HarryArchieGus

I love Komander, but I can't say I'm against his current booking. He's undersized and a 'rookie' of sorts. Losing matches and showcasing didn't hurt Kyle Fletcher. We can certainly dissect his current booking, but Darby's early run showcasing and losing didn't hurt him either. There are other examples I can't quite recall - Perry doesn't seem like an effective example at the moment, but he did the job run too. It's an AEW trope that I actually really like. I suspect there are future plans for Komander. How much he can get over in this current status will determine how quickly that happens or how well he's pushed. All that said, he already seems more widely known and appreciated than he did in his early run. This is kinda more a response to Meltzer crying about him losing every week than your reasonable point. Just curious tho, what do you think the right play is with Komander right now? Who does he beat and what's the endgame?

I can't speak to Blake Christian's affairs, but his match last month at FInal Battle against Komander, or the final portion of the Elimination scramble, was fanfuckintastic. I was always impressed with his ability to go in cold at AEWROH TV tapings and through hard work/charisma get crowds to chant 'All Heart'. This heel persona is even better. I'd love to see them start doing something with him.

Thanks. I did a bit of google searching in between the question and answer. Seems to be a real lack of credibility with this source. Still, thanks for clarifying. I wouldn’t argue that the Bucks booking, and especially the big angle, was questionable, but it’s hard to see that as checked out. Having too few dates to be able to fully sell the Championships and angle was their real issues, but not sure they deserve the blame. Nonetheless, In this run they challenged themselves to be more typical heels and were largely successful in that regard. They also continued to have consistently excellent matches. Including the miracle work of leading Private party to their best match(es).

Please elaborate.

Re: Wanting to be number 1 You may want to be the best at something but you also need to be realistic against your goals. Failing to see that creates delusional expectations. Aew was started to provide a kind of wrestling that appeals to a mature audience, and ultimately will not appeal to the broader wwe universe. Wwe is number 1 in all money metrics, but that doesn’t mean highest quality of product. Throughout this wwe surge Dynamite, despite the criticisms, has consistently offered the better content. It’s not unlike how all the family and family/action movies top the box office every year while offering very few of the actual best movies. In general this weird metrics/quality overlap in wrestling criticism is incredibly silly - at least, passed the point of sustainability, and we’ve passed that.

I love the move to smaller buildings. Since first laying eyes on the elks lodge I have always valued the Intimacy. Getting the right staging and not looking like impact is also important in this scenario. Not that they’re doing a bad job there. The next move is to cut out these middle America (and Canada for that matter) sleepy cities that seem largely unfamiliar with the product. Run the stronger holds that will react and make the product look special.

For all the bullshit ppl fling at the guy signing the checks and producing the TV, he provides his talent a great deal of freedom to bring what they have to offer. The Privates failed at every turn. They had nothing to say and did not look the part of Champions in any of their matches. We can argue about the booking (it certainly could’ve been better) but they ultimately failed to capitalize. I think both are talented but they sorely need to move along/go on excursion and refresh their unsatisfactory game.

So thrilled to see Lashley/Benjamin murder the lame duck Champions. I love crisp competitive matches as much as the next guy, but a meaningful squash isn’t far behind.

Two shows in a row my favorite Chris Daniels' AEW matches/moments. Yeah, I was thinking Heenan, but Gertner for sure. I can't say I didn't get a little heel vibe from Daniels there. The Badass babyfaces is another Meltzer push this week, but he's again right. I hope in the case of Hurt Syndicate that they properly positon them as the babyfaces. With Hangman, I fear the Badass Cowboy slinks away as he becomes again caught up in his emotions. I hope I'm wrong on that as your statement bolded above is hitting the company over the head right now.

I'd say it's more of a desire to be in a competitive business. The company's insistence on finding an overarching Bloodline story over the past couple years does suggest that want. But I'd say even that one is more a want to please the core audience criticizing 'it's all matches, no stories'. You don't spill blood all over your TV and use plastic bags, etc. to cast the widest net. You also don't put an emphasis on the 'Wrestling' with a hope to bite into Number 1's lowest common denominator audience. Tony Khan's having fun realizing his dreams and producing his vision of pro wrestling. I expect mistakes here and there, and disappointments, anybody not is impeding in on their own fun.

