Instant Reaction - WWE Raw 2/6
By Benjamin Tucker, PWTorch TV specialist

Overall Score - 5.5

A couple of weeks ago, Chris Jericho made his return and did so by not saying a word. Instead, he pandered to the crowd incessantly before randomly leaving. This was praised by many people as being so genius. Myself, an original opposer to the segment, started to get more interested in it every week. And, what did it lead to? Pretty much nothing. Jericho's back and the same he was before, the only difference this time being a slightly different motif and a sparkly jacket. In other words, this "genius" storytelling lead to nothing. Disappointment ensues. Don't get me wrong - I love Jericho's old character. At the same time, the whole thing feels like a waste of time. Was anything gained from Jericho not talking? Not really. The other options for his character to explore would've been much more interesting. And, also, Jericho's right - a lot of the heels on the roster have taken and modified his schtick. So, why is he going to do the exact same thing? Won't he just get lost in the shuffle eventually, like Miz currently has? The segment as a whole wasn't bad. Punk's non-response was fine, Jericho's overall promo was coherent and good, etc. But, like the show in general, it was disappointing.

Let's continue. I thought Triple H's opening segment with Undertaker was one of the stronger points of the show. Sure, for a while it seemed as if WWE was slogging through a video package marathon, but the videos did set the tone to their feud very well. The Bryan-Show match that followed was okay, but it wasn't anything new, especially with the match itself. Hasn't Bryan reversed Show's power moves into the same submission holds in practically every match they've had? Just a little odd.

As for the Smackdown Chamber tag match, well... Khali pinned Cody Rhodes clean. That should never happen. Do people really think that Khali may win the match? Why would they even job out Cody when Khali was just going to eat an RKO seconds later? The entire segment didn't do much overall, except get the guys some exposure, which I guess worked well enough in the end.

The Cena vs. Kane announcement was odd, too. Why did Cena not have any real segment on the show? Normally, he gets overexposed on the shows, but he (and Kane) were barely on tonight, which took away a lot of heat from their feud (even though I do distaste it).

The Six-Pack Challenge to end the show was fine for what it was, but wasn't spectacular. The final minutes were entertaining, but it ended up being just a little better than average, like the overall show itself. There were some decent moments, but, at the same time, segments like Jericho's promo really disappointed me big-time. Maybe I had too high of expectations, but it feels like more could've been done.

Any questions or comments? Follow me on Twitter at BTuckertorch, or e-mail me at btuckertorch@aol.com.

[Torch art credit Travis Beaven (c) PWTorch.com]

We suggest these recent related articles...

10/5 WWE Raw Hits & Misses: Natalya vs. Paige, Owens vs. Cara, Stephanie McMahon, Sasha Banks, Xavier Woods

COLLECTIBLES COLUMN: The History of Foam Hands in Pro Wrestling

9/28 WWE Raw Hits & Misses: Kane's Split Personality, Divas Revolution, Heyman & Big Show, Reigns vs. Wyatt