Congrats to WCW. After two weeks of unopposed action on the East Coast, they finally moved up in the ratings. I guess you can say hell just froze over. I guess it's safe to say that the 3 tier cage match really helped the interest of WCW. Now I wouldn't just be cheering yet WCW, because the WWF was indeed pre-empted for 2 weeks on the East Coast. Some of the disoriented WWF fans, who wonder why US Open tennis was on instead, will realize that their WWF show is back on. But at any rate, good job WCW, but don't get too cocky yet....why?
I felt that Nitro was terrible! Looking at my email, many internet polls, and just other columns about Nitro, it was pretty much agreeing with me. If there was ever a show to scare away any viewers from ever coming back, well, last night's show was it! I thought there were no good matches at all, and the wedding took too much time....at both times. The ratings for the wedding is very funny though. The first segment, where RIC FLAIR(ratings draw!) was arrested scored a huge rating, while the second wedding, where Stacy or whatever announced that David wasn't the father(again, so predictable) didn't do anything for the ratings.
I don't know, if you are going to have 2 decent weeks of shows that could take away viewers, then you should follow it up with a loaded show, shouldn't you? Maybe it was loaded, but just didn't come across as hoped?
As for the WWF...competition makes them fierce! The WWF puts on their best shows when somebody kicks them in the ass every once in a while, and I'm sure this past Nitro will do it. The WWF better haul ass on the next show anyway since it will be the final USA show. It will be much tougher since the stupid and slow judge in Delaware can't understand how to announce that the USA appeal has been thrown out.
NOW is the time that WCW must press on. WCW has a pay per view this week, so they must do something SHOCKING there, and they must put on a very strong Monday Night show to really put the pressure on the WWF, and gain some extra ratings when the WWF makes their switch to TNN. If WCW somehow keeps this small surplus of viewers from the WWF, it could grow to a bigger number during the TNN switch.
It's very scary that forces like the US Open and the WWF's switch to Viacom will be very helpful to WCW. This is indeed the last ditch chance for WCW to ever come through in this wrestling war. Why? Once the WWF is on TNN and that it's well known that they are on TNN, WCW will NEVER be handed another opportunity again. WWF will practically rule TNN, and do whatever the hell they want.
So Russo, use your thinking cap well for next week. Don't blow this opportunity, or your job and the rest of the jobs at WCW may be in jeopardy.
On the Lower End front, WWF Sunday Night Heat lost to Nitro, in head to head competition, but it did gain in viewership, thanks to the pre-emption of the US Open. Heat, I guess, is slowly moving toward the 3.0 area, which it usually averages. This show's ratings, along with Superstars and Livewire, go up when the demand for the WWF product rises. I guess you could say the demand, right now, is neither high or low.
Which means that the 1.3s for Livewire and Superstars were decent ratings for both shows. I did watch Livewire this week, and man, was it terrible! Johnathan Coachman is a terrible host, in my opinion, as he made my Smackdown catching-up unpleasant. Maybe Superstars isn't a bad show overall...
ECW on TNN had another good 1.0 rating this week. By the way, I too have seen some ECW commercials on TNN lately. Flipping around or watching whatever on TNN, I have seen an ECW commercial pop up here or there. I guess you could say IT'S ABOUT TIME. It's sad that TNN would start doing this with only 2 more ECW on TNN shows remaining. Those damn pricks.
Poor WWF will have to deal with TNN now. However, TNN will probably kiss the WWF's ass since they were the top rated cable show, and they will probably save TNN from letting old re-runs and Rollerjam run the station into the ground.
A big ol' Congrats to bBb on being the latest to join the Phat Pharm Hall of Fame and on to the Main Page! Wednesdays are his column days on the Phat Pharm, so he happened to debut on the Main Page today! So you can read his first column on the Main Page by CLICKING HERE. Like the other Phat Pharmers who have left me, it will be hard to update the Pharm without putting up a Superbook on a Wednesday.
Remember, if you want to join the Phat Pharm, as I will have 3 spots open, email PhatPharm@lordsofpain.net with your sample columns to get evaluated. Any emails sent to me will be discarded, as my regular account gets flooded with emails as it is.
Big News at the Wrestle Palooza Audio Show today, as Dr. Death Steve Williams will be their guest on the show later this afternoon!!! Be sure to check out the show later today for that!!
WRESTLE PALOOZA AUDIO SHOW!!!
@That's all for today's edition. I'll be back tomorrow with more PDC to go around, so just chilll...till the next episode.
BACKYARD BBQ: Backyard Wrestling at its Best!!
Take Care, and Thanks for Reading.