AEW TV - 4/24 - 4/30/2024 - Who's House? Gunn's House!

[EVA]

13 minutes ago, Technico Support said:

 

Anyway, I think TK has the self awareness to know he can’t act and is an awkward guy in general and can’t be a regular character on screen.  I mean there’s a reason he had no lines last night.

I also thought it was wise to go with punch to the gut instead of punch in the face and TK Driver instead of EVP Trigger, which minimized how much selling he had to do besides playing dead.

[hammerva]

The other thing that worries me a bit besides the history of awful authority figure angles is that I remember heel Tony Khan in IMPACT a couple years ago when Omega was the champ.   That got old very quick

[The Natural]

16 minutes ago, Technico Support said:

Also needs to drop that affect-UH that you hear a lot-UH nowadays where any word that ends in s hard-UH consonant-UH has a UH at the end-UH.

Anyway, I think TK has the self awareness to know he can’t act and is an awkward guy in general and can’t be a regular character on screen.  I mean there’s a reason he had no lines last night.

 

15 minutes ago, The Natural said:

Triple H syndrome.

 

2 minutes ago, Zakk_Sabbath said:

Dude, THANK YOU. I thought I was being overly critical (man). I love Mercedes, not a hater whatsoever, but it's nails on a chalkboard - It was like a 1999 HHH "I am the Game-uh" promo fed through an AI taught to use her voice by listening to a supercut of only her most awkward cutscenes from the 2K games.

Edit: Ha @The Naturalyou caught me typing - great minds and all that

Big smile at the timing my friend.

[Curt McGirt]

54 minutes ago, Casey said:

Punk did a little light choking

Safe word is 'muffin'

[John E. Dynamite]

Do we respond to things like the final segment of Dynamite based on our immediate interpretation and enjoyment of the events on-screen? Or do those feelings instantly get filtered through our doubts/hopes about how the larger pro wrestling fanbase will react to it? I've been slowly conditioned to think that things I find mildly cringe will be interpreted as harbingers of the end times, that good-not-great overwrought workrate epics will be called MotY and transcendent bloody brawls will be called "pretty good", and that once a month a "neat little match" I feel like chatting about is regarded as a travesty because somebody realistically covered for a botch. (Seriously, I saw a kid arguing that Dustin Rhodes vs. Butcher was a candidate for Worst Match of the Year and people were agreeing with him. You feel like you're eating three square meals of crazy pills every day.)

The anti-AEW troll contingent was frothing at the mouth over the All In footage because it seemed like the kind of thing they could shitpost about for ages. A bullet in the chamber for the neverending propaganda war that they find far more interesting and engaging than any actual television show. The beleaguered AEW diehards were cringing at the thought because it seemed like not just some desperate worked-shoot trainwreck, but something that was going to be discussed online ad nauseam and create the same doomclick feedback loop that's been dragging everything down for however long. But we're a few weeks removed from it and thus far they've actually managed to thread the needle. They figured if things were still getting clicks then people must care, so they assumed people cared about Jack Perry and they were right. You have to wonder if they were going to air the footage regardless of the Punk interview because they were timing it around Mania hype. Regardless, here we are, Jack Perry is over.

So I watch the final segment of Dynamite and I'm thinking "hey this is pretty good soap opera stuff" until about ten seconds later, when the bad feeling in my guts says "you are going to go on the internet and all people are going to talk about is how much they hate this". Which in the moment muted my enjoyment, embarrassing as it is to admit it. But then the next morning I see that a healthy majority of people really liked the angle, and that it's getting a ton of engagement and people are already theorizing how it might bleed into the NFL Draft and a Kenny return and all that stuff. So I feel silly, but better. But then again this board hates it so IDK anymore. I guess I'm arguing that some of you reacted negatively because you feared the fans would reject it. I want the text to be the text but that's impossible in all artforms as long as they're being created and experienced by human minds. I'm glad I'm watching the NBA Playoffs live and putting Dynamite on later because engaging in the moment is so dreadful now. Obviously this and that are driven by a broader "Negativity Gets Clicks" culture that is literally making the entire world depressed but I don't have the words for that right now.

