OAO ECW TV Thread - June 13th 2006

[Angle-plex 0]

Internally, WWE is crediting the 2.8 ECW rating to a mixture of curiosity over the new brand and the WWE Raw characters appearing on the show. That's interesting since the opening segment, featuring Edge and John Cena featured the lowest rated quarter hour for the entire ECW hour, capturing a 2.6 from 10:00-10:15 PM. ECW rose to a 2.7 rating from 10:15-10:30 PM, featuring Sandman vs. Zombie, Tazz vs. Jerry Lawler, and Kelly's first backstage promo. ECW hit their hour high mark of 2.9 from 10:30-10:45 PM with Kelly's striptease, Kurt Angle vs. Justin Credible, and the Extreme Battle Royal entrances. The Battle Royal itself dipped down to a 2.7 from 10:45-11:00 PM. ECW's two minute overrun, which saw Sabu eliminate Big Show to win, scored a 3.2 rating.

 

While I guess the internal reasoning will be that Angle and Show are "WWE" guys, it's interesting (at least to me) that the top babyface and heel on Raw (outside of Triple H) did the lowest quarter hour of the entire debut. I am very curious to see how the rating rises or falls over the next month, because if we see an XFL-like decline, that's a deadly serious sign that fans tuned in hoping to see a "pure" ECW product and were turned off by what they found. Of course, WWE could easily turn around and say that the rating Tuesday night did much better than anything ECW ever did on it's own and credit themselves for that, but by the same token, the Rise and Fall of ECW DVD didn't sell 100,000 plus copies simply because WWE produced it. It sold because ECW fans want their ECW. So, I am extremely curious to see how the ratings fare in the coming weeks.

 

Since I've gotten this question a number of times over the last several days, Tommy Dreamer doesn't have any creative control in the revived ECW. Although Dreamer was heavily involved in putting together the successful original One Night Stand PPV, he quietly lost power in this year's ECW PPV and the revived ECW as they became larger scale projects within the McMahon family eyes. Currently, Paul Heyman is writing the show with assistance from Dave Lagana, but the show is being written with an eye for what Vince McMahon wants. Creatively, Dreamer is out of the loop and was said to have been very angry with the overall product of the first ECW episode backstage after it was taped. Now why WWE wouldn't want the one person who cared as much as anyone about the original ECW (and in fact was the last one to leave, even after Heyman went to WWE) to have an influential part of building the new company is beyond me, but that's the way things work there. It's just another example of why everyone needs to remember this is Vince McMahon's vision of what he wants ECW to be, not a recreation of what it used to be.

 

There was something of a culture shock for some the ECW alumni at the first episode of the new series this week in New Jersey. It was a whole new world for those used to the old "point the camera and shoot" gritty production that Ron Buffone and Charlie Bruzzese perfected for the old ECW. Instead, WWE had tons of production people involved, multiple rehearsals of segments, pre-tapes, etc. Several people I spoke to commented that it was a whole different universe and even backstage, you could feel that things were being micromanaged and overproduced

 

pwinsider.com

[Enigma 0]

It's like Meltzer said. They have a lot of changes to make for the 2nd show because hardcore ECW fans will tune in one more time to see if anything is different before tuning out for good.

[Jericholic82 0]

Come on that was the highlight of the night lol that had my dad and I ROTFL. Besides I think it was a self-spoof like ECW was known to have bad gimmick wrestlers get destroyed by their starsAt least Sabu won the battle royal (but the weapons were pathetic WWE type cheap garbage cansperhaps after vengeance it will change. But having Angle destroy a former ECW champion in 3 mins is like saying ECW wrestlers are inferior, and they need WWE guys to survive) and boo on changing Angle s music, god forbid the SD marks stop being sheep. And they were better off giving sandman the generic theme they used on the rise and fall dvd as well as lasts years ONS dvd it was better than whatever he has now. what did you guys expect anyhow? That Vince was sincere? HA this is his attempt to prove once and for all ECW was nothing. Like he already did to WCW

 

then again after listening to wrestlecrapradio, I must agree with RD and say this was the greatest show ever on TV!

[Downhome 0]

then again after listening to wrestlecrapradio, I must agree with RD and say this was the greatest show ever on TV!

 

I must be way behind since I didn't even know there was such a thing as wrestlecrapradio. Thanks for pointing that out.

[Karnage 0]

Joey Styles rules!

From ECW.com

 

Effective with the world premiere of ECW on Sci Fi, ECW.com has asked me to choose a weekly ECW MVP (Most Valuable Player) or, in my words, an ECW MEP (Most Extreme Player).

 

This week’s ECW M.E.P. is without question The Zombie. The Zombie’s riveting entrance, intensity and pre-match interview embodied everything I have come to expect from sports-entertainment.

 

The Zombie immediately made this lifelong wrestling fan conjure up images of such other sports-entertainment greats as Max Moon, The Goon and The Gobbledygooker.

 

Unfortunately, former 5-time ECW World Heavyweight Champion, The Sandman, did not find The Zombie nearly as entertaining as did I and summarily caned the undead sports-entertainer repeatedly before quickly pinning The Zombie after his signature White Russian Leg Sweep.

