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

Dolfan in NYC
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jaedmc

jaedmc

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Posted

Okay  I finished the show. I like the general stories they've decided on, but I've got so many complaints about how they present information to the audience. It's infuriating.

If I could have AEW's wrestling with WWE's capacity to educate an audience clearly as to what was going on I'd have my favorite promotion. As it is, it mostly falls on Excalibur's shoulders to tell us everything, and I still don't catch on to some of it.

LIKES

Jericho's gimmick. I think it's funny, and I think it's going to get a lot better now that he's really rolling with it.

Mina Shirakawa is fucking gold.

Trent saying that Orange was supposed to be their mascot. Their eventual match is going to be a banger. Trent is one of my favorite underappreciated workers. Really talented dude.

Serena Deeb showing up - though I feel like she would've been a great first challenger to Willow to build her reign. But whatever.

Swerve is cool - but his presentation is not.

Don Callis yelling "Melbourne" like he's calling a play.

The last segment. It left me with more questions that I'd like to see answered.

DISLIKES

Whatever the fuck everyone was doing to the camera. @Greggulator is on point about how it looks inorganic and hack-y looking. If no one looked at the camera, then the moment Jack looked at the camera during the hug would've been cooler. Willow is dealing with one of the biggest female stars in wrestling and she's turning to the camera to tell me a story. I don't get it. Talk to her. It makes me wonder if there were just no good angles to get people's faces because it exposed too much of the audience.

Swerve fighting some guy I don't know who also has a belt. I want a promo from the new champ about how it's a new era. Instead he fights some other guy with a title while Roderick Strong has 8 people trying to kill themselves for a shot at his belt. Perception.

The Don Callis Family. I don't get this act. Don is awesome. I know he's explained that he makes his guys fight each other - and it still makes no sense. I don't get why Osprey is even with him. It should be a great heel group, and instead it's so muddled and confusing.

The Gauntlet Concept feeling slapdash. No countdown. No idea of the number of people. Just go until it's done. The guys in the ring were cool.

MIDDLING

Wrestlers feeling bad for hurting other wrestlers. It's weird. Osprey feeling guilt over hurting his hero and not wanting to hurt anyone else is an interesting wrinkle to his character, and makes that move more important in the long run. But it's also kinda weird because so many moves that guys do to each other look like fucking murder. Also you're trying to hurt each other. Willow feeling guilt over hurting Mercedes in a match is also odd. I never saw that match. I don't understand the context of it or what happened. But I don't know why she didn't say - it's wrestling getting hurt is what we signed up for.

It's a weird story idea, and I feel like I could like it, but it also really illogical given the profession.

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The Natural

The Natural

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https://www.f4wonline.com/news/aew/aew-dynamite-draws-lowest-viewership-since-january-2021

Wednesday night's Dynasty fallout edition of AEW Dynamite averaged 683,000 viewers on TBS. That's down 10.4 percent from last week and marks the lowest audience total the show has done in its regular time slot since January 6, 2021, an episode that took place on the same day as the United States Capitol riot.

Dynamite drew a 0.23 rating in the 18-49 demo, down 11.5 percent from last week. It matches the lowest rating the show has done in that category on a Wednesday night since June 24, 2020.

It should be noted that the episode aired live on the West Coast (outside of prime time) and experienced audio issues. It also went head-to-head with the NBA playoffs.

---

Fuck.

Edited by The Natural
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Technico Support

Technico Support

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Posted

Various thoughts since I have them:

No audio issues on Triller!

I dug Fletcher's Liger tribute tights.  His hair, not so much.

I fully agree we needed either a statement win or a statement statement from Swerve and we got neither.

Shirakawa has charisma to burn.  Sign her right now.

Anna spent the second half of the match wrestling her top more than her opponent.

Deeb's presentation was awesome.  Good idea bringing her out to just be normal and above the bullshit in contrast to the goofiness and faux HLA happening in the ring.