Edited April 25 by John E. Dynamite

[The Natural]

Don't want you missing this important Admins PSA:

https://deathvalleydriver.com/forum/index.php?/topic/10915-a-note-from-your-admins/#comment-1368040

[Log]

8 minutes ago, John E. Dynamite said:

Do we respond to things like the final segment of Dynamite based on our immediate interpretation and enjoyment of the events on-screen? Or do those feelings instantly get filtered through our doubts/hopes about how the larger pro wrestling fanbase will react to it? I've been slowly conditioned to think that things I find mildly cringe will be interpreted as harbingers of the end times, that good-not-great overwrought workrate epics will be called MotY and transcendent bloody brawls will be called "pretty good", and that once a month a "neat little match" I feel like chatting about is regarded as a travesty because somebody realistically covered for a botch. (Seriously, I saw a kid arguing that Dustin Rhodes vs. Butcher was a candidate for Worst Match of the Year and people were agreeing with him. You feel like you're eating three square meals of crazy pills every day.)

The anti-AEW troll contingent was frothing at the mouth over the All In footage because it seemed like the kind of thing they could shitpost about for ages. A bullet in the chamber for the neverending propaganda war that they find far more interesting and engaging than any actual television show. The beleaguered AEW diehards were cringing at the thought because it seemed like some desperate worked-shoot trainwreck. But we're a few weeks removed from it and thus far they've actually managed to thread the needle. They figured if things were still getting clicks then people must care, so they assumed people cared about Jack Perry and they were right. You have to wonder if they were going to air the footage regardless of the Punk interview because they were timing it around Mania hype. Regardless, here we are, Jack Perry is over.

So I watch the final segment of Dynamite and I'm thinking "hey this is pretty good soap opera stuff" until about ten seconds later, when the bad feeling in my guts says "you are going to go on the internet and all people are going to talk about is how much they hate this". Which in the moment muted my enjoyment, embarrassing as it is to admit it. But then the next morning I see that a healthy majority of people really liked the angle, and that it's getting a ton of engagement and people are already theorizing how it might bleed into the NFL Draft and a Kenny return and all that stuff. So I feel silly, but better. But then again this board hates it so IDK anymore. I guess I'm arguing that some of you reacted negatively because you feared the fans would reject it. I want the text to be the text but that's impossible in all artforms as long as they're being created and experienced by human minds. I'm glad I'm watching the NBA Playoffs live and putting Dynamite on later because engaging in the moment is so dreadful now. Obviously this and that are driven by a broader "Negativity Gets Clicks" culture that is literally making the entire world depressed but I don't have the words for that right now.

I think you're on to something there. I have times where I watch a show and have this sort of dread coming here knowing there'll be a contingent of people talking shit about it. Now, let me be clear. I'm not saying those people shouldn't talk shit about it if that's how they feel. I think we largely don't have a lot of bad faith actors here. There are a couple, but no one takes them seriously. It's just more of a thing where I don't want to "ruin" my high. Like you said, it's silly. Why should I let other people influence how I feel about something I enjoyed? But it happens. Sometimes I just don't want "discourse". I just want to talk about something I thought was cool. Again, definitely not saying anyone should change how they feel about something or how they want to discuss it. It's just a little feeling I get sometimes, and it doesn't just apply to this place.

I didn't love the closing segment. I've been a fan of AEW largely avoiding the played-out authority figure trope. But I really feel this will be more of an angle to show the Elite going too far than one to make TK a regular on-screen character. I hope I'm not wrong. Generally, I'm pretty optimistic that they won't go that route.

It was fun, though, after the segment aired, trying to kayfabe my son. He was APPALLED at what the Bucks did. His first thought was, "Well, Tony's going to fire them!" But then he came to the realization that the Bucks were EVPs (he has no clue what that stands for, but just knows if make them "bosses") and he may not be able to fire them so easy. Like, I couldn't get him to go to sleep because he kept throwing out scenarios that could come from the attack. "Maybe Tony fires them, but they say no and show up anyway?" "Can they fire Tony?!?!" "I mean, you can't just beat up your boss!!!" I've seen him excited about wrestling (You should've seen his reaction to Osprey beating Danielson. He was so excited!), but this is the first time I've seen him outraged.

[The Natural]

2 minutes ago, Log said:

I didn't love the closing segment. I've been a fan of AEW largely avoiding the played-out authority figure trope. But I really feel this will be more of an angle to show the Elite going too far than one to make TK a regular on-screen character. I hope I'm not wrong. Generally, I'm pretty optimistic that they won't go that route.

