The good:
Matches were spectacular. I won't get into any detail on the Grand Prix since that one was mine, other than the fact that it was quite a challenge to write, considering the rules. I'd also like to point out to anyone who thinks that if they fall behind, they might as well throw in the towel, that when I got my first set of booking decisions (so I could start the thing), Jack Harmen WAS NOT penciled in as the winner. Ford's late-game push was awesome and he really pulled it out.
Ramey and Ocho were SO damn close to winning, I hope Ramey sticks around because he could certainly contend, and I think Ocho is in a good position to continue chasing Rook Black.
Stratton/Bryant - Epic.
Epic, epic, epic.
This should push Jack Bryant into the main event. And with all of the contempt that Stratton held for the TV Title I would love to see him treat the belt with zero respect, thus prompting a worthy challenger to take the title back.
The not so good....
Hollywood on Fire.
At least 90% of the words could've probably been cut to get to the same conclusion. Finally, there's actually some semblance of a setback in Chessmaster JJ's plans - he screws Troy Windham out of his match with Mike Randalls so he can be the biggest star in the history of wrestling. Everyone says "Wait, that means the Windham Clan no longer has any power." Instead of having to see the HFC deal with this development, or even see Eddie Mayfield overtly fuck with the guy who tried to fuck with his company, what do we get? "Troy was behind it."
Even worse, Eddie says that if it was anyone but JJ, he'd be on his side. Where does this come from? I get that Mayfield is a heel and all but this isn't some "Let's all team up and take over this bitch" moment - Eddie doesn't have to take over his own company. It read to me far too much like he's trying to be too cool for the room and it comes off as desperate. Even the slightest indication that Mayfield cares more about the NFW than "hanging with the cool kids" then his comment would've carried more weight.
By the by, portraying the "brash, rogueish heels" as "the cool kids" at every opportunity is 15 years late. But that's a conversation for another day.
"Make JJ work for everything."
By putting the suggestion in Troy's contract with Mike Randalls, the heat is shifted again, to try and put a JJ vs. Troy rivalry at the forefront with Eddie Mayfield stirring the pot. That's a guy who isn't in the NFW and the owner-character, neither of whom should be in the center of any upper-mid-card to major angle (If Troy is truly gone, he shouldn't have ANY heat directed his way as it helps nobody). It should've been Eddie's idea, and Eddie's alone. The days of the owner-wrestler feud is long past and long passe, but it's better than trying to put heat on someone who isn't even here.
"Someone who isn't even here."
I'll give a pass to Castor Strife on that since Alex Austin isn't really feuding with JJ - Castor is doing so by proxy via Alex Austin. But the match that was signed doesn't even need to happen, because here's the finish: Alex Austin pins Eddie Mayfield.
Castor/JJ is something that's being telegraphed so hardcore that Ron Jeremy is asking it to ease off. That means Austin/Steel Viper are going to win. But against Eddie and JJ, it has to be Eddie taking the pin. JJ has some heavy duty plot armor and if Eddie eats the pinfall then it wouldn't "count" as JJ "fucking things up" as Eddie threatened.
So, I don't know. Lots of good stuff on this show and a lot of interesting things to come out of it, but there's also a ton that I think could've played out much better.
