Smackdown used to be the "wrestling" show. Starting with Paul Heyman's Smackdown Six, Thursdays, and then Fridays, would be for wrestling matches, the aficionados of the in-ring. RAW was for angles and the entertainment. When RAW switched to three hours, the in-ring contests started getting more time without losing its focus on plot advancement. Smackdown was put on the backburner, featuring warmed-over rematches from RAW or truncated versions of contests they'd feature in three days on RAW. Oh, and recaps. SO MANY FUCKING RECAPS, GAWD.
Lately though, Brand Blue has been on somewhat of a rebound. Tonight felt like the pinnacle of that renaissance. Sure, plot wasn't really advanced all that much. The opening segment felt more like exposition, like window-dressing on an already-hammered-home plot point. One point of reminder for the main story set the stage for wrestling, as far as the eye could see. The matches weren't just run-of-the-mill, running-in-place three minute sprints either. They all got the requisite time, and even if the execution didn't hit in each match, the effort was there.
Pay-per-view caliber bumps were taken. Storytelling was laden about in each match. Reigning and defending Champions were put in position for broadways in non-title scenarios, while storyline-advancing squashes advanced with purpose and vigor. Capping off the show, Daniel Bryan and Seth Rollins were tasked with recapturing their magic from Monday. Two lesser wrestlers might have phoned in the effort, but nothing about either man speaks to that kind of malaise. Hell, I bet Daniel Bryan doesn't even own a phone.
Smackdown doesn't need to shatter the earth. For a story whose endgame happens at the very earliest the Sunday before Thanksgiving, WWE has to find creative holding patterns. Great wrestling, who knew, will do more to fill in the gaps than anything else on a wrestling show. A great match can nullify the impending doom. Yeah, Randy Orton laid out Bryan to end the show, but looking only at the final result is short-sighted and sells out the fact that Bryan kept the entire fucking Shield at bay. By himself. All alone.
Smackdown won't return to being the "wrestling" show, not until RAW contracts back to two hours. However, with NXT and Main Event also being laden in quality pro graps contests, every show in the company being "the wrestling show" cannot be a bad thing.
Lately though, Brand Blue has been on somewhat of a rebound. Tonight felt like the pinnacle of that renaissance. Sure, plot wasn't really advanced all that much. The opening segment felt more like exposition, like window-dressing on an already-hammered-home plot point. One point of reminder for the main story set the stage for wrestling, as far as the eye could see. The matches weren't just run-of-the-mill, running-in-place three minute sprints either. They all got the requisite time, and even if the execution didn't hit in each match, the effort was there.
Pay-per-view caliber bumps were taken. Storytelling was laden about in each match. Reigning and defending Champions were put in position for broadways in non-title scenarios, while storyline-advancing squashes advanced with purpose and vigor. Capping off the show, Daniel Bryan and Seth Rollins were tasked with recapturing their magic from Monday. Two lesser wrestlers might have phoned in the effort, but nothing about either man speaks to that kind of malaise. Hell, I bet Daniel Bryan doesn't even own a phone.
Smackdown doesn't need to shatter the earth. For a story whose endgame happens at the very earliest the Sunday before Thanksgiving, WWE has to find creative holding patterns. Great wrestling, who knew, will do more to fill in the gaps than anything else on a wrestling show. A great match can nullify the impending doom. Yeah, Randy Orton laid out Bryan to end the show, but looking only at the final result is short-sighted and sells out the fact that Bryan kept the entire fucking Shield at bay. By himself. All alone.
Smackdown won't return to being the "wrestling" show, not until RAW contracts back to two hours. However, with NXT and Main Event also being laden in quality pro graps contests, every show in the company being "the wrestling show" cannot be a bad thing.