Glad to see the struggling Mike Mansury led production brought to attention on WOR. Like him or not Meltzer's voice gets heard when it's a worthwhile criticism. The Number 1 and 2 divide grows further apart as WWE showcases the 'State of the Art' and AEW features passable camera work/direction, unbalanced audio (from taped to arena is way far apart), etc. They're missing a lot of stuff week to week. How on earth did they miss Kenny's risky dive? There should have been multiple cameras catching that for replay. The replays should have happened right away and been repeated. It would've been a much different show if they had. I'd love to see them make some serious and needed changes to this dissatisfying production.

Looking back it's kind of astonishing how Andrade not only didn't get iced (deserved suspension aside), but beat Danielson in his last month (we all seemed to know this was a stupid idea), and had his last match featured on PPV (was that Miro's last match too?). Sidenote: I just looked up Andrade on Cagematch and he's already had more matches in WWE (44) than all of his time in AEW (i counted 40).

C'mon, you were just in a bad mood here. Ha, no, okay, it's not a tightly edited nice looking documentary, but as an enthusiast of that NYC scene and especially Larry Levan/Paradise Garage, I was kinda blown away that this even existed. This is aesthetically a fair 2/5, but the information brings it up at least a point and a half.

To each their own, I loved Experiment in Terror. Bought the pricey Indicator edition after watching it on CC. I'm also a huge fan of that Mancini soundtrack. The title cut in particular is a total killer. And I LOVE Lee Remick. This movie made me want to see more Blake Edwards. I knew his name, but I'd not seen anything prior to this. I followed this up with his excellent Days of Wine and Roses. More Remick gold, and yet another perfect performance from Jack Lemmon. It's hard not to think Terror was an influence on Twin Peaks with the coincidences. If not an influence on Lynch than probably Frost. And... RIP beautiful David Lynch - my favorite filmmaker and artist of any discpline of my entire lifetime. I watched 'Premonitions Following an Evil Deed' as a tribute on the night of his passing. If you haven't seen it take a 'minute' on the CC and fall in love. I'm gonna wait on the features as I assume they'll be playing all over Toronto in the weeks and months to come. Hoping to see, in particular, Inland Empire. I saw it twice when it was first released and was totally captivated. I think it loses something at home without being isolated in the Cinema with it's expansive soundtrack. I haven't checked in on the thread in awhile - did you happen to see Nickel Boys, Room Next Door and/or Soundtrack to Coup D'etat. I saw one a day Thursday to Saturday last week and was completely blown away. I also really liked Babygirl and the Brutalist. Hoping to see Flow and All We Imagine is Light this week before they leave theatres. Also, sorta curious of the Count of Monte Cristo. Ha, I assume I've waited long enough on the line-ups to disperse that I can go see Barry Jenkins' Mufasa and Eggers' Nosferatu (I'm gonna see it this or next week on IMAX). Priority to Mike Leigh's Hard Truths which opens this weekend - very, very, very excited. I'll skim thru your posts to see what your thoughts and feelings have been on some of these titles.

I don't like any of these guys being frozen. I don't like the conversation it inspires around the company, but if it works to properly weed out the next bunch of ppl who don't want to participate like professionals then I'm all for it. Not sure it will tho.

I have a bad feeling Lashley/Benjamin are going to 'slip on a banana peel' against the lame duck Champions. I really hope it's nothing more than a feeling and Quen/Zay get the proper murdering they deserve. Cope v Pac should be a solid affair. I'm not sure I've seen a bad match from Cope in AEW. Yes, expect the ground and pound Death Riders version of Pac we've been seeing for the last couple months now. Joe-Wayne oughtta be tremendous fun. Ospreay's mic work has been consistently excellent, and I suspect the same with this Omega segment. I didn't love number 1, but Hart-Hayter 2 should be fine. I love Jamie, but not crazy about this direction. I really want her out there killing ppl and challenging/winning titles. Why is AEW so intent on positioning Julia Hart as a heel when the audience clearly wants to cheer for her? Natural babyface reactions shouldn't be squandered. There are too many examples in AEW of ppl being booed or cheered against their positoned role. Well, whatever, at least they're not forcing us to watch Sammy Guevara's sad babyface attempt on the weekly TVs (streamers that nobody watches not included). Swerve v AR Fox sounds like a helluva deal. I can't stop thinking how great it would be to see a handshake following this and Fox help Swerve fight off a Ric attack. And then a look of acknowledgment/gratitude. And then AR Fox back in the fold with Swerve and Nana. He needs it. He deserves it. 'Dreamin! Dreamin is free'

Santana v Alexander featured some stellar work from both, but the 'I Quit' gimmick got in the way. Asking if the wrestlers 'quit' during transitional spots was a poor choice. But again, the actual wrestling was solid and I did like the finish.