It was fun, though, after the segment aired, trying to kayfabe my son. He was APPALLED at what the Bucks did. His first thought was, "Well, Tony's going to fire them!" But then he came to the realization that the Bucks were EVPs (he has no clue what that stands for, but just knows if make them "bosses") and he may not be able to fire them so easy. Like, I couldn't get him to go to sleep because he kept throwing out scenarios that could come from the attack. "Maybe Tony fires them, but they say no and show up anyway?" "Can they fire Tony?!?!" "I mean, you can't just beat up your boss!!!" I've seen him excited about wrestling (You should've seen his reaction to Osprey beating Danielson. He was so excited!), but this is the first time I've seen him outraged.

I love the little Log stories.

Edited April 25 by The Natural

[Cobra Commander]

On one hand, the bump Tony took from the punch was probably not good

On the other hand, wrestlers should be portrayed as being able to knock out non-wrestlers with body blows

[Casey]

I love you guys but I’m still gonna talk about how much Jack Perry sucks even if it ruins your high or whatever  in return, I’ll continue to read the anti-Punk posts whenever they pop up and not care, because that’s how this should be. Enjoy what you enjoy, who cares.

[EVA]

I mean, I’ve seen actual professional fighters get KO’d off body blows. I totally buy TK getting leveled by a sucker punch like that.

[caley]

I do know kind of wonder if the end game of this is Tony, playing into the Punk "he's a nice guy, he's not a boss" thing, brings in a sheriff-type authority figure to make announcements and stand against the Elite and have it be Sting. I remember one of Stings last appearances him talking about not being around anymore and adding "in the ring" and I thought it was interesting. Face authority figures are almost always cringe and do nothing but cut off heel characters at the knees, but I would give Sting a chance in the role/think he could pull it off.

[Log]

10 minutes ago, Casey said:

I love you guys but I’m still gonna talk about how much Jack Perry sucks even if it ruins your high or whatever  in return, I’ll continue to read the anti-Punk posts whenever they pop up and not care, because that’s how this should be. Enjoy what you enjoy, who cares.

Eh, I'm kind of with you on Perry.

[Greggulator]

I love Willow but I thought her segment with Mercedes looked weak because of her. Willow was angled to try and look at the camera a lot, as opposed to looking at Sasha who was directly angled at her. 

In live theater, actors always “cheat” and tilt themselves like that so the live audience can hear better. It felt like they were trying to do that at times last night. You don’t need to do that when something is mic’d up. It just looked off. Like, the sneakiest and most conniving women’s wrestler ever who is coming for your title who you injured in a match is right there, you should be staring her down to try and not worried about anything else. 

 Maybe the venue’s camera set up was weird or they were trying to do something a bit different since the WWE has been getting raves for their new direction. It just looked off at times — like with Jack deciding to turn and look directly in the camera for no real reason at times. 

[Log]

5 minutes ago, Greggulator said:

I love Willow but I thought her segment with Mercedes looked weak because of her. Willow was angled to try and look at the camera a lot, as opposed to looking at Sasha who was directly angled at her. 

In live theater, actors always “cheat” and tilt themselves like that so the live audience can hear better. It felt like they were trying to do that at times last night. You don’t need to do that when something is mic’d up. It just looked off. Like, the sneakiest and most conniving women’s wrestler ever who is coming for your title who you injured in a match is right there, you should be staring her down to try and not worried about anything else. 

 Maybe the venue’s camera set up was weird or they were trying to do something a bit different since the WWE has been getting raves for their new direction. It just looked off at times — like with Jack deciding to turn and look directly in the camera for no real reason at times. 

Last week, Mox cut a promo almost entirely with his back to the hard cam. Wonder if this week was a bit of an over-correction?

[Iron Moose]

9 minutes ago, Greggulator said:

I love Willow but I thought her segment with Mercedes looked weak because of her. Willow was angled to try and look at the camera a lot, as opposed to looking at Sasha who was directly angled at her. 

In live theater, actors always “cheat” and tilt themselves like that so the live audience can hear better. It felt like they were trying to do that at times last night. You don’t need to do that when something is mic’d up. It just looked off. Like, the sneakiest and most conniving women’s wrestler ever who is coming for your title who you injured in a match is right there, you should be staring her down to try and not worried about anything else. 

