-- 1/4 WWE Raw and TNA Impact Reax

Luke Fleeman of Tulare, Calif. (7.5 Raw): Best Match: DX vs. JeriShow. Worst Match: Maryse vs. Bella. This was a good show, and I mostly enjoyed it. Bret Hart did well on the mic and looked to be in decent condition. They could have used him more, but no reason to burn him out with viewers. I liked his segment with HBK because it shifted the heat to Vince for their feud. The show was paced well, and the matches were pretty good. I could have done without Hornswoggle. I could have done without treating little people like pets. But most of DX was bearable, and I don't mind it. The biggest problem was the show ending so flat. When Vince kicked Bret, there was no suggestion that the feud is continuing, or that Bret would be back. And no conclusion.

Jason Mills of La Crosse, Wis., Independent Record Store Proprietor (8.0 Impact): Ironically as I flipped between Impact and Raw, I passed from TNA showcasing Desmond Wolfe vs. The Pope with the chant of "This is wrestling!" to Raw with a skit involving DX and Hornswoggle. This channel-flipping moment set the pace of both shows. Impact seemed to have trouble getting out of the gate. I don't know if the wrestlers were a bundle of nerves being on live TV, or whether the hype of the night got to them, but the pacing seemed a bit off at times. Still, the matches were progressively better, and, as I expected, A.J. Styles and Kurt Angle tore the house done. Plenty of surprises (Jeff Hardy) made the show very enjoyable and left me wanting more. Decent storytelling with some of the old/new guys (Hall, Nash, Kid, Hogan, etc.) provided decent filler. I'm optimistic that this show will set up the groundwork for more long-term storylines and entertaining wrestling. TNA has a great kicking off point with stars both new and old. Here's hoping they follow through and continue to deliver.

Jason Mills (5.0 Raw): Raw was what it was. It was nice to see the Hitman again, and seeing Bret perform with Michaels and Vince was downright entertaining. Good storytelling there, but the matches surrounding this epic reunion were ho-hum and didn't make me want to tune in next week, much less order a pay-per-view or hit their live event here in town next week. I suppose there's less injury involved in storytelling like that, but having some surprising wrestling moments (say Evan beating Sheamus via DQ or something of the sort) would have been nice. WWE seems to have realized that it needs fresh stars, but fresh stories, stables (with maybe a manager or two?), feuds, twists, and the like would make the show more watchable. The current formula is stale. That being said, I'm left wondering if perhaps the WWE is actually sending help to TNA, much like they used to with ECW. If nothing else, the head-to-head shows brought a great deal of hype to wrestling in general and has hopefully given both organizations a much needed kick in the proverbial pants (I considered the term "a shot in the arm," but then thought better of it).

Joe B., Torch artist: Best on Impact: Styles/Angle, Bischoff promos. Worst on Impact: Clustermess Cage Match. Oh no, h-he's really stuck! He can't climb out! This is Career Homicide! But here comes Jeff Hardy. Wait, wasn't he busted with a gajillion illegal pills and the charges are still pending? 20 minutes of commercials and stalling to have Hogan arrive at the 9 p.m. hour was really lame. Hall looked puffy. They all look old. So did Flair and the Nasty Boys. Bischoff was excellent on the show. Was that really Orlando Jordan...and Val Venis? Hmmm, who else was on that Australian Tour? Christy Hemme was great in her non-wrestling role. I don't watch TNA much, so why was Mick Foley barred? Sting in the rafters - I was having major WCW deja vu. I don't know if that's good or bad, though.

We welcome your 0-10 score and comments on this show for a "TNA TV Reax" feature in the Torch Feedback section of PWTorch.com. Just to add a twist to this feature, include not just your hometown, but also your occupation (mechanic, lawyer, stay-at-home-dad, college student, etc.) so readers get a flavor for what everyone does as "day jobs." To contribute your thoughts on Impact, click here.

We welcome your 0-10 score and comments on this show for a "WWE Raw Reax" feature in the Torch Feedback section of PWTorch.com. Just to add a twist to this feature, include not just your hometown, but also your occupation (mechanic, lawyer, stay-at-home-dad, college student, etc.) so readers get a flavor for what everyone does as "day jobs." To contribute your thoughts on Raw, click here.

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