TNA iMPACT Review - Thursday 7th August 2008

After a disappointing TNA last week in terms of setting up Hard Justice I hoped that this week would be a more focused edition of iMPACT and that the right feuds would be developed. The show was good last week but this week’s episode isn’t about being a good wrestling show it’s about selling the PPV.

Good Points

Jay Lethal / SoCal Val / Sonjay Dutt storyline developing nicely

The TNA creative team did a good job with this one as they developed the feud nicely for a Hard Justice. Just as we thought Sonjay was going to be rumbled for stealing the wedding ring, Sonjay managed to worm his way out of the situation and back in to the affections of Val. Looking forward to seeing what the outcome is or if there will be another twist this Sunday.

Karen’s Angle turning in to Jerry Springer

They are using Karen’s Angle well now as they have taken it away from the shoot style interview it started like when it first aired. Now it’s more like Jerry Springer which fits perfectly on a wrestling show as Karen’s guests get out of control.

Liking the new start style.

On WWE they usually start with the announcers sat behind the desk promoting what was going to be happening but now TNA have a new style which they should keep to. The style is to have Mike Tenay in the ring with a mic and his broadcast colleagues like Jeremy Borash out in the crowd giving their opinions which I think is better than having them behind a desk.

Bad Points

Stuff that shouldn’t be on a wrestling show

Team 3D’s backstage interview with Beer Money had no place on a wrestling show. In a world where we are looking even more closely at how media with a large male following portrays women this segment had me reaching for the remote to change channel. The interview consisted of Brother Ray making sexual comments about the female interviewer and then trying to pull at her top. There wasn’t any need for Brother Ray to do this as he is already one of the top heel in the promotion and the creative team should be ashamed of themselves.

Too many backstage interviews

At one point I counted three backstage interviews in a row. Now I agree that the spotlight shouldn’t be on actual wrestling matches on a TV show but you have to keep the show moving and keeping it fresh. Having three backstage interviews in a row was overkill.

Poor storyline development

Again TNA need to learn how to sell a PPV today on iMPACT not all feuds were featured and then those that were most were just featured in the last twenty minutes so if you missed that you wouldn’t have a clue about Hard Justice. In the last twenty minutes the main event was a gauntlet match featuring many different feuds which really did nothing to further any of them as it was just a mess.

Overall

TNA has the potential to be great but until thy learn how to sell PPV’s properly they are just going to keep going round in circles.

TNA iMPACT Review - Thursday 3rd July 2008

After an average iMPACT last week and with WWE starting to pick up TNA need to start working hard again. With Victory Road getting closer some more matches need to be made for it and soon to give them enough time to build them correctly.

Good Points

Finally Samoa Joe has match on iMPACT as he partnered with Kevin Nash against Robert Roode and James Storm in the main event. It was also good to see Roode and Storm in a main event and was one of the best main event matches for a little while on iMPACT.

Great match made for Victory Road

With Angle injured the TNA are doing well to keep him around this time putting him in to a six man tag match at Victory Road as he partners with Team 3D to take on Rhino, Christian Cage and AJ Styles. This has the potential to be match of the night although it will be AJ’s team who will have to do most of the work.

Bad Points

Angle loses intensity and credibility

After being involved in some tense stuff with AJ Kurt has now been withdrawn in to a comedy role. The show had many segments with Angle from during the week where he had been set up on dates by Team 3D. This made all the previous weeks of building his intensity worthless.

Booker T

For someone who is suppose to be in a PPV main event to only have one backstage interview during the show with less than two weeks to go before the PPV is crazy. This makes even less sense than not having Samoa Joe wrestle on a regular basis.

No build for Two PPV matches

Tonight there was no build for Jay Lethal vs. Sonjay Dutt after TNA finally gave Sonjay Dutt some good TV time last week. We also saw no build for LAX vs. Roode and Storm except for a backstage LAX promo.

Overall

A terrible mess I don’t know who wrote this nightmare of a show. Probably the same person who was directing as some of the camera angles were shocking.

TNA iMPACT Review - Thursday 26th June 2008

After missing last week’s iMPACT I was looking forward to seeing what was happening in TNA this week after hearing good things about their UK tour.

Good Points

Brother Ray getting good promo and mic time

I think TNA are really starting to use Brother Ray well giving him time to get over his heel persona. Although his best performing days are behind him its great to have him around one of the main event scenes to drive and add heat to a storyline.

Good use of Karen Angle

Great to see TNA really using Karen well and developing a feud between her and The Beautiful People as a little side storyline to play off the main Kurt and AJ thing is great thinking.

More guys getting time

It was good to see both The Guru Sonjay Dutt and Matt Morgan getting good TV time. Sonjay has had to hang around for months with not much to do but now that the storyline with him, Jay Lethal and SoCal Val has come to a head he is finally getting his rewards. Good to see Matt Morgan being given promo time hopefully this means they are actually going to commit him in to a proper feud soon.

Bad Points

Again no Samoa Joe in ring action

When Angle is injured TNA really need Samoa Joe to step up with more in ring action. To build him as the main event star they need to have him performing week in and week out and if they are building a PPV on him they need to give him the chance to help attract PPV buys through the weekly shows.

Poor Main event

To have Booker T and Nash headlining an iMPACT is terrible, it’s like we have warped back to WCW in 1999. Don’t get me wrong Booker deserves a push but to put him in there with Nash is the wrong move. WE maybe bad at the moment but I bet they are laughing when they see that as a main event.

Overall

Ruined by the main event and the lack of TNA made guys around the main event scene at the moment. Besides from that very good in places.