That multiman clusterfuck was fun but you NEED the announcer to explain the rules first.  I was feeling for the fans in the arena who saw dudes thrown over the top rope and were probably wondering why they weren't eliminated.  Is there a limit to the number of guys in the match or do we have infinite dudes back there hoping nobody gets pinned?  Also, funny how entrances worked around the commercial breaks.  No entrance for 3 minutes, then two in a span of a minute!  Shit, if it was sudden death, sell it by having the match end during a break.  Okay, maybe not.

Ten years from now, you'll tell your grandkids where you were when Chuck was finally allowed to say "shit" on TV.  Just kidding, but thinking him saying that overshadowed the angle is bubblicious, no offense to anybody.

Mercedes continues to be marblemouthed and speaks like a Tiktoker, but she was miles better tonight than before and it's clear they're going heel with her.

I feel bad for Hobbs.

I was about to joke Saturday night that Takeshita's pants in the streetfight made him look like a MC Hammer backup dancer, and then last night dude shows up in full genie pants.  Damn.

I think (hope?) they're smarter than to go with any kind of a) onscreen character for Khan and b) heel authority figure gimmick for the Bucks. I think their EVP gimmick is a play on their real life status as guys with official titles but who lost a lot of stroke a long time ago.  Like they THINK they're in charge but it's all bullshit.  Anyway, I'm interested to see where it goes and won't say the sky is falling until it actually does. 

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TheVileOne

TheVileOne

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Posted

The audio and presentation last night were just bad. Everyone is saying the audio problems are caused by TBS, but why don't they fix them? 

I don't really hate the direction they are going with the Bucks and Jack Perry, but it seems like fans aren't really into it and don't care? The crowd last night just didn't seem interested. Maybe it was the audio and acoustics, but it sounded like a low-energy crowd. Leaning into the CM Punk garbage this way late into the game was detrimental to everyone and AEW's TV product. It didn't help them long-term at all. Ultimately promoting a guy who they fired and doesn't even work for them anymore.

Sure, they did actually capitalize by bringing back Jack Perry, but again, your TV audience doesn't appear interested at all. All they see is a dude who got choked out by Punk. 

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John E. Dynamite

John E. Dynamite

Posted
Posted (edited)
2 hours ago, jaedmc said:

As it is, it mostly falls on Excalibur's shoulders to tell us everything, and I still don't catch on to some of it.

Real talk? I will love Excalibur forever. I saw the dude at least three times live in Philly, I dig early PWG, I probably unknowling interacted with him multiple times on Fire Pro message boards, he is an important figure in pro wrestling history and should be remembered as such. But he cannot keep up with the duties of being the lead play-by-play guy in an organization this big. He can't read the copy, he can't organize his thoughts fast enough, he isn't a teacher. His tone isn't authoritative enough, and that is huge. Kills me to type this, but he should have been reassigned as the Tenay years ago.

Edited by John E. Dynamite
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John E. Dynamite

John E. Dynamite

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Posted (edited)
36 minutes ago, Matt D said:

This is why I ask both questions.

I read Segunda Caida and I don't want to dog you on anything, but there have been Elite matches that I think you would have... liked. Kenny, in particular. I get the blinders, just for the sheer amount of wrestling you consume and write about. I tried to do it last year stepping in for DEAN I couldn't come close. I guess... I wonder, who have you come around on? Who have been the anti-DVDVR Kobashi/Toyota/Angle Psychologicaly Deficient types who you've learned to love? Maybe the GYV have something in common with those you've forgiven. I'm not even a big fan of theirs but I don't want anybody missing out, y'know?

Edited by John E. Dynamite
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Nice Guy Eddie

Nice Guy Eddie

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15 minutes ago, Niners Fan in CT said:

This is the good stuff.  Tony keeping kayfabe alive at the NFL Draft and Rich Eisen putting the angle over. 

 https://twitter.com/tde_gif/status/1783691205399716178

We're lucky to have an owner/promoter that loves wrestling as much as Coach Tony K. 

