AEW TV - 11/8 - 11/14/2023 - Bait and Switchblade

[Greggulator]

I am fine with Joe vacating the title because AEW needs about 75 percent less titles. It’s the prestige sub-division TV title — who cares? Do they still have the pure title? 

There is though a 95 percent chance this leads to a tournament of some kind.

And on a funny note a friend of mine pointed out: What were they using the office Max got tossed into for? Like did Bowens need a notary or something and they stumbled down there and the Devil’s dudes were there?

I like the intrigue of who it could be. It will be hilarious if it is Jungle Jack because that dude would be so so so bad at the evil mastermind role. 

Swerve/Penta ruled so much. It has so many great weird Swerve spots. That dude is a perfect combination of being insanely athletic but he knows how to fill in the gaps by moving slow and calculating (reminds me a lot of Randy Orton) and making things like his stomp off the apron look so so so nasty. That dude rules.

OC’s promo was a banger.

[For Great Justice]

Oh yeah, that Rampage tag match is 100% must-watch for me. Athletic babyfaces vs base heels southern tag is scientifically proven to be the best kind of match.

 

[worldcupfever]

10 hours ago, Cobra Commander said:

now if Roddy's friends send in a tape of Roderick Strong rising from the sea like the Purple Haze, that might be too overt a sign and they might go in another direction for who the Ninjas/Devil are

They really need to have one of the ninjas wearing a neck brace.

[Technico Support]

10 hours ago, Greggulator said:

Can’t believe they are doing All About Eve already…

Because wrestling needs another Single White Female storyline.  Fuuuuck I remember WWE doing it at least twice (Tori/Sable & Mickie/Trish) so I guarantee it was done three more times that I can't remember.  Yay, another "woman is obsessed with another woman and wants to be her" story and all the overdone, dull psychosexual bullshit it implies (shhhhh...hey guys......we're implying that the obsessive one wants to have lesbian sex!  Isn't that transgressive?).  Why don't we ever get a men's storyline like this?  Can we please leave this bullshit from years ago back where it belongs?   It was funny when we could be like "haha, it's 2000 and Vince just got around to seeing Basic Instinct and Single White Female," but now it's just insulting.

Edited November 9, 2023 by Technico Support

[Zakk_Sabbath]

16 minutes ago, Technico Support said:

Because wrestling needs another Single White Female storyline.  Fuuuuck I remember WWE doing it at least twice (Tori/Sable & Mickie/Trish) so I guarantee it was done three more times that I can't remember.  Yay, another "woman is obsessed with another woman and wants to be her" story and all the overdone, dull psychosexual bullshit it implies (shhhhh...hey guys......we're implying that the obsessive one wants to have lesbian sex!  Isn't that transgressive?).  Why don't we ever get a men's storyline like this?  Can we please leave this bullshit from years ago back where it belongs?   It was funny when we could be like "haha, it's 2000 and Vince just got around to seeing Basic Instinct and Single White Female," but now it's just insulting.

I'm glad you posted this because I legit couldn't tell if we were going more 'Single White Female' or if it was more of a Bayley-I-wanna-hug-her thing - the delivery was kinda all over the place (first time out for her so it's understandable, not throwing stones in any fashion). And I like RJ a ton, but I think his reactions here made it a little difficult for me to read for whatever reason - he does funny well, and he does serious well, but for a segment like this I think he could have done a slightly nicer job of transversing between the two - and again not meaning to shit on anyone, I think he's perfectly capable of it

 

[Just Dave]

2 hours ago, For Great Justice said:

A fun reveal would be FTR, Wardlow and Spears as the ninjas. But none of those are a big enough headliner to be the devil. 

I was coming here to post that. I don’t think that was the original plan but Cole’s extended IL trip would facilitate an audible. I think the worst possible outcome (but maybe also the funniest?) would be the members of Retribution that aren’t under contract anymore. Ali, Shane Thorne, tafka Mace, & MMart…

[Zakk_Sabbath]

34 minutes ago, Greggulator said:

I like the intrigue of who it could be. It will be hilarious if it is Jungle Jack because that dude would be so so so bad at the evil mastermind role. 