How is Garcia participating in a 6 man tag that likely leads to a Cole singles match derailing his push? I'm not sure I even know what that push was? Until this interaction with the Undisputeds, he didn't seem to have any direction at all. Just a bunch of matches like the bland Statlander TV title run. I prefer O'Reilly with his buddies than aimless conglomerate Kyle. Tho, he certainly provided a number of solid bouts on the losing end. I suspect he and Roddy are going to be pushed as a legit team - and 'I back that play'. I like Anthony Bowens, but his freedom looks grim to me. He needs another partner. He also needs another gear for his particularly weak mic game than shouting. At least he'll stop with that rotten catchphrase. I too was surprised to see Top Flight take such a definitive loss, but it's totally deserved. What have they done to earn any kind of push right now? Other than the good Andretti/Rush match, they've been having by the numbers bland matches for what feels like ages. I see no reason to protect them nor push them. They badly need to go on an international excursion and step up their game. Freshen up. Or go to NXT and get properly trained to proceed to the next level. Current Top Flight feels completely lost. The Outrunners are an interesting choice for best 'elevating' example. They don't seem nearly as over now as they did a couple months back. That said, I don't think they were ready to be pushed. They've always been great at stooging and selling, but their offensive game was not strong. Having had some reps now as a competitive babyface tag team has helped them a lot, but whether they can regain that momentum is the question mark. Some of their trademark spots are over, but not so much the rest of their matches. I too am interested to see how Gates of Agony fair next week, but I suspect Buddy/Brody are going over. Toa and Kaun have come a long way, but their ROH PPV match from last month suggested to me they have a long long way yet to go. Toa in particular is so sloppy at times. He's got a great look and intensity, but sometimes seems completely lost in there. Both are another case of young guys needing reps that they aren't getting.

Goddamn, that Tessa Blanchard v Jordynne Grace match was fanfuckingtastic! Not that I'm all that surprised. Blanchard is an incredible worker. Just about to sit down to Alexander v Santana.

I’m always grateful for the Collision Promo Montage opening. Copeland’s ‘Listen kid’ promos work well to make him the Heel. No Elton John opening is a slight bummer. The Chris Daniels v Hangman opener was excellent. What a goddamn gusher! @Curt pointed it out already, but loved the silent bloody scream. I wonder why he chose this night/venue to call it a career? Seems like a retirement match on an ROH PPV would be more appropriate. I loved seeing Hanger just murder him. Best Daniels match in some time. The Toni Storm segment was flush with her usual amusements. She’s pulling off just fine what should be terrible. The Hurt Syndicate promo was fine. Bobby’s laugh at the end worries me. Are they going to slip on a banana peel against the Enhancement talent Champions? Please No! Cole/OReilly/Strong v Moriarty/Infantry was solid. Infantry look a lot better as heels. Wow, awesome seeing Shane Taylor kill the Undisputeds. The Menard-Taylor interaction was fun, but Menard looked weak needing Garcia to answer his challenges. I wish they'd just go heel, so Menard could be full on Bobby Heenan to Garcia's Bockwinkel. The Ospreay promo was spot on. No bullshit, direct, and perfectly delivered. He should be the star attraction of every broadcast-live or taped. Archer/Cage v Martins was fair. I like seeing the Murder Machines look strong, but skeptical it won't lead to more losering. Lio Rush/Andretti have quickly become one of my favorite teams, but those goofy jackets make it slightly embarrassing to say that. Not sure why Wrestler Leila Grey is standing watching all of this? I suppose it works if she’s turning. Cole/O Reilly/Strong/Garcia/Menard promo leading to the Parker return/6 man works just fine. I liked the Acclaimed segment. Max Caster feels like he could have something special to offer as a heel. The test will be if he has enough game to hang with the upward mobile portion of the roster? Not sure how Bowens will fair. Maybe finding another partner isn't such a bad idea? Swerve promo was not particularly strong. Strickland being a fanboy with his phone for the celebrities wasn’t a visual that quite worked for me. Nonetheless, a heated Ric v Swerve feud feels like cause for excitement. I very much enjoyed Okada v Ishii including the prickly finish. Okada’s a wonderful cheater. Kaun/Toa promo was alright. Neat seeing Toa graduate from growling Samoan. I like the prospect of a Buddy/Brody v GOA bout. Yeah, Dustin Rhodes v Adam Priest was one for the VHS comp tape. I very much felt Nigel's shock at that powerslam head drop. Priest is an incredible pro wrestler, and I hope he's not worse for wear after that. He made Dustin look like a killer. Julia Hart v Harley Cameron was 'perfectly fine'. Expectations in check - they wrestled a nice simple match. Learning Tree/Hobbs segment felt unnecessary and silly. Why not just sell Hobbs being questionable with the fucking Pillmanizing that happened on Wednesday? Overkill insanity. The 12 man tag was a total house show extravaganza. I’m amazed they would put Keith selling an infant’s chop on Television – even PiP. Not a great look. I did like Keith giving the kid a dirty look prior. That was perfectly acceptable/awesome. Selling a chop, ugh, not so much. Regardless, the match wasn't without some fun moments.The Bill-Hobbs showdown was a highlight. Let's build to that match right away. Cliched hobbled babyface ending aside, Hobbs is looking more and more comfortable as a killer. A regular hit and miss Saturday. A lot of really ugly editing - especially bad in that 12 man. The audio production has long been below standard, and this show was a great example. The crowd sounded dampened throughout this show. Those commentary overdubs are hilariously brutal. But hey, that's gotta be expected. This show was a fair offering. Some fun was had.

