Ultimate Fighter" on UFC featuring aspiring MMA fighters all living in a house and fighting to survive.

The preview showed upcoming challenges that, while splashy and gimmicky in some respects for the sake of making interesting TV, also looked to be a decent way to gauge the passion and skill of the competitors. There seem to be some legit prospects in the mix.

The first part of the season will be getting rid of the contestants who obviously are weak and just want to be stars; the second part of the season will feel different as the real candidates battle it out. Austin is authentic enough and seems to be taking his role seriously that he can keep the show honest and give viewers the sense that they really are testing these men and women to see if they have what it takes in all of the key categories.

Just seeing Austin be Austin every week again will be a blast. This format seems to suit him well. Being able to play off of the other judges and the guest stars should keep the show fresh and keep me hooked.

[Steve Austin photo credit Wade Keller (c) PWTorch]

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