Migs

Yeah, it's a bit weird as I'm trying to figure out my weekend schedule. The Thursday night MLW lineup looks fairly strong (and it's like 10 minutes from my apartment), but otherwise there's not a lot making me feel like I have to see it. Will probably go to the Penis Party (lot of fun talent on that) and Pancakes and Piledrivers (want to go to Wrestlecon that day anyway), but not overly jacked about either.

Are there plans for apps on other platforms besides Roku?

Yeah, looks like it based on the way New Japan's site lists it.

Have they confirmed that PCO and King slot into that match, as opposed to GOD-Briscoes and PCO/King defending against someone else?

I watched the whole show. Actually thought Taven-Lethal was fine, although it didn't really need to go 60 and didn't justify it. But it's not like the hour dragged very badly or anything. They could have easily gotten to the same place with a double DQ after the interference section, though. PCO and King continue to be the weirdest, most pleasant surprise for me this year. They have an odd chemistry that just works, and they're absolutely great in these wide open brawls. This is of course right up the Briscoes' alley, and this was their best tag match in ages.

I mean, MLW built months of story around Konnan and Salina doing basically that.

I just watch these when I'm waking up in the morning - the switch to daylight savings time in the U.S. puts them at the perfect time on the east coast to wake up and catch the singles matches (and maybe the last tag match). It's mostly been fun but not must-see, other than a couple of the Day 3 matches - Ibushi-Naito was terrific and Tana-Umino was a really cool showcase for Umino.

Meltzer seems to think AAA to further the feud with the Lucha Bros. We'll find out soon enough, I guess.

Where do we think the Bucks are teasing going for an overseas trip? AAA? China?

What's interesting is that they've found enough strong faces to keep the crowd from turning Bryan back so far (it of course helps that D Bry has been excellent as a true heel as well, not playing cool at all). Not sure how long they can keep that up, but it's been sort of fascinating to see the booking actually work for once.

Given the way they book now, a proper Heenan Family style stable would be very useful - allows them to easily create alliances (like, why are Lashley/Corbin/Drew together? A manager would easily explain that) and generate turns with guys leaving/joining. The next babyface champ (Roman?) fending off monthly challengers from a heel stable would be so easy to do, and probably more fun without the weight of the heel stable being that of an "authority figure," which has been done to death.

Dustin Rhodes Cody Okada Tessa Blanchard Villain Enterprises

I wonder if a lot of this has to do with the way the product is consumed now. Dave still watches and reviews every episode of Raw and Smackdown. He looks at the linear storytelling (and I'd assume a lot of other writers, too). Whereas lots of people now don't do that. And so when the booking week to week is a mess (the women's main event storyline is completely convoluted at this point - they appear to be retconning out segments as they go based on what the story is that day), that's less of a problem for a modern fan - either because they're not noticing or they just shrug and accept it. The question is now "Did the match I want to see happen?" and "Did the person I like win?" So there's a real disconnect between the viewers and a large segment of the fan base.

"The most important thing in life is relationships... kick right to the ribs!" Michael Cole has a weird job.

He's in the battle royal at Double or Nothing.

Actually, the problem is less the Claire Lynch stuff and more the payoff of the sad AJ angle. The match at Bound for Glory, with Dixie's convoluted motivations and involvement, and then her heavy involvement afterwards... it just screams Russo "Powers That Be" booking, where it's all about who's in control and main things happen, and all the matches are determined by what the authority wants (except when it's not, then we're "shooting").

I read the Observer this week and he doesn't suggest anywhere that the leukemia is fake, at all.

Isn't the $100 tier basically a way to get invited to a party at Conrad's house? Not something I'd pay for, but I get the appeal to the podcast marks.

Tony and Cornette as a team should be pretty fun when Tony makes a taping again. I liked the Lawlor-Ki cage match on the whole, although the long stretch towards the end on the cage (where either could have dropped down to win) was a bit overkill. The reveal of Contra was... underwhelming (although the splash off the cage was fun).

I actually think creating new content (other than wraparounds and explainers) is probably the wrong idea. Even a younger kid would quickly figure out this wasn't the main show and abandon it. Cut the show down, maybe add a focus on kid-friendly characters (every Bayley match makes air for sure). Maybe it's something for the Network that a parent who likes wrestling uses as a gateway with their kids.

It's surprising to me that they haven't tried to do a short-form show for kids on Hulu. Saturday Morning Slam was ahead of its time - while it probably wasn't a ratings draw, parents with kids are now all about the streaming content. Even if they just repackaged Raw in a more kid-friendly way, it'd probably be a big step in getting some kids back in.

Have been watching a good amount of the 2012-13 TNA, and this AJ Styles-Dixie Carter storyline... that's Russo returning, right? It's terrible, logic-less melodrama. There's even a tournament based on a wheel of stipulations, which is just a redo of the Deadly Game tournament.