The first hour of TNA was embarrassingly bad. Like, train wreck bad. I don't know what the hell they were thinking with that Asylum match in the cage. You couldn't even see half the match with those thick red bars, one section of the cage was so loose it looked like it was gonna pop off and fall to the ground at any moment (yeah, they're REALLY trapped inside a cage, eh?), and then the ending. A no contest... on a CAGE match??? Really? And not only that, but pretending like you have to escape through the top of the cage, then Jeff Hardy shows up and Homicide magically appears outside the cage?? Okay. The only thing that made that show interesting at ALL was the Styles/Angle match, but even that was a little absurd at the end. They were trying WAY to hard to make that seem like the OMG BEST MATCH EVER!! Styles and Angle hit their finishers like six times each, which is just plain stupid and completely makes their "finishers" pointless. It's overbooking in the extreme.
I did like Hogan's bit with the NWO guys the first time out when he insisted they'd have to earn their spot - but I don't ever wanna see Scott Hall on my television again. He looked like he was borderline incontinent out there. Dude is DONE. Same with the Nasty Boys. No one gives a rat's ass about the Nasty Boys.
Pope was awesome on the mic and the Knockouts were really good.
Problem with TNA is the whole thing looks so "small". The production values are super crappy compared to the WWE. It's not even close. This could change, but it appears really second rate no matter who's on the screen. The opening video package for Bret Hart on Raw was better than any package TNA's ever done.
As for Raw - most of the show was pretty blah - but the opening Bret Hart segment was the best thing about either show last night. The face to face with Shawn was absolutely surreal for a wrestling fan. The wrestling on the show was average at best, and I really really don't need Hornswoggle doing anything but acting as comedy for the kiddies. He shouldn't be anywhere near DX, but Shawn could be getting out of that angle soon. He's been asking for fan's opinions about a heel turn on facebook, and they played up some tension last night. Kofi vs. Orton was flat, and anyone who didn't think Vince was gonna swerve Bret at the end is nuts. That was way, way too obvious. So obvious that it doesn't make sense even in character that it would surprise Bret there. Seemed like a really naive moment for the character. Hell, earlier in the night I wasn't so sure Shawn wasn't gonna turn and superkick Bret in the jaw. They teased that a hell of a lot better and more believably. The "hug" wasn't the most warm hug I've ever seen and it left the door open for an ambiguous relationship down the line.
