I contend that we may be witnessing an era of missed opportunity. In these post-Authority times, there is a chance for the WWE to turn a corner – start a new chapter, head down a new storyline. The Authority’s departure is an opportunity for the WWE to experience a true period of lawlessness. Oh, we’re told things are lawless right now by Seth Rollins because he for one has been a marked man. But they’re…
Category: Wrestling Theory & Criticism
I have precious little to say about TLC which is a shame, because I think so fondly of the days when tables, ladders, and chairs meant something huge. A ladder match used to fill me with fearful excitement, and the crunch of a split table would stir in me a primal thrill. I used to try to write poetry about the iconography of hardcore, hardcore being a kind of revolution, a period of anarchy in…
Look, I like Erick Rowan just fine. His face turn was alright by me. But the overwrought story forced on him undermines the character he naturally seems to be. The Wyatt Family had a certain authenticity about it, and within that world he was a mute weirdo. I could buy him as a sort of autistic genius specializing in chess, Rubik’s Cubes, bomb building, that sort of thing. But really, it took him a little…
Well, you know. It was the Slammies and all, and there’s nothing like an awards show to dampen my writerly spirits. Plus, I’m a little behind still — I need to listen to the Vince McMahon podcast, but I first need to dig up my password so I can renew my subscription to then network, which recently expired. I almost don’t want to, considering how much I hate looking up passwords, as well as the…
Thanks to all the folks who read my post about the Big Show’s heel turn (and big thanks to the big man for retweeting!) this blog just passed 1000 hits! In honor of our achievement, I present you with a celebratory Youtube video and encourage you to sing along. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yQsPE7pzNo (Remember how it goes? “You suck, you suck, you suck, you suck…”)
Wow! One retweet from Big Show and this blog is blowing up! Before my post on Show’s poignant heel turn, Notes on the Spectacle of Excess had something like 320 all-time hits. After he shared my post I’m well over 800 in just a couple days. My thanks to the big man, and welcome new readers! I have taken to tweeting my thoughts on RAW, and then compiling and revising them for my weekly Notes…
Part of me wants to delete every post on my blog and start from scratch after listening to the CM Punk podcast. Punk’s revelations changed everything from a critical perspective. He pulled back the curtain on the company’s ugliness, which I submit we were all aware of and just didn’t know how to confront. Somehow we accepted it as part of the drama, but in fact there are real people sacrificing their bodies and being…
Sometimes I find it enlightening to simply transcribe a Bray Wyatt promo, one that ascends to the level of theatrical monologue. When he feuded with John Cena he sounded very Shakespearean (further reading here and here), a sort of deep south Iago, but now that he’s going after Dean Ambrose his style is much more Tennessee Williams. I’m reminded of the reverend losing his faith and his shit in Night of the Iguana. Check it…
My notes are a little scattered, this was quite a mind-boggling couple of days! Suddenly we have a whole new cast of characters. The earth has wobbled on its axis and Big Show is a bully heel, Daniel Bryan is in charge of RAW, the authority is gone, and until this Anonymous General Manager popped up the whole company appeared to be running off the rails, booking itself last night, which was a wild ride…