I mean... you're definitely not wrong based on ~80-90ish % of we've seen from him over the last four years, but I'm willing to give it a shot if it's him because I thought he was finally starting to hit his stride as a smarmy heel when the suspension hit. There were a couple shaky weeks early on (for example, the divisive Anna Jay line about her being the 'hottest bitch' or whatever the wording was) but the deeper into the Hook story we got, the better I thought he was getting - I thought he played it really well when he was running from Hook and had to dive into the moving limo, for example. If it does end up being him, maybe for the first few weeks they'll revisit my suggestion from his initial turn about having him only cut in-ring promos on Rampage to take advantage of the taped environment until he gets his footing a bit more.

[JLowe]

IMO Jack Perry as the Devil would be a monstrous let-down that would destroy the hottest angle they have going. On-screen, last we saw him was losing to Hook at Zero Hour All-In. And enough people also know that he got his ass beat by CM Punk afterwards and suspended from the company. 

[Zakk_Sabbath]

2 minutes ago, JLowe said:

IMO Jack Perry as the Devil would be a monstrous let-down that would destroy the hottest angle they have going. On-screen, last we saw him was losing to Hook at Zero Hour All-In. And enough people also know that he got his ass beat by CM Punk afterwards and suspended from the company. 

I understand your POV entirely, but I think this is one of the (VERY!) few instances where the dressing room bullshit could posssssssibly work to their advantage - I think having Perry make veiled references to having been driven insane by 'certain veterans holding (him) back and treating (him) like the devil' could both provide the necessary motivation from a character standpoint, and also sort of heat it up from an audience perspective by virtue of the fact that mostly everyone kinda knows what happened at Wembley even though it was never directly addressed on TV - basically, the mission would be to try to redirect any heat on Punk/the company for the whole situation over to Perry by osmosis. The only caveat is you gotta do it carefully, lest the people think a Punk comeback is in the works.

[porksweats]

1 hour ago, The Natural said:

Don't like the idea of Samoa Joe vacating the ROH World Television Championship if he doesn't go on to win the AEW World Championship, I'd like him to and someone would have benefited beating him for the ROH World Television Championship.

The biggest benefit of Joe vacating the title though is that he in fact did not lose before his AEW World shot, regardless of whoever would've beaten him for the TV title... it shows he can lose to someone on a lower caliber of MJF and can he in fact beat MJF?

 

Now it's on his terms.

[Zimbra]

I don't mind the Joe thing in a vacuum but it does feel like another in a long line of people that TK loved to book like monsters but couldn't stick the landing on their angle (Cargill, Wardlow, Hobbs like 3 times now).

Putting the title on Mark Briscoe at the PPV was the move and he pooched it.

[Shartnado]

Man, that was a fine episode! Opener was good, glad to see that Salt of the Earth hasn't been totally forgotten. Everyone seems to be giving Garcia props. Jericho, Callis now even MJF.

Sting and Darby destroyed The Outrunners, I wish I could have heard their entrance theme at least.

Swerve vs Penta was one of the best Penta singles matches I think I have ever seen. Swerve focusing on the fingers was a dick-move that took away like half of everything Penta does during a match. Getting hooked on the ropes with the soles of his feet so Swerve could double stomp him was pretty swank! A lot of other good stuff in there as well! Hangman destroying Swerve after the match could lead to a Texas Death Match, yet!

Main event was also really good. Both guys were on fire! The attack on The Assclaimed makes me look at Roddy suspiciously again! He said he would show everyone who he really is and then, nothing. It's just that he has an apparent alibi for the previous attack. This should prove that the guy in the devil mask isn't MJF, though.

I was shocked that Joe beat Lee that decisively and even more shocked that he gave up the ROH TV title. He better become the World champion at some point after that one!

[Casey]

If they put the World title on Samoa Joe before Swerve, then they just don’t know what they’re doing.

Also if Jack Perry is the Devil then I might check out for a minute. Talk about a massive disappointment.