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Gordi the former AEW fan

Gordi the former AEW fan

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16 hours ago, Octopus said:

I. INVOKE. @Gordi the former AEW fan and @Jiji

Oh. Neato. Have not been invoked in ages. How come you invoked me, my tentacled friend? Anything in particular you (or anyone) would like me to weigh in on? I still generally watch SESE (Some Elite Sports Entertainment) but have mostly lost my passion for it (for what it has become). The positive things I have to say (about the actual matches, in particular about the insane runs Bryan, Kingston, Timeless, etc etc are on and how it's great to see Shibata back but I hope he's careful etc etc) all seem obvious enough that I don't feel like they'd add anything to the conversation. My complaints feel kind of obvious and repetitive to me and I have zero desire to piss on the parade of everyone who is enjoyng the sports entertainmentification of my once-beloved big goofy indie professional wrestling promotion. But since I have been invoked, (anyone/everyone) feel free to ask me anything while I am here.

Edited by Gordi the former AEW fan
anyone/everyone
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Shartnado

Shartnado

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Posted
3 hours ago, Matt D said:

Are GYV good? Will I like them?

Our tastes may differ quite drastically, but I find them very solid and entertaining tag team that hasn't really gotten the opportunities that they deserve. Put them in the ring with any team with a modicum of talent and at the very least you'll have a solid tag team wrestling outing. Any company would be lucky to add them to the roster.

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Shartnado

Shartnado

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Posted (edited)

You know who is probably not taking this The Elite main event takeover too well? Adam Cole. He's still looking from the sidelines as somebody's disputing his kingdom! Oh well, you know the old saying "Mone just talks and Adam Cole barely even walks", so what's he gonna do about it? Him turning on The Young Bucks a couple of years back sure bit him in the ass now, huh?

Edited by Shartnado
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Shartnado

Shartnado

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Posted
34 minutes ago, odessasteps said:

He’s busy with the new company gaming podcast.

That's a smart play on Bucks' part. Hook Cole up with a sweet podcast gig, so he will be preoccupied for the time being, while The Elite take the spot recently deceased Tony K was probably saving for Undisputed Kingdom in hopes that they would actually get over as heels for what they did to MJF. Storyline-wise, Cole and The Elite should at least acknowlegde the situation and promise to stay out of each others' business, for now, until the AEW World Title comes into play in one way or another.

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Gorman

Gorman

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10 hours ago, Technico Support said:

 Is there a limit to the number of guys in the match or do we have infinite dudes back there hoping nobody gets pinned? 

Schiavone said at the end that the correct answer is 21 (Casino Gauntlet).

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Matt D

Matt D

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8 hours ago, John E. Dynamite said:

I read Segunda Caida and I don't want to dog you on anything, but there have been Elite matches that I think you would have... liked. Kenny, in particular. I get the blinders, just for the sheer amount of wrestling you consume and write about. I tried to do it last year stepping in for DEAN I couldn't come close. I guess... I wonder, who have you come around on? Who have been the anti-DVDVR Kobashi/Toyota/Angle Psychologicaly Deficient types who you've learned to love? Maybe the GYV have something in common with those you've forgiven. I'm not even a big fan of theirs but I don't want anybody missing out, y'know?

I appreciate you reading. I appreciate the question. I have a lot of plates in the air this morning but let me run through some of this stuff quickly to the best of my ability. On a second read, I realize that this has as much to do with them as it does with me. I really wasn't familiar with them so I wasn't sure what we'd be getting here but this does spell it out pretty well. The way I initially read the question (and there's still some of it in there) was a bit of bothsidesism. Let me try to cover some of this ground though. It should probably be more of a gazing thing but I'm not cross-linking right now.

