On a weekly basis, PWTorch staffers James Caldwell and Greg Parks have a casual, yet insightful, Lounge-style chat reviewing the week in TV wrestling and looking ahead to what's next for key storylines, matches, and future events. An occasional "Seinfeld" or "The Office" reference is also mixed in for good measure.

James Caldwell: This is PWTorch assistant editor James Caldwell joined by PWTorch columnist Greg Parks for our weekly TV wrestling chat. Greg, let's start with the Smackdown show you just covered and the show I attended in-person on Tuesday. It was interesting because it felt like an extension of Raw with a few Smackdown items mixed in, rather than mainly Smackdown and some items extended from Raw. What did you think?

Greg Parks: Aside from Punk, I didn't think it felt too Raw-heavy. It had Dolph Ziggler, but he was facing Randy Orton (and Ziggler, to me, isn't strongly associated with Raw at this point). Alberto Del Rio was there, but only in one segment. And the opening tag match with Miz and Truth. Now that I talk it out, it does seem like there was a heavy Raw presence! But I guess, for whatever reason, it didn't FEEL like it. And I think that's a plus, that it still felt like Smackdown and Smackdown guys did get time even though Raw wrestlers were on the show too.

Caldwell: Plus, there was Michael Cole doing his Raw bit setting up the Challenge for Monday. I think you're right, though, about how it felt. Being at the taping, I didn't feel like I was watching a Raw-heavy show, but when I looked at it on paper, it seemed to add up to something like the third hour of Raw this week to go with an hour of Smackdown programming. Another factor was I came away from the Henry-Show fall-out with a "that's it?" reaction. Granted, WWE could let the "ring collapse" speak for itself this week, but I thought the totality of the fall-out left something to be desired.

Parks: Yeah, they certainly didn't advance anything with that feud this week. Probably for the best to limit the physicality of the guys to sell the effects of Sunday's match. But nothing was really accomplished with that in-ring confrontation.

Caldwell: Also, Teddy Long coming out at the start of the program and promising some sort of major resolution between Henry and Show during the show set expectations too high for that segment. Are you okay with the direction WWE seems to be going right now with Henry, where he's acting a bit more like a cowardly heel? Or, does it depend on circumstances - he's currently feuding with the physically imposing Big Show?

Parks: I don't really like seeing him as the cowardly heel after being portrayed as a dominating figure for so long, but yes, I am more accepting of it when he's feuding with Big Show, one of the few people bigger than him. I just hope WWE doesn't get too comfortable booking him this way and lead to continuing to book him in this fashion once they move on to feuding him with someone else.

Caldwell: WWE's track record seems to indicate they'll get comfortable with Henry in this position - they've established him as a monster, and now they feel like they can show some weaknesses and play around with that. Right now, we're looking at another Henry-Show match-up, perhaps a third one in December. But, at some point, Orton and/or Sheamus need something to sink their teeth into if they're not in the title picture - Sheamus more than Orton since Orton-Rhodes is continuing. Sheamus can't beat Christian every month, but his role on the show was distracting Christian in the main event, so it seems like that feud is continuing. Is that enough to keep keep them relevant even if they're not in the title picture or what else could WWE draw up?

Parks: I don't know; like you said, it can't just be Sheamus beating Christian every month. WWE has to do something to give that feud some legs. There's really no juice behind it because there's no tangible issue they're feuding over. Orton vs. Rhodes was off to a fine start, but they're slowly falling into that trap too, of not really having the feud be about anything other than the two having matches and distracting each other in their other matches. I could see either Sheamus or Orton moving into the title picture once Henry moves on from Big Show.

Caldwell: I could also see WWE slip Orton or Sheamus into a title match on TV in-between PPVs to keep them in the picture and fill a TV main event with Raw isn't providing half of the show's talent... You're right that WWE has to come up with something for those two feuds just below the title picture. WWE is taking a very simplistic approach to keeping the feuds alive, but it can also wear very thin. As for Orton vs. Ziggler on Smackdown, I thought that was a really strong match both in-person and on TV. Like you said in your report, they have good chemistry. It seems like Ziggler has been having those quality matches for a while now, but he can't seem to get to whatever that next level is. What do you make of Ziggler's standing right now?

Parks: I think he's on the short list, the waiting list if you will, for the main event picture. WWE can't fit him in there right now, but if a main-eventer goes down with an unforeseen injury or act of God, then he's someone who could be vaulted up there, for at least the short-term. The unfortunate thing is WWE generally doesn't care much about feuds that aren't main events (i.e. ones that aren't drawing them money), so his feuds and his character is always going to play second fiddle until he gets "promoted."

Caldwell: Right. He's become such a dependable in-ring wrestler that WWE can slot him here and there to hang with top stars, but not quite be a top star. He's also finding his voice on the mic, so that's helping build his resume for a future main event opportunity. Greg, a few other notes from Smackdown worth touching on - no Sin Cara, but the debut of Unmasked Sin Cara. Also, Miz & Truth with a tag victory over Air Boom and planting seeds for how they plan to "dismantle" Rock and Cena at Survivor Series. What did you make of those two items?