 

Runner-up honors go to new ECW “exhibitionist”, Kelly, who I deemed ineligible when she failed to unhook her bra.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Im looking forward to the ECW house show here on August 14th..Im going to get tickets tomorrow. I think its the last house show they have planned although theres a taping in DC the next night for the Sci Fi show. So if ECW tanks and the plug gets pulled..I could be going to one of the last ECW shows ever. YAY or something.

[dubq 0]

Trinity's bio has been added to ECW.com's Wrestlers page:

http://www.wwe.com/shows/ecw/superstars/trinity/profile/

[Downhome 0]

I find it funny that there are only eleven actual workers listed on the ECW Wrestlers page.

 

Other than that, they have four women, one announcer, the "owner", and one (retired) legend.

[Guest Coffey]

I didn't even know Whipwreck was a trainer.

[JustJoe2k5 0]

I find it funny that there are only eleven actual workers listed on the ECW Wrestlers page.

 

Other than that, they have four women, one announcer, the "owner", and one (retired) legend.

 

Do you really need a thirty-worker roster for a one-hour television show and two or three pay-per-views a year?

[dubq 0]

Roadkill is up there now, as well.

[Masked Man of Mystery 0]

I didn't even know Whipwreck was a trainer.

There was a whole match built around his training on the first ROH show, I know he did the SAT and Amazing Red, I can't remember the others, though

[claydude14 0]

Kelly, a 19 year old stunning blonde bombshell made her ECW debut on the world premiere of ECW on Sci Fi as the inaugural "Tease of the Week". Not much is known about the voluptuous young exhibitionist, but, after her auspicious debut, ECW fans and wrestlers alike would certainly like to know more.

 

Things are looking up for the ECW brand...

[RedJed 0]

Kelly, a 19 year old stunning blonde bombshell made her ECW debut on the world premiere of ECW on Sci Fi as the inaugural "Tease of the Week".

 

lol good lord, we get tease of the week, now? I wonder where the fuck that is going to lead ---- or wait, I dont care, it's probably Jazz kicking the shit out of one of them.

[Guest Hotbutter Spoontoaster]

With how small the roster is, in three weeks Roadkill will be the sexy "tease of the week".

[Scroby 0]

With how small the roster is, in three weeks Roadkill will be the sexy "tease of the week".

 

That would be entertaining as hell. Can't you just imagine it, he starts doing a striptease and in the middle of it he just stops and does his "chicken" pose.

 

I'm sorry please don't shoot me.

[hyperchord24 0]

So, I’ve had a while to let ECW’s first show sink in. If anyone cares, here are my thoughts.

 

You know, VKM REALLY wanted XFL too succeed to you know. Just thought I’d put that out there.

 

When I came on to the boards after the show, I was SHOCKED at its reception. I thought it needed work, but I didn’t think all the comments about a wasted hour of TV were not needed. I figured people were just being too smarky and those who were saying “OMG ECW is going to suck!” needed to say they were right about ECW failing and were too proud to say anything else.

 

I was wrong.

 

I was duped in thinking that VKM would step aside and let Heyman run things all by himself simply because he wanted it to succeed. That said, I think it’ll get cancelled some time in the future, and become an internet show and die a slow death. But then again, we’ve only seen the first show. In itself, the product is not beyond saving. There are ways of building upon the first show and saving the product. But that requires a virtual on air statement that VKM and co. do not know how to make good wrestling. This brings me to my next point.

 

You know, any one of us could fantasy-book this show and it would be a better product. I don’t like fantasy booking. You know why? It’s not real. We don’t have to deal with wrestlers. We don’t have to deal with egos, politics, images, crazy, senile owners, network reps, money or jobs. We just want good wrestling. All those afore mentioned characteristics get in the way of good wrestling. This is what we get because it makes the most important people happy. No, obviously not the fans, the owner and the network. Hell, even scifi doesn’t want their icon (an alien) to get squashed by a wrestler. SciFi isn’t feeling the job? What the hell is up with that? It’s the image you’re concerned with? Wrestling is scripted, that alone should make everyone involved with the business concerned with their images, not winning or jobing.

 

One last thing I want to point out. In looking back on the ECW’s first episode, I now realize it was very WWE – influenced (I know most of you saw this right away). Not because of its hokyness, but because booking. I was in love with the idea of ECW being recreated because of one reason: OVW stars and indy stars would finally be making it to TV. I didn’t want to see the old ECW. I wanted to see what Heyman could do with WWE money and a good farm system. That’s why I didn’t immediately hate the first episode. After Vengeance, we’ll start to see the future stars, I thought to myself.

