[scrilla]

I like the documentary style myself. It's just a different way of shooting it. It is supposed to be portrayed real that's the thing. Do you sit down and watch your favorite television program thinking man this show is fake why are they pretending this is real? "why is that guy crying that wasn't his real wife that died it was just an actress it's a tv show?" Wrestling is no different and should be portrayed as real. I think the WWE could do the documentary style and make it even more sucessful. Reminds me of the little documentary with Austin leading up to WM19. If I had seen all that shit before the match it would have made it even more huge to me.

As for the whole Kurt Angle/Jarret/Karen thing.. I don't think the angle is 100% bad, but I think they should have capitalized on it a lot longer ago. His kids shouldn't have been involved at the start. What should have happened as a brutal beatdown of Jarrett in a parking lot or some shit with Karen screaming at him and Angle getting suspended for a while, but showing up and kicking Jarrett's ass some more until TNA granted him a match. As the feud got more personal they could have added the kids factor later on maybe. Also Angle may have been portrayed as a gold medalist in the WWE, but that's not all he is. He's a husband and a parent and this angle would just add layers to his character. Personally I think TNA hotshhotted it way too quick though and didn't give it the proper build up it deserved. Either way there were times in the WWE that Qngle was pretty much a joke character which is even worse than what TNA portrays him as. Jarrett/Angle could have been a much hotter and better feud since Jar4ett can actually slow Kurt down so he isn't doing 10 million spots a match. It's a shame it didn't turn out better tbh.

Also I think the matches in TNA are highly unrealistic. Yes I know every wrestling match is unrealistic compared to a fight, but I think the guys do end up getting portrayed as superheroes given the fact that they no-sell and kick out of 5 finishers a match. Anyway I don't think they should be portrayed as super heroes. That's the WWE's thing and TNA should try to remain as different from the WWE as possible. You aren't going to beat a billionaire at his game. Especially with a decade old company against a half a century old company.

Either way I think the documentary style is probably one of the best things to happen to TNA since Hogan/Bischoff came in. I wish TNA could just capitalize on it in other ways with better/consistent booking/writing etc. Yeah I know it isn't up to the WWE's production level, but it makes the product seem more gritty instead of a high school film class trying to immitate the WWE's style.

 

[miles berg]

In 1998 and 1999, when wrestling was at it's peak, it was mostly based on realism. Hogan and the nWo trying to take the company over. Austin taking it out on his boss. It was what sparked the business again.

So, no, I disagree.

 

[Jon Staley]

TNA are providing an alternative to WWE's kayfabe product. If you don't wish to watch a more realistic show then you don't have to, it's as simple as that. That's the beauty of having two different brands in WWE and TNA. Eric Bischoff is the man behind this and he deserves to be commended big-time.

 

[Goatlord]

I'm actually quite into realistic storylines so I don't mind it whether TNA or WWE do it. I love the heavily sacrastic and cynic promos from Jarrett, although I wish the feud was booked more balanced, it can be advanced in other ways then Kurt Angle getting beaten in a foul way every time.

 

[Roler42]

is the actual real life that shallow to the point of making people crave for realism in the fiction world???

the thing with nWo wasn't realistic at all, it didn't take them long before every single member of the roster was a heel member of nWo, how real is that?

plus, do you guys realize you're asking for realism in a "sport" that involves men fighting in their underwear?

you claim the kurt angle feud with the jarets is realistic... tell me, what family court judge would allow the custody of the kids be decided in the result of a wrestling match? and that's without mentioning gimmicks like abyss, the series of casket matches, the kidnaping of random fans... i mean, plants

cookie (as much as i hate her) is supposed to be a female wrestler, are you seriously expecting me to believe that Jwoww could beat wrestlers like rob and cookie just like that? (you know... burying them in the procces as wrestlers)

tell me how is it realistic that 2 guys literally commit a fraud when they make dixie carter sign those contracts and yet they haven't hit the court even thought hey admitted ON AIR that they did steal the company from dixie, how is it realistic that spike tv have no problem with eric bischoff and hulk hogan having robbed the company from dixie carter

how is it realistic that we have a man with a severe brain damage in a tag team with a bisexual rapist who molests his opponents during any match without any sexual harassment lawsuit being filed (because... as far as i know.. rape is illegal)

just think about it... i don't mind the backstage camera angle, but if you or they want to claim that they're "real" or "realistic" then we have a problem, because this business isn't realistic in the slightest and it's appeal comes from how impossible the stuff they do would be in real life