Parks: Fake Sin Cara looks like a missing member of Mexican America now. I take it his feud with real Sin Cara is not over. I'm a bit surprised to see Miz and Truth so confident in facing Cena and Rock, but I guess they have to be or no one will think they have a chance. Maybe that's why they've been winning so much lately, too.

Caldwell: And doing the invasions and sneak attacks, etc., to make it seem like they are a legit threat. We joked about it on the Livecast yesterday that WWE could slot two broomsticks opposite Cena and Rock, as the idea is to see if Cena and Rock will come to blows or what will happen when they team together. But, WWE does need a strong Miz & Truth duo to create some resistance and, like you said, make it seem like Cena and Rock could be in jeopardy. I think Miz & Truth being caught up in this Hunter/Laurinaitis/authority figure mess has hurt them (and a lot of other people on the roster), so it will be interesting to see what WWE does with Miz & Truth over the next three weeks to build them up. It was only six months ago that Miz was in the WrestleMania main event vs. Cena with Rock in the picture, so they can tap into that... Moving to Raw, Greg, I wasn't enthralled with the Vengeance fall-out and the authority figure situation/"conspiracy" angle is painfully dragging out. Triple H still as COO, but not really the COO by the "feel" of it seems to be hurting the show, along with Laurinaitis's constant presence. What's your take on Raw right now?

Parks: It's kind of a mess. With Triple H still as COO, he should be able to overrule Johnny Ace, but that hasn't really been brought to light by anyone. It's really a strange situation. There have been comments by wrestlers and announcers that things aren't any less chaotic under Ace than Triple H, so I hope that leads to Ace being demoted sooner rather than later. Again, focusing shows around debates about who's in charge is so passe. I'm really tired of the whole thing.

Caldwell: And it appears the audience is, too, as the second hour of Raw dropped off by a significant sum after people checked out the immediate fall-out from the PPV. It feels like no resolution is in sight, but WWE seems to think this is making for interesting programming when the audience is really frustrated by the whole thing. We have three more weeks to evaluate this, but it seems like it could drag Rock's big in-ring return into the mud with it. But, I don't see a major resolution coming soon because it could overshadow Rock's in-ring return. So, they're somewhat stuck with this mess. Specifically on Triple H and Kevin Nash, they were given two full segments to play out their latest dispute. What did you make of the angle and where do you think it's heading?

Parks: I was disappointed we had to wade through that before getting much of a mention of ADR and him retaining his title at Vengeance. It was one of those over-dramatic angles that WWE likes to run, especially with Triple H. I don't really know where they're going with it right now, other than it obviously has to lead to a one-on-one match, and after watching Hunter at Vengeance, I don't know that he can carry Nash to a watchable match.

Caldwell: Right now, someone would need to carry Hunter to a watchable match because he is definitely not in position to be wrestling more than once-every-six-months at this point. Maybe Hunter and Nash would pull the ol' Hogan vs. Sting and "have a fight, not a match" to get around it. It seems like WWE figures they've invested so much time and energy and money into this angle that they have to find a way to keep it going in hopes of getting some measure of payoff along the way or at the end. It's just frustrating to sit through on a weekly basis. You mentioned Del Rio. What did you think of how WWE moved to Del Rio-Punk and your thoughts on Punk's spotlight exchange with Laurinaitis?

Parks: Punk had a fine exchange, and it fit into his rebel character that he wouldn't simply kowtow to Ace to get a title shot. It also made him look a little silly for not saying a few simple words if he REALLY wanted that shot. And it made Ace look impotent by not shutting down Punk after Punk insulted him, rather saying he'd still take it into consideration. And Del Rio rightly called out Punk for getting pinned the night before - apparently, that doesn't matter when it comes to getting title shots.

Caldwell: It's definitely odd and typical for WWE to select which items count and which don't. I think, too, the problem is Laurinaitis's character. Is he trying to seek the audience's approval as interim GM? Is he still a conniving, corporate-ladder-climbing back-stabber? Is he a potentially insecure family man who was on the phone with his wife a few weeks ago asking how he looked on camera? And, he's been calling out top heels, Miz & Truth, despite re-signing them behind Hunter's back. Is that because he doesn't want to look bad for the re-hire and have people question his decision-making or what? As much as I don't want to see more of Ace on the show, I think WWE needs to flesh out his character more or get him off the show.

Parks: I'm assuming yelling at Miz and Truth was "just for show" and that he's really the heel behind everything as far as knocking Hunter out as Raw GM. If he's not, WWE will have a lot of explaining to do, because he's been the obvious choice from the start.

Caldwell: Yeah, most of the time, it's felt like he's reprimanded Miz & Truth "for show" to distract from his real plot. Part of the problem is WWE doesn't have an announcer with credibility or in that lead role to ask questions like "Is Laurinaitis sincerely reprimanding them or putting on a show?" to help advance the story. I think it makes the most sense to go that route of Laurinaitis being the heel behind everything to wrap this up and move on. Otherwise, one mess could lead to another. Back to Del Rio-Punk for a second. I don't see a scenario where Punk takes the title at Survivor Series, so how do you think they'll keep Punk strong even in defeat? It makes me want to throw out the ol' "DQ win, Del Rio retains" finish, which would be tough when the title needs some credibility back. What do you think?