 

One thing I didn’t notice right away was the nonsensical booking. Did we see who Angle’s next feud is with? No. Did we see RVD’s next [ECW] challenger for the belt? No. We got a commercial for RAW. Did I see credible match ups? No. Did we see any long-term booking plans? No. New INTERESTING characters? No. This is the same throw-stuff-at-the-wall-for-two-hours-and-see-if-something-sticks kind of short-sighted booking that we see on RAW and SD week in and week out. I was entertained for an hour last Tuesday and I’m ashamed to say it. I’ve been watching WWE for too long and I feel I no longer know what good wrestling is anymore. I apologize. I’ve watched VKM’s version of wrestling a have become brainwashed. I’m going to watch some old ECW matches, some ROH and TNA matches to understand what good wrestling is again.

[Conspiracy_Victim 0]

This was posted on another board, but here it is here also:

 

Sandman returns to ECW

 

I doubt we'll be seeing anything like that with the SD crowd and with his new music.

 

Now THAT'S an entrance. I don't know if I've ever heard a crowd that size make that much noise.

 

Also liked Tommy's pseudo-Blue Meanie dance with the beer after the bridge in the music and Corino taking the MAN SIZED cane shot to the back of the head. Victory's and Jason's sounded better, but I don't think Corino knew for sure when it was coming so he wasn't able to gather himself for it.

[randomguy 0]

Don't talk about XFL unless you know the facts.

 

Not many people know that VM tried to push XFL AWAY from wrestling and it was NBC, eager to capture that demographic, that kept trying to add more tie-ins with WWE.

 

VM's vision of XFL was largely that of an alternative football league, it was NBC that wanted it to be an NFL/WWE crossover thing.

 

Strange but true.

[hyperchord24 0]

Don't talk about XFL unless you know the facts.

 

Not many people know that VM tried to push XFL AWAY from wrestling and it was NBC, eager to capture that demographic, that kept trying to add more tie-ins with WWE.

 

VM's vision of XFL was largely that of an alternative football league, it was NBC that wanted it to be an NFL/WWE crossover thing.

 

Strange but true.

I'm glad you decided to pick out THAT part and reply to it. Either way, I was just saying that even though VKM wants something to succeed doesn't mean it will. But then again, that's true for just about anything anyone does, so whatever.

[NoCalMike 0]

Well it looks like we will have to wait until AFTER Vengeance before we can TRULY judge ECW on it's own merit, because my Dish Network preview for Tuesday's show is "Will WWE Wrestlers invade ECW Again" Yep, that is it.

[Scroby 0]

Well it looks like we will have to wait until AFTER Vengeance before we can TRULY judge ECW on it's own merit, because my Dish Network preview for Tuesday's show is "Will WWE Wrestlers invade ECW Again" Yep, that is it.

 

Oh yay....... Dish Network Preview.

[Guest Felonies!]

[Wrestlefreak 0]

I just saw ECW's first tv show. I can't believe how UTTERLY CRAP!! it was, especially considering that ONS2 was a pretty solid PPV(though still not as good as last year's, IMO) . Really, really disappointing. Truly one of the worst wrestling shows ever.

[Guest MetalBlade]

Well the waiting for us in the UK is finally over, and all I have to say is....THANK YOU VINCE.

 

Thank you Vince for raping every great memory I had of ECW, and running them straight into the ground like a ginger-haired step-child.

 

After so much hope and expectations, all we got was a WWE show in a WWE arena with a WWE crowd.

I may as well have been watching Smackdown.

 

First off, the crowd and environment was about as detached from what ECW was all about, as you could possibly get.

It was a sterile, kiddie-friendly shell of it's former self, with absolute ZERO audience participation.

 

The Zombie was a piss-poor piss-take of Khali, I'm sure of it.

Mordecai was seen loitering around outside with no apparent purpose.

ECW legend Justin Credible had his ass handed to him by Vince's creation Kurt Angle.

Sabu won possibly the lamest battle royal ever - AND THIS WAS EXTREME?

 

To Quote Tazz: "Different from Smackdown. Different from Raw. This is what makes us better than them".

 

Sorry Tazz, but you were watching a different show to me, pal.

 

We didn't even get to see Chris Jericho's supposedly triumphant return.

 

If this was Vince McMahon's way of spitting in the faces of all of us real fans, then I'm afraid he has succeeded in spades.

The worst possible start to what could have been such a great time for wrestling fans the world over, flushed down the toilet in the space of just sixty minutes.

 

I feel cheated and duped for even beginning to believe Vince could have made something of this. It makes me feel cheap and used, as should all fans after this charade.

 

The only way back I can see from this is to completely abandon the concept of taping it after Smackdown, and take ECW back to where it belongs - 3000 seat arenas as opposed to 13000 seaters.

Where there was once intimacy, there is now only distance.

Where there was once interaction, there is now only background noise.

Where there was once cutting-edge originality, there is now only diluted sterility.

 

I was wrong to have had hope.

 

Thanks again Vince. Thank you very fucking much.

[2GOLD 0]

Jericho's triumphant return happens this Saturday night when WWE Superstar Chris Jericho stars with JOESPH "JOEY" LAWRENCE in ANDROID APOCALYPSE, starting at 9/8, only on SCI-FI!

....damn I really miss Cyrus.

 

I'll keep my grain of hope in the jar for this Tuesdays show but something tells me it'll be worse this Tuesday than it was last week.