[Greggulator]

59 minutes ago, Zakk_Sabbath said:

I'm glad you posted this because I legit couldn't tell if we were going more 'Single White Female' or if it was more of a Bayley-I-wanna-hug-her thing - the delivery was kinda all over the place (first time out for her so it's understandable, not throwing stones in any fashion). And I like RJ a ton, but I think his reactions here made it a little difficult for me to read for whatever reason - he does funny well, and he does serious well, but for a segment like this I think he could have done a slightly nicer job of transversing between the two - and again not meaning to shit on anyone, I think he's perfectly capable of it

 

The Toni Storm/new woman angle is a reference to All About Eve, which is one of the best movies ever made. It stars Bette Davis as Margo Channing. The plot is about a big star sort of approaching the downward slope of her career who is approached by a giant fan (Eve Harrington) who works her way into her life as her assistant and then manipulated her way to replacing her as the next big star. Bette Davis gives an all-time great performance and the movie has one really famous line: “Buckle up, it’s going to be a bumpy night.”

The RJ City intro to her I believe is a direct reference. I only saw All About Eve once. It’s FANTASTIC. 

Timeless Toni Storm is Norma Desmond from Sunset Boulevard, which is my favorite movie. Norma Desmond is a faded silent move star who preys upon a struggling young writer to return her to glory as she descends further and further into madness. Toni’s “I’m ready for my closeup!” line before she does her rubbing hip smash in the corner and the “We had FACES” she said before introducing the silent films for the first time and now the obedient butler are all directly taken from Sunset Boulevard, along with Timeless Toni’s overacting and pathos. 

I have been doing an e-fed character the past two years based off Norma Desmond but as a manager. I love Timeless Toni so much. 

My comment before about All About Eve — they have not really established Timeless Toni yet. We know the backstory and saw the transformation and it is awesome. But she has not been established (once again) as the best in the division with this new character or the like. For them to do All About Eve properly, they need to do this a few months into Timeless Toni’s reign and then have their Eve Harrington enter the picture before Toni loses the title and then sees her understudy steal her glory by winning the title back. 

Fun fact about both films: They are both probably the two best movies ever made about Hollywood, and especially how a starlet deals with losing their fame and adulation. Bette Davis and Gloria Swanson (who plays Norma Desmond and really was a silent movie star) give two of the best performances ever captured in film.
 

They both came out in 1950 and they were both up for Best Picture and Best Actress (two nominees for All About Eve between Bette Davis and the woman who played her understudy) and etc. All About Eve won Best Picture, Best Director (Joseph Mankiewicz), Best Supporting Actor and Best Story (Adapted Screenplay.)  But the actress in a movie called Born Yesterday (which I have never seen) won Best Actress. Sunset Boulevard only won Best Original Screenplay.

Sunset Boulevard holds up a lot better than All About Eve. I am not the movie nerd I used to be but I think it’s the best movie ever made and Billy Wilder is hands down the best director of all-time.

[Greggulator]

Yeah, the last we saw Jungle Jack was as a smarmy cowardly heel running away from Hook. He was fine at that and getting better but trying to explain that into “Mastermind wearing a devil’s mask swaying four dudes to wear masks and do his bidding” is a big stretch. The only way you can maybe explain it is if Jungle Jack used his inheritance to pay them off but then afterwards how these guys would stay in line in following the orders of a total dweeb would be so stupid.

[Curt McGirt]

White versus Briscoe was the shit. Joe versus Lee was the shit. MAN was White versus Briscoe the shit. In a very rough week for me, that was a rare pleasure. 

[Zakk_Sabbath]

10 minutes ago, Greggulator said:

The only way you can maybe explain it is if Jungle Jack used his inheritance to pay them off but then afterwards how these guys would stay in line in following the orders of a total dweeb would be so stupid.

I know you think it's stupid, but I actually believe you hit on a really, really great idea with the whole pay-the-mercs-with-Dad's-money thing. It would play into the rich Hollywood nepo brat thing really well, and I think you could get a ton of mileage out of something like Jungle ordering them all around, and having the goons all shoot each other knowing glances, like "Can you believe this little fucker? He's lucky he's paying us..." - sort of like MJF's previous heel character, except he's got 4-5 Wardlows getting more and more agitated with his demands.

(also thank you so much for the All About Eve post - it's one of those movies like, idk, let's say Psycho or something, where I've never seen it in its entirety, but it's been referenced enough elsewhere to where I've always had a kind of loose understanding - so I super appreciate the background on the specific references, etc.)

Edit: hope things look up @Curt McGirt

Edited November 9, 2023 by Zakk_Sabbath

[Dolfan in NYC]

2 hours ago, Greggulator said:

And on a funny note a friend of mine pointed out: What were they using the office Max got tossed into for? Like did Bowens need a notary or something and they stumbled down there and the Devil’s dudes were there?