 

[Riddle101]

lol, half the time I hear people on here complaining when the product is being unrealistic and whatnot. But here it's the other way around. TNA are just trying to be realistic because fans will buy into it more if it comes off as realistic. The fact that Kurt Angle and Jeff Jarrett's fued is based off of a real life event, is what makes it sweeter. As Bischoff's book title reads "Controversery creates cash" But my point is realistic = good.

 

[Noel]

People try to find flaws in TNA's product to hide the real truth. Writing is piss poor, advertisement is basically non-existant and the level of production is terrible.

For the record I quite like the backstage "spycam" kind of thing.

 

[Roler42]

lol, half the time I hear people on here complaining when the product is being unrealistic and whatnot. But here it's the other way around. TNA are just trying to be realistic because fans will buy into it more if it comes off as realistic. The fact that Kurt Angle and Jeff Jarrett's fued is based off of a real life event, is what makes it sweeter. As Bischoff's book title reads "Controversery creates cash" But my point is realistic = good.

and tell me, if bischoff's controversy model has worked so well in 2010-2011(currently) why was it announce that dixie's mother would be keeping an eye on the money?

how much money or even better... how much has tna actually grown?

because in 1 year i don't see much difference, and if you're gonna tell me things raised just by 0.1-0.5 then i gotta be honest and tell you that's mediocre

because i remember a certain american hero named hulk hogan saying "i promise you tna will have 3 times it's rating!!"

 

[Riddle101]

is the actual real life that shallow to the point of making people crave for realism in the fiction world???

the thing with nWo wasn't realistic at all, it didn't take them long before every single member of the roster was a heel member of nWo, how real is that?

plus, do you guys realize you're asking for realism in a "sport" that involves men fighting in their underwear?

you claim the kurt angle feud with the jarets is realistic... tell me, what family court judge would allow the custody of the kids be decided in the result of a wrestling match? and that's without mentioning gimmicks like abyss, the series of casket matches, the kidnaping of random fans... i mean, plants

cookie (as much as i hate her) is supposed to be a female wrestler, are you seriously expecting me to believe that Jwoww could beat wrestlers like rob and cookie just like that? (you know... burying them in the procces as wrestlers)

tell me how is it realistic that 2 guys literally commit a fraud when they make dixie carter sign those contracts and yet they haven't hit the court even thought hey admitted ON AIR that they did steal the company from dixie, how is it realistic that spike tv have no problem with eric bischoff and hulk hogan having robbed the company from dixie carter

how is it realistic that we have a man with a severe brain damage in a tag team with a bisexual rapist who molests his opponents during any match without any sexual harassment lawsuit being filed (because... as far as i know.. rape is illegal)

just think about it... i don't mind the backstage camera angle, but if you or they want to claim that they're "real" or "realistic" then we have a problem, because this business isn't realistic in the slightest and it's appeal comes from how impossible the stuff they do would be in real life

You're looking at things too literally. Pro Wrestling is not a sport, it's entertainment. It's just like watching a movie or tv soap opera. It's not real, everyone knows that. To explain your points, you would have to ignore all the inaccuracies in pro wrestling that wouldn't happen in real life because it's just too annoying having to explain it.

But anyway, we know Pro wrestling isn't real, that it's scripted. But TNA tries to stick to reality because fans will relate to it more if it does. Even if it's not real, it dosen't stop TNA from using a tiny bit of reality in their stories.

 

[Kizzo]

Wrestling attempting to be "realistic" is silly to be quite honest. I mean it's 100% FAKE. It's kind of laughable to be honest when they try to go full fledged reality route. I like how WWE presents it's product.. they embrace who they are. Which is a scripted sports entertainment product based on the idea of "wrestling". Wrestling needs to escape reality... because it isn't real.