 Maybe the venue’s camera set up was weird or they were trying to do something a bit different since the WWE has been getting raves for their new direction. It just looked off at times — like with Jack deciding to turn and look directly in the camera for no real reason at times. 

this is the kind of analysis I really dig. I do think the venue setup is uniquely unusual, but yeah, a lot of things felt a bit off. 

[Kevin Wilson]

57 minutes ago, John E. Dynamite said:

But then again this board hates it so IDK anymore. I guess I'm arguing that some of you reacted negatively because you feared the fans would reject it. I want the text to be the text but that's impossible in all artforms as long as they're being created and experienced by human minds. I'm glad I'm watching the NBA Playoffs live and putting Dynamite on later because engaging in the moment is so dreadful now. Obviously this and that are driven by a broader "Negativity Gets Clicks" culture that is literally making the entire world depressed but I don't have the words for that right now.

If it makes you feel any better, none of my hesitation about the angle has anything to do with what I thought fans online would think, its my own deep hatred for heel authority figures based on years of trauma. If that isn't the direction they are going I'd be of course thrilled but based on how they did it I don't think the fear is totally unwarranted.

[madl]

38 minutes ago, Cobra Commander said:

On one hand, the bump Tony took from the punch was probably not good

On the other hand, wrestlers should be portrayed as being able to knock out non-wrestlers with body blows

It’s going to be really impressive when Tony goes from being floored by a punch to the gut to beating the stuffing out of Perry en route to pinning him at the next ppv - all in the space of a month or two.  Found out about the closing angle via mainstream media this am - lol, that was a surprise - and now I have so many questions.  I mean, they’re mostly silly questions, but still….

Does this lead to some sort of gimmick match at a ppv?  And does Tony win?  (Answer: he’s a carny.  Of course he wins).

Does TK book himself over Okada by dq en route to the blowoff with Perry?  Okada being the gate keeper Khan goes thru to get to Perry might break some brains.

Who appears with Tony in the training montage meant to convince us that Tony can go from hero to zero in one ppv cycle?  Hangman?  Moxley?

More importantly, Does Tony license “Eye of the Tiger” for his training skits?  He’s a damn fool if he doesn’t.

Does he follow Rule 105 of wrestling booking and book a heel turn for himself before the angle is over even though that would probably make no sense?

It took TK almost five years to join Vince in the exclusive club of Wrestling Promoters Who Put Themselves Over While Kinda, Sorta Owning Pro Football Teams.  I guess that qualifies as admirable restrain these days.

No plans to watch the angle, but it will be interesting to see how far into this TK goes.  Shad Khan appearing in a wrestling angle was not something I thought I’d see.

Edited April 25 by madl

[Casey]

1 minute ago, Kevin Wilson said:

If it makes you feel any better, none of my hesitation about the angle has anything to do with what I thought fans online would think, its my own deep hatred for heel authority figures based on years of trauma. If that isn't the direction they are going I'd be of course thrilled but based on how they did it I don't think the fear is totally unwarranted.

I don’t know that anyone here would actually hate or love anything based off potential fan reactions. That seems incredibly weird to me, and not something any of us would do.

[The Natural]

https://cdn4.whatculture.com/images//2024/04/38a740d82f56545a108b3beb6ae897c0.jpg

Hail Hydra.

[Cobra Commander]

Not sure if Tony should get over on Jack Perry in any way more physical than having Tony rise from his wheelchair, distracting Jack Perry and causing him to lose the match

[Octopus]

1 hour ago, John E. Dynamite said:

Do we respond to things like the final segment of Dynamite based on our immediate interpretation and enjoyment of the events on-screen? Or do those feelings instantly get filtered through our doubts/hopes about how the larger pro wrestling fanbase will react to it? I've been slowly conditioned to think that things I find mildly cringe will be interpreted as harbingers of the end times, that good-not-great overwrought workrate epics will be called MotY and transcendent bloody brawls will be called "pretty good", and that once a month a "neat little match" I feel like chatting about is regarded as a travesty because somebody realistically covered for a botch. (Seriously, I saw a kid arguing that Dustin Rhodes vs. Butcher was a candidate for Worst Match of the Year and people were agreeing with him. You feel like you're eating three square meals of crazy pills every day.)