Parks: Sadly, it wouldn't surprise me if they took that route; it's not like anyone would dwell on the DQ finish for the title match with Rock and Cena getting most of the focus. Del Rio does need credibility, and a DQ title retain won't do that. But Punk isn't exactly brimming with cred at this point either. I agree, I see the title staying on Del Rio, but wouldn't be shocked to see Punk win it. The dynamic of Punk as champion and his nemesis Ace being in charge could be too good for WWE to pass up.

Caldwell: Austin and McMahon all over again! Um, no. It seemed like WWE was trying so hard for that on Monday's Raw, but Punk is a little too self-assured to be "every-man Austin" and Laurinaitis has nowhere near McMahon's charisma or defined characteristics. I think WWE will be tempted to go that route, though. Greg, did anything else jump out at you from Raw? It seemed like the middle of the show had some random matches, plus a Zack Ryder main event tease. And, now, Alicia Fox is ready for that Divas Title run...right?

Parks: I would think so. Hey, I'm a big fan of Fox - I think she's competent in the ring with the right opponent (and Phoenix is just that), plus her looks are underrated. I'm all for her challenging Beth for the title.

Caldwell: And, last but not least, Greg, your expectations for the Muppets and the Michael Cole Challenge on next week's Raw?

Parks: I have no idea about either of those two. I have more faith in WWE to make the Muppets watchable (since there are a lot of fun possibilities that have been speculated about) than whatever Cole's challenge is and no doubt WWE's latest attempt to embarrass JR.

Caldwell: It shall be a...unique...Halloween Raw to say the least. I think I'm tapped out on WWE this week. NXT is trying to push its way back into the discussion after we tabled it a few weeks ago...and I guess I'm leaning toward a quick hit: another marriage proposal, this time with Bateman and Maxine. Your thoughts?

Parks: Ugh. I tend to side with, "if it doesn't happen on Raw or Smackdown, it doesn't matter." So in the long run, this probably won't mean anything, if WWE even sees it all the way through, which I'm not convinced will happen. It wouldn't surprise me to see them "break up" before the wedding.

Caldwell: And it also means we can look forward to another 10-15 weeks of NXT. Oh, that reminds me. Your reaction to Maryse's release announced on Friday? I thought that was surprising.

Parks: A little. With her injury, though, it's not as surprising as it would've been had she returned to her spot on the roster. Then again, WWE has always treated the Divas as interchangeable cogs, even more so than the male wrestlers, who are often treated that way too.

Caldwell: Very true. All right, Greg, let's tackle TNA as of Thursday's show. Are you concerned with the pace at which TNA has advanced to a Storm vs. Roode singles match, and your overall thoughts on Thursday's show?

Parks: Absolutely I'm concerned, but really, the progression they're following is "correct" even if it's sped up. Overall, the show was a positive; they've come a long way from being straight unwatchable only a few months ago. There are still issues with the show, but it's much better paced and more focused than in the past.

Caldwell: And, by issues, you mean Garrett Bischoff in 12 segments? That aside, I agree some balance has been brought to the overall writing to make things count, but I currently disagree with blowing through a few months of storyline development before the first Storm-Roode encounter. I think it's too much, too soon, especially for the first two weeks after their biggest PPV of the year. I thought they should have let things simmer down and breathe before building back up to something that could be this big. Even taking a complete episode to build around Jeff Hardy's in-ring return would have been a good decision while the title picture/Beer Money situation simmered for a week. With some more players in the mix this week compared to last week, which was Sting/Hogan/Immortal/Fortune-heavy, what else jumped out at you from the show?

Parks: I liked limiting Sting's involvement in the show. We didn't have six backstage segments with him talking about "booking" matches like we did with Bischoff and Hogan. There was no Hogan hogging the limelight. We had a nice Gail Kim vs. Tara match, and workrate has gone down in the Knockouts division lately, so that was a plus. I don't agree with putting the Bischoff(s) segment on last - would've rather they used the main event for that. But overall, a thumbs up for me.

Caldwell: The Knockouts division is certainly back on track with Gail Kim. It seems like TNA can finally advance beyond the Zombie Era with Angelina and Winter back to focusing on good wrestling with Gail, Mickie, Madison, Tara, and Velvet as champ. We'll see if it sticks. I'm sure we'll have a lot to say after next week's Impact On The Road, so we'll have save some more thoughts for then. Greg, let's wrap up with a look at what's on tap for Gonzo & The Greg this weekend!

Parks: We've got the top five scariest wrestling gimmicks slated to be revealed tomorrow, in honor of Halloween weekend, and it'll be posted sometime early tomorrow afternoon.

Caldwell: And I'm suddenly in the mood for re-living some of those great WWECW Halloween-related memories. But, yes, looking forward to hearing those lists! Thanks for the Chat, Greg, and we'll talk again next week!

Parks: Have a happy and spoooky Halloween!

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