-- WWE Raw Reax 2/13

Chris of Concord, N.H. (5.5 heartbreaks out of 10): I really only watched Raw to see HBK in the ring again. Outside of that, I was pretty disappointed with the show as a whole. The opening "debate" angle, although having a few clever lines, felt overdrawn and out of place. We get it, WWE Creative, it’s debate season. Way to be clever. Also, does anyone else feel really bad for Zack Ryder? I mean, the poor guy spends months trying to get over with his YouTube show, Twitter page, and petitions, all in the hope of finally being noticed by WWE brass. So, after all that hard work, he ends up in a program where he gets murdered by Kane on a weekly basis. #areyouseriousbro! ... On a lighter note, who didn't get excited when HBK came out? The man has been off TV regularly for over a year now and he still hasn’t lost a beat. It’s a shame he can’t be put in control over the creative direction of WWE. At least he has the ability to tell an interesting and worthwhile story. Finally, Michael Cole is the reason I watch Raw muted.

Frank of Anaheim, Calif.: (3.5/5.0): Wow, I feel that WWE has become a soap opera. This episode had debates, friendships being tested, love, and betrayal. I thought the debate was funny. Just watching Punk's facial reactions was priceless. The Jericho vs. Kingston match was iffy given that they fought twice in Abu Dhabi. Overall, I thought the "Chamber opponents" matches were not good... Eve and John sharing a moment of love. That was a major curveball, and I kind of saw it coming because Cena is always there for Eve. I think WWE is finally going somewhere with the internal conflict of Cena. The Ryder injury, though, I saw it coming, too.

954, PWTorch reader (4.0): Best: Punk vs. Miz, HBK-Triple H talk. Worst: Cena-Kane segments. It's hard to believe that just two weeks ago, Raw had me glued to my TV so that I could see what would happen next. Two short weeks later, Raw has me wondering what else is on TV. The overall show and the matches felt secondary tonight. And, for what, a "debate?" Also, the Cena-Kane story turning from a goofy hero vs. campy villain story into a bad soap opera? I can say without any uncertainty that this week's Raw did absolutely nothing to convince me to order Elimination Chamber this Sunday. Hopefully, the shows leading up to Mania won't have the same effect.

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 or email us at pwtorch@gmail.com.

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

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