I also laugh when they trot out the "you may like him, or you may hate him" line. Translation: "Shit, there's lots of boos. How are we gonna get out of this mess?"
Best sign ever: Michael Jackson's ghoulish face.
I realized that they put the "main event" match first to get people that aren't normally fans hooked for WrestleMania, but the match didn't start until about 9 after, and I think the entrances should've been sped up a bit, as to not lose the new viewers. I'm sure it was confusing for new people also to see each team practically TRYING to lose. Even I was confused for a second as to who was on what team and why they were being attacked.
Mickie's turn: slowest, softest, weakest kick ever. She turned around like a full two seconds before laying the alleged "kick" in. But I can't complain...FINALLY they turned her.
I liked SNME. Possibly the first wrestling I have seen live for 2 years. I think time management was as issue though. Couldn't the beer drinking skit or the "Cutting Edge" have been the opener? Over 50 minutes of tv time between the first match and the second.
Marge I am just trying to get into heaven not run for Jesus.
I liked SNME. I thought it had a much different feel to it then either the normal Raw or Smackdown. Also, much different than the PPVs. Meltzer reporting the fast national rating came in at 3.2 which once the final rating comes out probably will go up a .2 or .3. A 3.5 network rating would be the largest audience they have had in # of viewers for any show for a long time but still they finished fourth in the ratings. Interesting to see if the next one is in prime time or if it gets put back in the Saturday Night Live spot. Loved the Street Fight & the JBL/Austin segment!
I think that they should have started off the show with guys already in the ring, kind of like ECW would do. Maybe start with a Kane/Big Show vs whomever tag match, then maybe do the big tag match halfway through.
Honestly, the show didn't leave a great taste in my mouth.
I get that since the last SNME aired, competitive matches have become the norm, so there was no way to make these matches seem "special" as a result -- and that ruins it for a lot of people who were huge SNME fans back in the day. I also get that they were trying some slightly different things (eg the timing, the change of format) tonight to distinguish from what they normally present on Mondays and Fridays. And yes, the old-school beginning was a mark-out moment.
But after that.... none of the matches were all that memorable. I still don't get why they wouldn't have done HHH and Orton against Cena, Mysterio and Angle. They could have had the exact same end-result and it would have made a bit more sense, PLUS Orton's run-in on Monday would have been slightly more logical. I agree with others that Trish and Mickie underdelivered after such a loooooong buildup, and the "streetfight" wasn't anything we haven't seen a dozen times before in recent years.
I'm not sure what I would suggest to improve on the next one, but for me, the whole show seemed to drag and their formula was a little off.
The old-school opening promos that succinctly summed up the feuds was one of the best aspects of the show for me (plus JBL-IS-Earl Hickey!).
Booker & Sharmell seemed to be channelling Shaggy & Scooby in their fear of the Boogeyman. The Book should've yelled "Like, gangway!!!" at Carlito in the hallway.
The tag match being the opening match made sense based on precedent, as the other forays of SNME in Prime Time had the main open the show (Hogan vs. Andre '88, MegaPowers Explode '89). Tag match itself would have been worth something if it was for the main event slot at Mania. The fans are begging to boo Cena. Firetable would have been better if there was some chance that someone would have gone through it. They'll need to pay that off at Mania. On first glance after the ladder-superplex it appeared that Shane had been opened hardway around his ear. Might just have been my eyes playing tricks though, as no blood was flowing later. Bleep seemed to be off-key on the Austin bit. And, the man-love really didn't seem to be flowing as much as usual from Ross to Austin. Didn't sound like much fan reaction for Verne Gagne or his legendary son Greg's name when they were rattling off the names of the HOF inductees.
Originally posted by numbskullI liked SNME. I thought it had a much different feel to it then either the normal Raw or Smackdown. Also, much different than the PPVs. Meltzer reporting the fast national rating came in at 3.2 which once the final rating comes out probably will go up a .2 or .3. A 3.5 network rating would be the largest audience they have had in # of viewers for any show for a long time but still they finished fourth in the ratings. Interesting to see if the next one is in prime time or if it gets put back in the Saturday Night Live spot. Loved the Street Fight & the JBL/Austin segment!
(edited by numbskull on 19.3.06 1511)
3.5 wouldn't be that great, actually - I'm pretty sure their RAW ratings are pretty close to that when you translate them into "network" numbers from "cable" numbers.
Zap2it (zap2it.com) reports a 2.9 first hour, so that second hour must have been a big improvement, but it sounds like the 18-34 crew that WERE watching TV were watching the NCAA tournament over on CBS.