Wait, what? Did Bryan Keith selling a chop for a child make television? EDIT: seeing now, at least it was during the PiP.

Viva Venue Cincy! I was anticipating this show with much curiousity. Great looking building. The Maximum Carnage video was effective. I love the setting of the table - whether it's a video or a series of clips and promos it is a crucial step forward for AEWTV. The Cage v Omega opener delivered a nice return for Kenny. Omega's presence continues to feel like a breath of minty fresh air. The Ospreay/Omega team is a source for excitement in AEW. I love this 4 man pairing with Takeshita/Fletcher. The Os can tune up their band with a bout with Cage/Archer. Jericho's NY Minute is a good segment for him, but this could've used another take. Jericho played nicely into a potential issue with the Death Riders. I loved this Ricochet/Swerve/Nana segment. Right straight to the point. The opposite of the MJF/Jarrett segment. How out of touch these guys must be to think those insults were worth 14 minutes of TV time. A clearly rotten result doesn't stop me from looking forward to the actual Jarrett v MJF match. The Dustin Rhodes promo was interesting. Dustin's passion overflows, but I'm not always with what he's selling. Nonetheless, routinely fascinating. Jarrett/Dustin heel team sounds more fun to me. Hurt Syndicate v Briscoe/Privates was fun while it lasted. MVP looked solid here. As a manager tho, should he? I have a hard time with Mark Briscoe being used as fodder for anybody. But... it is what it is and he's incredible at making Benjamin and Lashley look like a total fucking terror. Private Party was an unwarranted choice of Champions to begin with, but they've been booked like a WCW team coming into WWE in a program with Calloway. I'll be sad if the Hurt Syndicate slips on a banana peel with Private Party - they aren't deserving of even that. Kill them dead please! Ishii-Okada, right on! Did everybody see Ishii-Takeshita from DIN-ass-Tee? I ffwdd Hook v Christian. I love Christian, but I just had to do it. Hook's still young, but right now he is a tough sell for me. Nice to see Samoa Joe back. I like the Shibata/Hook/Joe team. That'll be a boost for Hook. The Women's Casino Gauntlet had some moments. Sadly, the Bayne debut was very poorly produced. Taz thinking he might have seen her on Dark was a bit of a dumb call. Nonetheless, she looked strong. Mariah on commentary was wonderful throughout. Moxley v Hobbs was a fun main event. Hobbs stepped up and Mox gave him what he needed. Brutally bad timing on the show close angle. Okay, let's have a look at this divisive 12 man tag. WIth the aid of a little ffwd episode two hundred and seventy six was very enjoyable.

Re: Jarrett/MJF Slut shaming doesn’t offend me so much. It just feels astonishingly out of touch and incredibly lame.

The House of Black and their cheerleaders (Edge, Ospreay) alluding to the departure of Malakai Black while not actually discussing why there are question marks with the future of the faction feels like an 'AEW Original'. I'd be interested to know why they couldn't just tell the story plainly on TV? I further wonder why Black couldn't have put over one of his buddies on the way out? Not sure the Cole loss sufficed, but I guess there's an argument there. Regardless, happy to see some of the WWE hopefuls (Starks, Malakai, Lucha Bros) finally departing. I look forward to seeing each of them refreshed on the otherside. Even moreso, I look forward to their collective dark clouds steadily looming over AEW to finally be dissolved.

I'd love to see a moratorium on all 10-12-8 Man tags.