The anti-AEW troll contingent was frothing at the mouth over the All In footage because it seemed like the kind of thing they could shitpost about for ages. A bullet in the chamber for the neverending propaganda war that they find far more interesting and engaging than any actual television show. The beleaguered AEW diehards were cringing at the thought because it seemed like not just some desperate worked-shoot trainwreck, but something that was going to be discussed online ad nauseam and create the same doomclick feedback loop that's been dragging everything down for however long. But we're a few weeks removed from it and thus far they've actually managed to thread the needle. They figured if things were still getting clicks then people must care, so they assumed people cared about Jack Perry and they were right. You have to wonder if they were going to air the footage regardless of the Punk interview because they were timing it around Mania hype. Regardless, here we are, Jack Perry is over.

So I watch the final segment of Dynamite and I'm thinking "hey this is pretty good soap opera stuff" until about ten seconds later, when the bad feeling in my guts says "you are going to go on the internet and all people are going to talk about is how much they hate this". Which in the moment muted my enjoyment, embarrassing as it is to admit it. But then the next morning I see that a healthy majority of people really liked the angle, and that it's getting a ton of engagement and people are already theorizing how it might bleed into the NFL Draft and a Kenny return and all that stuff. So I feel silly, but better. But then again this board hates it so IDK anymore. I guess I'm arguing that some of you reacted negatively because you feared the fans would reject it. I want the text to be the text but that's impossible in all artforms as long as they're being created and experienced by human minds. I'm glad I'm watching the NBA Playoffs live and putting Dynamite on later because engaging in the moment is so dreadful now. Obviously this and that are driven by a broader "Negativity Gets Clicks" culture that is literally making the entire world depressed but I don't have the words for that right now.

A lot of thoughts on this and I am at work pretending to work while I type this. I also had too much McDonald’s breakfast and the veins in my arms are feeling oddly tingly.

- Beautifully said, I have felt a number of things you mentioned here. Maybe not the specifics but I honestly hate the Facebook and tik tok algorithms I’m in because it’s making me dread seeing discussions on things I love. I am very much someone that listens to podcasts and can enjoy people having differences of opinions. But mostly elsewhere it is regurgitated hot takes and cliches and if you take the time to actually try and have a discussion it is goalpost moving and name calling. Even clips of stuff I like is filled with trolls. It’s on me for clicking the comments, but I’m just so used to it that it’s still instinct.

- I am in the camp that I was actually depressed and embarrassed from the All In footage. I like AEW and I like Punk. But seeing it really mad me sad and uncomfortable. The reasoning was said to be for Perry and I couldn’t get that. I think it’s way over stated what actually happened, but people that already have strong opinions are just going to lock their feet into position. A few weeks removed and they actually got me to care about Jack Perry as a character. I joke about him a lot in everything, but outside of how gorgeous his hair is, I’ve always found him to be unbelievably boring. Once you’ve seen his usual spots, you’ve seen most of his matches. Plus, I became biased over hearing people like Dax and others talk about him being a dick. True or not, idk, but it did effect me. After this and the gimmick workshopping he did in NJPW-USA he actually has a character that I find interesting that fits his persona. He’s Dom without the comedy. Smirking piece of shit that’s wearing a leather jacket. Have him do the G2S. As long as this goes somewhere, I’m willing to admit I was wrong and airing the footage was the needed awkward moment to get us to glory.

- I will say, I didn’t like all the shenanigans. I feel that I’m sharing and having my opinion in good faith. I will admit to something being the right idea when it becomes apparent. That’s why I’m not quitting AEW forever.

- I see some online comparing this to Vince-Austin. I don’t see that other than one is a boss. Perry is not, nor is he trying to be Stone Cold. He is a villain. TK is awkwardly yet surprisingly nuanced in being a fucking goober boss that appears to want to be one of the boys by doing his patented hug (like HHH’s point). He’s not an evil boss like Vince was, but also isn’t a hero. Whether it works or not, it is an interesting gray smoothie. I say I don’t like it but my mind is running with possibilities that are both good and bad. 

- I do like the Glass chant. AEW used to feel like a party. I feel that’s why the sales of tickets dropped. Seeing all that fun and wanting to be a part of that was a big part of why I got tickets to Quake by the lake. Loss of good will or something, the fun shifted. I like watching AEW matches at home, but going to a WWE show and doing the Seth song before he talks sounds like a more fun outing. 