Maybe more telling, let's see NBC's ratings for LAST Saturday:
They were #1 for all four periods, so fourth place probably wasn't what they were hoping for. Still, would anything else counterprogrammed against the hoops have done any better?
(RAW 3/6 - 3.2 first hour, 3.4 second hour; Smackdown 3/10 2.6 overall)
Originally posted by redsoxnationDidn't sound like much fan reaction for Verne Gagne or his legendary son Greg's name when they were rattling off the names of the HOF inductees.
I was there and you are right. None, zero, zilch. Most of the people were like "WTF?"
From what I knowof network ratings I think if you check USA today ratings in the Life sections on Wednesdays a 3.5 should equate into about 6 million viewers. RAW cable ratings at 4.0 translate into about 5 million viewers.
Originally posted by numbskull From what I knowof network ratings I think if you check USA today ratings in the Life sections on Wednesdays a 3.5 should equate into about 6 million viewers. RAW cable ratings at 4.0 translate into about 5 million viewers.
I think you're misreading one of them as "households" instead of "viewers" - or maybe I am! - but I admit I'm too lazy to look it up right now.
Either way not a great # but as WWE & NBC could testify there isa million different ways to measure and spin any rating. SNME #2 this summer will be the real test to see where this type of show stands and weather it can continue.
It felt good to see wrestling on NBC, I know somebody already said that, because I remember when it was on the first time in the late 80's. I'm trying to equate it to the phoenix rising from the ashes yet I don't think it is that dramatic.
The show felt pretty good to me. I was a bit in the WTF mode when I saw the ending to the street fight. Then after reading responses here I understood it better. I hope the number isn't to low on the rating. I'd hate to see it get put back on the shelf another 15 years. Still one more in the contract though so I'm already looking forward to it. Also I'm Wrestlemania bound see ya there!
Originally posted by numbskullI liked SNME. I thought it had a much different feel to it then either the normal Raw or Smackdown. Also, much different than the PPVs. Meltzer reporting the fast national rating came in at 3.2 which once the final rating comes out probably will go up a .2 or .3. A 3.5 network rating would be the largest audience they have had in # of viewers for any show for a long time but still they finished fourth in the ratings. Interesting to see if the next one is in prime time or if it gets put back in the Saturday Night Live spot. Loved the Street Fight & the JBL/Austin segment!
(edited by numbskull on 19.3.06 1511)
3.5 wouldn't be that great, actually - I'm pretty sure their RAW ratings are pretty close to that when you translate them into "network" numbers from "cable" numbers.
Zap2it (zap2it.com) reports a 2.9 first hour, so that second hour must have been a big improvement, but it sounds like the 18-34 crew that WERE watching TV were watching the NCAA tournament over on CBS.
Maybe more telling, let's see NBC's ratings for LAST Saturday:
They were #1 for all four periods, so fourth place probably wasn't what they were hoping for. Still, would anything else counterprogrammed against the hoops have done any better?
(RAW 3/6 - 3.2 first hour, 3.4 second hour; Smackdown 3/10 2.6 overall)
Man did it sound good to hear good Ole' JR again. I didn't realize how bad Styles has been about playing up the storyline side till I heard Jim again last night. He may have some cheesy catch phrases but he sure makes things seem a bit more exciting.
Stone Cold looked totally trashed. I don't think I have ever seen him that bad before. He could barely even keep a straight face.
SNME was the first time I have seen Kurt Angle since he left Raw (I work during SD!). And boy has he lost ALOT of muscle. Looks like WWE is serious about the drug testing. Most people probably haven't noticed due to seeing him every week. I was amazed really that he was even the same guy.
"They're all losers, either by birth or by choice." - Jack Parkman (Major League 2)
I loved the feel of the show. It felt like a special event. I loved JBL as Earl on NBC with his list.
Has there been ANY explanation as to why the fired JR just shows up and announces like nothing happened?
I am very disappointed in the Undertaker/Mark Henry build. I want to be convinced that the heel has a chance of ending the streak. Henry is kind of doing the "I'm not scared" thing, but I'm just dying for the heel to no-sell the whole Undertaker thing to shake things up. When the "bong" sounds, laugh and shrug their shoulders, attack him when he's at the corner turning on the lights, take a dump in his cowboy hat or something. I like Undertaker, but he is way too dominant.
Good show. Nice to see Austin, Foley, etc. Are we ever going to see The Rock again? What about the whole speech of "I'm going to do movies, but I'll never forget my roots..." thing?
(edited by dwaters on 20.3.06 0857) "Abraham Lincoln once said, "If you are a racist, I will attack you with The North"," -Michael Scott, The Office