  • Me: If you asked me ten years ago what was most important, I'd say narrative/storytelling and I'd lean hard on selling and things having meaning through the match. Excitement/execution were secondary to this. Second-level even. You couldn't even consider them if the first level wasn't met. I think I have developed in that time to have a bit more of a balance but that balance leans hard towards..
  • Commitment/immersion: this is what I balance the coherency/consistency of the narrative with primarily. How deeply is  a wrestler submerging themselves into what they're doing. How well can they use that to pull the fans in. It means that I give more credit to someone like Sabu that I might have previously because they're so thoroughly and consistently in the moment. A lot of times this is where I struggle with Omega because he feels like a director carefully staging every shot wanting perfection as opposed to an actor in the moment who has given in to the moment. I struggle a little with Dax now too primarily because I listened to too much of his podcast and get more how his mind works and how he puts together matches. It means that I can appreciate it on a different level but it's not exactly the level I enjoy wrestling on normally and it chafes. This does make me kind of want to revisit TNA Angle at some point, after he'd completely gone off the rails and see if there's something Sabu-ish to like there. But not enough to actually do it.
  • Implicit storytelling: Through watching all of that Hansen and AJPW, I am higher than I used to be on people who are so thoroughly their character and that eat up so much air in the room that they sort of force a logical, path of least resistance sort of storytelling onto a match. I do see huge differences between Tenryu and Hansen when it comes to the former finding ways to outwardly highlight the strengths of his opponent (even without it seeming like he's doing so) vs the latter who forces his opponents to find ways to be strong on their own in order to stay with him. When the second happens, you get amazing matches, maybe even more so than what Tenryu was generally doing, but Tenryu's method and skill and consideration creates a far stronger baseline.
  • Individual attributes for wrestlers I may not overall rank: This is something we're bad at as a community. We don't give credit for small things because we're always focused on the big picture. I give the example of John Studd. Terrible offense. Miserable control. Often just lays in holds. But he was a wonderful early match stooge who used his size as a point of dissonance by stalling and complaining and refusing to engage. I really enjoy those 2-3 minutes of his matches. Recently, I think Kyle Fletcher has some great instincts when it comes to working with the crowd and doing some of the in between stuff, especially during AEW mandated commercial break heeling pauses. If you just have him react and be a jerk, he's going to do ok with it. It doesn't mean I even liked his ospreay match and i was just ok with the Lee Johnson one but he seems like a guy who would pop a beach ball very well and he should watch old Gino Hernandez matches if he's going to stay a heel. Likewise, I do respect Omega's ability to devise complex stories in his matches. I just can't help but see the strings, which ironically at this point of my watching life, more or less invalidates the positives in the same way immersion without story might have ten years ago for me.  I absolutely respect his ambition. I just find myself not enjoying the actual results.
  • Tag wrestling: This is pertinent. The thing I dislike the most about modern tag wrestling is that the matches break down too soon. They jettison so many of the narrative opportunities to get heat and build anticipation for a hot tag and a comeback that makes tag team wrestling so special in order to get to the complex spots and quick in and out action too soon. They miss the forest for the trees and boy do they ever love trees. The one team, strangely enough, that somehow figures out a way to structure it to make it work for me is Silver/Reynolds. They're like idiot savants in structuring "everything breaking down too early" in a compelling way that still feels like it has meaningful momentum shifts and build and payoff.
  • Overall: I do still lean towards minimalism. I love the manipulation/working aspect of pro wrestling, the idea that by putting the smallest finger on the pulse, you can completely move a crowd this way or that. I do feel like people do more and more with less and less result, or that it's become much more of an explicit collaboration with the crowd now where there's mutual feeding and pandering and basically surrendering to the will of the crowd instead of the sort of one-directional manipulation and the a skilled response to the crowd's reaction to that manipulation. I heard Mansury on the AEW podcast gloat about how yes they do rehearse everything, and that's well and good, but it's much more compelling when there's a bit of flex in the moment. I thought the Bunkhouse match was pretty fun along those lines, especially Claudio.
Edited by Matt D
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