You know, it's very sad that Mox had to leave WWE because he hated all the paperwork associated with being US Champ, only to walk into AEW and have to go through all that again.  

[The Natural]

I really hope Jack Perry isn't the Devil. Anticlimactic as fuck.

[Zakk_Sabbath]

7 minutes ago, The Natural said:

I really hope Jack Perry isn't the Devil. Anticlimactic as fuck.

Though I've made a couple posts now arguing in JB's favor, the overarching point I wanted to make is that there *are* ways to make it less anticlimactic if that's the chosen path, but it would be a lot of moving parts and a lot of things would have to go exactly right. So all things considered, even though I've been saying the opposite all morning, I really don't necessarily disagree here - i'll fully admit it's probably much simpler and cleaner to tell a fresh story with, idk, Mustafa Ali or whoever debuting, or a shock Hook turn or something super left-field like that.

[Cobra Commander]

3 hours ago, Greggulator said:

And on a funny note a friend of mine pointed out: What were they using the office Max got tossed into for? Like did Bowens need a notary or something and they stumbled down there and the Devil’s dudes were there?

The Oregon Athletic Commission is gonna be pissed that their office was vandalized and they’re gonna send collection agents after the Acclaimed.

[Shartnado]

Thanks @Greggulator for explaining All About Eve for us. I have never seen the film, but am a big fan of the band by the same name!

[SturmCRF]

I'm down for Jungle Boy as The Devil, assuming he can rise to the role. He needs some sort of faction if he's going to be any sort of main event heel, and there'll never be a better time to capitalise on the Wembley thing making him vaguely controversial.

I've seen a fair bit of Mariah May from watching Stardom over the last year or so, she's really good. Not on a par with the best wrestlers in Stardom, but more than fit to share a ring with a Natsupoi or a Mayu and have an excellent match. She should immediately slot in as one of the better wrestlers in the AEW womens division, hopefully they keep adding to it.

[Greggulator]

2 hours ago, Zakk_Sabbath said:

I know you think it's stupid, but I actually believe you hit on a really, really great idea with the whole pay-the-mercs-with-Dad's-money thing. It would play into the rich Hollywood nepo brat thing really well, and I think you could get a ton of mileage out of something like Jungle ordering them all around, and having the goons all shoot each other knowing glances, like "Can you believe this little fucker? He's lucky he's paying us..." - sort of like MJF's previous heel character, except he's got 4-5 Wardlows getting more and more agitated with his demands.

(also thank you so much for the All About Eve post - it's one of those movies like, idk, let's say Psycho or something, where I've never seen it in its entirety, but it's been referenced enough elsewhere to where I've always had a kind of loose understanding - so I super appreciate the background on the specific references, etc.)

Edit: hope things look up @Curt McGirt

You know what, I could actually see Jack doing a good Hollywood Brat thing. That's what I've wanted from him all along -- him doing the whole "Do you know who the f my dad was?' kind of stuff or him actually starting to believe he's Dylan McKay while his goons look at him completely weird. Or him dangling "big movie and TV roles" ahead as the carrot for his minions.

One thing that hit me -- Do you know who would be a really good Devil it turns out? Brian Pillman, Jr. I thought he was on the shortlist of lamest wrestlers we've ever seen. But whoever came up with his new persona and him leaning into it is really great. He'd be so great as something like that.

[John from Cincinnati]

4 hours ago, Zakk_Sabbath said:

I understand your POV entirely, but I think this is one of the (VERY!) few instances where the dressing room bullshit could posssssssibly work to their advantage - I think having Perry make veiled references to having been driven insane by 'certain veterans holding (him) back and treating (him) like the devil' could both provide the necessary motivation from a character standpoint, and also sort of heat it up from an audience perspective by virtue of the fact that mostly everyone kinda knows what happened at Wembley even though it was never directly addressed on TV - basically, the mission would be to try to redirect any heat on Punk/the company for the whole situation over to Perry by osmosis. The only caveat is you gotta do it carefully, lest the people think a Punk comeback is in the works.

If they can only use this stuff on screen after they’ve already run off the bad man, I’m gonna check out on some people forever.