StretchMediatedHypertrophy

There's no need for me to act, it really isn't. I don't recall them showing her naked corpse every second episode of the new season Sort of. But having just rewatched one quickly a comparison to the scenes in Orange seems pretty disingenuous. And at least you have to 'deal' with the Meechum-Underwood kiss, which is more challenging than the gay kiss thrown in by Orange because they hadn't had one yet. Freddy's arc is lazy, but he's hardly a selling point of the show. Infact they wrote him out. He is tangential. Lazy tropes yes, but HOC isn't sold as some breakthrough drama for the way it 'positively' portrays lesbians and blacks. You can come at House of Cards, but at some point you have to defend Orange and it's pretty clear you can't - because you take everything out that's a problem and you have 8 minute episodes.

I was never much for all that. If you're going to take the opposite view, you at least have to address the points about race stereoypes and lesbo titilation. People act like Orange is 'worthy', but it really isn't; to use another Peter Griffin line, it insists upon itself. Basically it's a USA remake of the Aussie soap Prisoner Cell Block H. House of Cards has patchy writing in places and some political nuances I don't much care for as a leftie, but at least it asks some challenging questions of its audience about what they want of politicians and leaders - it is broadly what it pretends to be.

It was a random aspect of this Medusa run that she wrestled with bare feet, as Mona/Miss Madness had previously. There was something slightly sleazy about it, and I'm not even sure it's completely on Russo.

I liked the Morello reveal, and the show is watchable enough - but it feels like entertaining crap rather than some groundbreaking show. No matter how 'brave' they are by not centering every minute of the show around Piper or whatever the fuck, the show is filled to the brim with 'good old fashioned family racism", "HLA" and a ton of other bullshit (I mean what purpose does Fig finding out that hubby is gay/bi and later blowing Arputo really serve?) . House of Cards is a way more interesting show.

I hadn't noticed him doing so to be honest, and my prediction was on point.

I will miss Aksana - people have rightly been obsessing over Lana but I was pretty hot for Aksana's relatively curvy look. Her recent match with Naomi was botchtastic though and I suspect that was the last straw.

Definitely a fun show this week. Seth Rollins has definitely delivered so far, though they're obviously not sure how to dress him in ring yet. Used JTG's finisher, not a big deal but a sign if needed that JTG is done in WWE, Rusev segments are getting a bit old; we all know Lana is hot and that it's all leading to John Cena so I just want it to get there. Unless they're planning the Kurt Angle special.

He got busted open over the weekend. He wrestled one of 3MB on the Superstars taping before RAW began I think the forehead wound may well be the reason he didn't appear, but ultimately it's not like the guy is getting a title or anything. He's a midcarder.

The difficulty would have been expecting The Rock to work Ryback. I mean he probably would have if asked nicely but only a sick person would really want to seen that match in practice. Ryback should never have been in that match, he should have beaten Cesaro for the US Title. Wade's got his catchphrase but he's also on a winning run - his clean victories over Sheamus, Big E and RVD mean something. If wins and losses don't matter, he could be doing jobs for Curtis Axel and he's still be just as over. Noone believes that. Torito is more over for pinning 3MB a lot, he wouldn't be as over if he lost all the time would he? Lordy.

The current fanbase are pretty hardened to seeing their favourites lose, and will largely accept pushes for guys who have been jobbed out - but the idea that wins and losses don't matter is some ridiculous bullshit.

Jericho says hi. The thing is, you're probably right about Booker T and RVD but we'll never know because they didn't get the chance at the time - sometimes people up their game when they main-event, sometimes they don't. But you try to create as many hot babyfaces as you can.

Potential upside. Goldberg was an one-year guy who didn't even really need the title anyway. Benoit's win helped pacify the existing fanbase, but he could never be 'The Face of WWE' and it didn't even really elevate him long-term. They weren't the right jobs.

Because they were planning to put the belt on HHH as the No. 1 babyface?

1. No it doesn't, you're being silly. 2. When all your stars are on borrowed time, you create as many as you can. It's not like you can really defend the strategy in terms for what was best for business. Booker, Jericho and yes, even RVD would have been better picks than Chris Benoit and Goldberg.

The only reason people even mention the Booker thing is due to the racism angle. Without that, I don't think it would get mentioned at all, as Booker wasn't really at that level at the time. He was essentially the No. 1 babyface on RAW and had held the same belt five times. The idea that he wasn't at the level to hold the title is beyond ludicrous. He was a comedy character for two years in between what you refer to and when the match actually happened. What? Doing comedy wasn't remotely indicative of your status on the card back then - Austin, Rock, Angle, Regal etc did comedy, sometimes with Booker T. If the fans are behind somebody, what they were doing 2 months ago is of minimal relevance.

The only reason people even mention the Booker thing is due to the racism angle. Without that, I don't think it would get mentioned at all, as Booker wasn't really at that level at the time. He was essentially the No. 1 babyface on RAW and had held the same belt five times. The idea that he wasn't at the level to hold the title is beyond ludicrous.

Goldberg and Benoit were not better people in the context of trying to create long-term main-eventers to cover two brands.

I look forward to Bryan's impending heel turn. Daniel Bryan getting away with this is a testament to how much most fans don't want Cena to get the belt, and the lack of strong babyfaces generally.

I'd need a rewatch to decide exactly how good it was, but Charlotte/Nattie was a very fun and fresh match. I was upset when I heard Tyler was losing his old music, but I like the new one and fully expect the old one to be recycled. Great coming out party for him tonight, if you pardon the expression.

More likely. Punk in ROH could be fun, he can almost be their Brock Lesnar. He can do what he wants obv, but I'd be slightly surprised to see him heading down to Planet Jarrett. Ultimately, he's probably just talking to everybody and making sure it gets out as leverage a la Jericho in any discussions with WWE.

They have this. It's just some weird mystical "stamina/toughness" thing. As you move up the card, fewer and fewer moves will pin you. I don't think that's quite what he meant though. I think he means it would be great if a relatively low guy was a bogeyman for a particular main-eventer and stuff like that. You occasionally see that as a quick feud, but usually higher up guy gets his jobs back with interest (see Orton-Kingstion feud). If Flair pairs up with Miz as is talked about, I kinda hope we see Miz go against Cena again - just because Miz can say he went toe-to-toe with Cena at Wrestlemania. Miz can claim he has his number. Likewise Wyatt will be able to do the same with Daniel Bryan once he finishes losing to Cena.