When people want realism.. they will actually watch a product that is 100% real, and that is the UFC and other MMA incarnations. For wrestling fans UFC is a dream come true... It's a mix of fighting, boxing, and wrestling. They even add some realistic drama and intensity into the fights now. No need to decide who to push, writers, scripted wins/loss, and etc.

When a booker/writer decides who wins or loses, and you need a creative team to develop storylines. You are not a sport. Your product is a Hollywood television show.

 

[Roler42]

You're looking at things too literally. Pro Wrestling is not a sport, it's entertainment. It's just like watching a movie or tv soap opera. It's not real, everyone knows that. To explain your points, you would have to ignore all the inaccuracies in pro wrestling that wouldn't happen in real life because it's just too annoying having to explain it.

But anyway, we know Pro wrestling isn't real, that it's scripted. But TNA tries to stick to reality because fans will relate to it more if it does.

well i get your point buddy, but my problem is that when i think of wrestling i don't think of divorce, custody of children, rape, brain damage, or drunk whores(jersey shore) i don't feel related to that at all

also you didn't see that i called it "sport" and not sport, becuase i know it's not a competitive one, but a scripted one, and that's precisely why this whole "realism" thing is hurting the product in the end

i just hope tna changes that in the near future...

ps. they abused the emotional value of kurt angle's "realistic" storyline, right now it's nothing but a comedy and it pisses me off because a divorce and the events that lead to the decision of who will have the custody of the kids in real life is nothing to laugh at, you can talk with any youngster that has divorced parents and you will see that if you show them this storyline, they won't find it funny or something they can relate to at all

 

[SAL]

I don't understand the notion of realism in this context. Just because Kurt Angle's "real" life was supposedly brought into the show doesn't make it realistic. Having the custody of your children depend on the result of a wrestling match is more unrealistic than the most cartoonish thing WWE has ever done.

 

[Post-Modern Devil]

Why is it that the only degrees of "realism" considered by the IWC is surrealism and cartoonishness.

TNA is surreal in that it goes too far in realism. The promblem of heavy realism in wrestling is that the medium itself demands a limited set of behaviors and emotions of the majority of the characters in order for them to be effective. The issue is these same behaviors demanded of the characters are behavioral attributes that are turn offs towards average people when allowed to mainfest completely, especially from fighters. A deeper look into the majority of TNA characters would essentially reveal the characters to be unsympathetic, apathy inducing jackasses because that's the ONLY end point they can reach unless they're midcarders, comedy acts, or jobbers who can afford not to employ all of the central behavior tenats of professional wrestlers (due to being secondary and tetriary characters).

Just look at real life news coverage surrounding football, baseball, MMA, basketball, and American football stars whenever they mess up. The standard response of the general population is a sense of betrayal and dissapointment. Our like of wrestling superstars starts and stops with seeing them as charismatic badasses on TV. I don't want to see Angle as a broken man on TV, I want to see him suplexing fools and making them tap out. It also doesn't help that the guys involved in the main event scene come off almost as unhinged and immature as the average participants on the Jerry Springer show.

 

[Riddle101]

well i get your point buddy, but my problem is that when i think of wrestling i don't think of divorce, custody of children, rape, brain damage, or drunk whores(jersey shore) i don't feel related to that at all

also you didn't see that i called it "sport" and not sport, becuase i know it's not a competitive one, but a scripted one, and that's precisely why this whole "realism" thing is hurting the product in the end

i just hope tna changes that in the near future...

ps. they abused the emotional value of kurt angle's "realistic" storyline, right now it's nothing but a comedy and it pisses me off because a divorce and the events that lead to the decision of who will have the custody of the kids in real life is nothing to laugh at, you can talk with any youngster that has divorced parents and you will see that if you show them this storyline, they won't find it funny or something they can relate to at all

That's pro wrestling for you. It tends to exploit real life situations for the purpose of telling a story. What your saying is no different, to what we see all the time. Look at Edge, Matt Hardy and Lita, or The Rock and John Cena. It happens because it people will buy into it.