1 hour ago, Matt D said:

My personal issue is that the only potential matches I am looking forward to at all out of the angle are Jack Perry ones, so….. 

100%! Very weird feeling. 
I’m interested to see what the company looks like when there is less Danielson and Samoa Joe. Will the main event house style be more Swerve, Ospreay Takeshita? For personal reasons, I’m going to savor every drop of Danielson I can get. Lol

1 hour ago, Zakk_Sabbath said:

 

I liked this show a whole bunch, and honestly, I have nothing to add that hasn't already been said by @Octopus- he's 100% right here; the only reason I had any apprehension about how this show closed was because of things done by completely different people, in completely different promotions, in completely different landscapes.

I looked at it again without the WWE PTSDemon on my shoulder, and honestly? It was everything I've been calling for in these threads lately. Big, chaotic, cliffhanger ending, announcers dropping the mics and letting the ambience be, locker room emptying out, Papa Shad selling that shit as only he can. It was probably the best non-match Dynamite ending since the Daily's residency earlier in the pandemic IMO.

 

It is tooooough working past the fear of pervious shitty booking. I’ll make jokes for fun but will tip my hat when it ends up being something more I enjoy. 

Like the unnecessary amount of belts. If we have Okada as a heel powerhouse doing midcard epics, Ospreay having wild sprints, Toni Storm doing skits mixed with good matches, Copeland and I assume Mercedes being happy to be here veterans, and Swerve having a massive aura on the top of the card. Through in workhorse teams fighting for the Tag or trios, then you have a murder’s row of champions. 
Yes, I know you can book stories without belts, but sadly I don’t know if the powers at be consistently can. Hence all the gold. Lol. If this is what we get, I’ll admit when I’m wrong.

2 hours ago, Just Dave said:

That's a really great way of saying that. I thought last night was a really great ratio of stellar in-ring action to story. If they stick with that mix, I think they'll be okay. Fwiw, TK is getting his money's worth on that Ospreay deal. That dude has risen to the occasion. 

I like AEW because I see cool shit that I don't see anywhere else. I've gone on youtube deep dives looking at Bandido, RUSH, Mina Shirakawa, Thunder Rosa, and others because they appeared on AEW TV. I don't think TK is gonna suddenly stop having great wrestling matches on his wrestling show because he shot an angle with the top heel act in his company. It probably also helps that the workhorse of that heel act is Kazuchika Okada, who's one of the best in ring performers in the world. I totally understand what you're saying, though.

I think my overall feelings of AEW are very high. I’m very nervous about things but ultimately, unless they stray from the formula of GREAT matches and have exciting big shows, I’ll likely always come to AEW for my grappling based entertainment.
 

If only they could do what I want all the time. Which is build a time machine for a tournament:

93 William Regal

98 Genichiro Tenryu

05 Samoa Joe

84 El Satanico

05 Necro Butcher

Blonde  hair kicky year Katsuhiko Nakajima 

19 Daisuke Sekimoto

93 Vader
 

Edited April 25 by Octopus

[Octopus]

44 minutes ago, Casey said:

I love you guys but I’m still gonna talk about how much Jack Perry sucks even if it ruins your high or whatever  in return, I’ll continue to read the anti-Punk posts whenever they pop up and not care, because that’s how this should be. Enjoy what you enjoy, who cares.

You always be you! I enjoy your posts.

[Cobra Commander]

Could they just cast Brian Cage as Tony’s personal bodyguard during his recovery without needing to explain why Cage is suddenly out of the Mogul Embassy?

or make Miro the guy whose job involves protecting Tony so that you have an official reason why Miro doesn’t wrestle and an in-joke about all the rumors that Miro doesn’t like any of AEW’s ideas for him.

[JLowe]

13 hours ago, EVA said:

Yeah, clearly blew his knee out when he went for the missed corner splash. Looked like it took all he had in him to get back in the ring so they could get to a finish.

That was such a weird, random botch too. Like that’s a move/bump,that’s been done a million times but somehow he slips on a banana peel, crashes facefirst into the buckle and gets his knee fucked up in the ropes. Or did it give while he was running towards the buckle?