In reference to the last part of the post. Yes they abused the emotional value of Kurt. But it was all part of the story and to make Jarrett look like a heel, and to make Kurt the sympathetic hero. It's an old school trick, wrestlers used to do in the days of the territories, where the heels would get the fans to hate their guts, and want the heros to kick their ass. No doubt if this story were done in the 80's, people would be littering the ring with garbage every week whenever Jarrett walked out. But my point is, while it may seem like it's crossing the line. It also happens to be creating a reaction as well.

 

[muttgeiger]

We have all seen the TMZ style backstage interviews and the REACTION style sit downs...

While TNA thinks they are being innovative, in reality they are hurting their business. Pro Wrestling is NOT REAL and the wrestlers should be presented as such.

Look at Kurt Angle for example,

When he was in WWE he was the Olympic champion and portrayed as a relentless animal.

Right now in TNA however he is a guy fighting his ex-wife and her lover. See my point?

TNA has to stop trying to be realistic and present these guys like Super Man rather than Clark Kent.

Anyone else agree?

I like the documentary style camerawork. Where I will agree with you is I fucking hate the normal name/ no gimmick era. Lets have some characters not boring ass wrestlers. Both companies do it. I'll take a hercules hernandes who swings a chain around any day over husky harris who's gimmick is that he's fat and wears a baseball cap. WTF, how does he ever have a chance to catch on as a character? TNA's not much better, and when they try to create a real character, they come up with overdone, overacted cheeseball shit like abyss.


Although I can't remember angle being a relentless animal in wwe. He was a total goof and it was hilarious. If anything I think TNA has done the 'relentless animal' thing and really dropped the ball with angle, by making one of the most talented, funny guys in the business all serious and boring.

 

[SuperDuperSonic]

In 1998 and 1999, when wrestling was at it's peak, it was mostly based on realism. Hogan and the nWo trying to take the company over. Austin taking it out on his boss. It was what sparked the business again.

So, no, I disagree.

So does Vince Russo, who has been so successful in terms of box-office and art since departing the WWF in 1999.

 

[sharkboy22]

The documentary cam is an eyesore to me. One of the reasons I just couldn't watch TNA. It's really off putting. I've seen better home videos produced in a 4th grade English class. The shaking up and down and up and down and left and right coupled with the grain and blur of the video just gives me a headache. I remember at their September PPV they used it for the matches. Couldn't see one shit!

 

[Adramelech]

Do you sit down and watch your favorite television program thinking man this show is fake why are they pretending this is real? "why is that guy crying that wasn't his real wife that died it was just an actress it's a tv show?" Wrestling is no different and should be portrayed as real.

/thread

Seriously, nothing else to say. TNA is way ahead of the curve with their use of realism and social media. It's one of the things they really have going for them.

Also holy crap at half the people in this thread completely missing the point and thinking that the OP was talking about "realism" in terms of sports. And the guy who thinks UFC doesn't have writers, bookers and promoters controlling their product.

fpalm

 

[sharkboy22]

/thread

Seriously, nothing else to say. TNA is way ahead of the curve with their use of realism and social media. It's one of the things they really have going for them.

Also holy crap at half the people in this thread completely missing the point and thinking that the OP was talking about "realism" in terms of sports. And the guy who thinks UFC doesn't have writers, bookers and promoters controlling their product.

fpalm

MOVE and WRESTLING= TWO DIFFERENT THINGS!

What attracts people to wrestle is that over the top booking and storylines and just that level of unpredictability that makes everything must see.

There's a difference between a "real" storyline and quite frankly whatever the fuck TNA does. Something like Austin/McMahon would be deemed a"real" storyline. The prick of a boss and the frustrated employee that just can't stand the way his boss takes a piss in the morning. Of course most people can relate to this but it's still unbelievable. Who the hecks does all that to their boss and still maintains their job?

TNA just, like with everything else, take everything of context and way too far and just miss the whole point of everything.

Also don't give me that bullshit bout TNA does real well. Abyssamania felt like a flashback to the 80s.