WWE Smackdown Report Card - Barnett grades The Undertaker and Triple H, Edge and Alberto Del Rio, Cody Rhodes and Rey Mysterio segments, and the overall show


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WWE Smackdown Report Card - Barnett grades The Undertaker and Triple H, Edge and Alberto Del Rio, Cody Rhodes and Rey Mysterio segments, and the overall show
Mar 12, 2011 - 02:25 PM


By Jake Barnett

The purpose of this editorial concept is to rundown the latest edition of WWE Smackdown by highlighting the three top angles on the show, list where I think they succeeded and where they failed, and give it a final letter grade in the traditional grade school format. I will also give the overall show a letter grade. The following Report Card pertains to the March 11 edition of Smackdown.

Angle 1: World Heavyweight Champion Edge and Alberto Del Rio

This Week’s Successes: Their angle opened the show, and Edge and Del Rio both delivered excellent promos leading up to the violence that closed the segment. Brodus Clay is an excellent addition to Del Rio’s act, as they both have intimidating heel presences that translate well on screen. The return of Christian has added given Edge and Christian fans more of a reason to pay attention to this angle, and Christian has played his role with the competence and energy of a well rested veteran. Del Rio has totally embraced his character, and it shows through in his physical mannerisms, his facial expressions, and his promo style.

Edge continues to show why the WWE has confidence in him as a long term champion. His intensity and promo style lends itself well to feuding with an overconfident young heel, and every time they have battled verbally has been an example of textbook execution. This was no different.

This Week’s Failures: As a huge fan of Edge and Christian's work together over the years, it was disappointing to see their return cut so short, especially when it was the Main Event of a two-hour broadcast. And while I do like what Christian has done since his return, I think they should move him away from Edge and establish him in his own angle heading towards mania, unless they plan on sewing some dissension between them very soon. Christian is what Jim Ross refers to as a "Big Time Player", and he deserves his own program.

Final Grade: B+

Angle 2: The Undertaker and Triple H over The Streak

This Week’s Successes: Triple H cut a very good promo this week, and managed to do it without burying the entire roster. The audience is psyched about the opportunity to see this match, and they have been responding in a big way to both guys since they returned on Raw a few weeks ago. The Undertaker was absent on the show tonight, but I think this might actually be a good thing. The less time these guys spend in face to face confrontations with each other, the bigger the moment will feel at WrestleMania when they finally lock horns.

This Week’s Failures: The only thing I can really say negatively about this angle this week was the fact that WWE hasn’t really given us any indication of who to cheer for yet. I understand these guys are both legends and are both returning from injury, but I keep hoping that we are going to see somebody take the stance of the aggressor. So far, these guys have spent a lot of time talking about how legendary they both are, and I think it’s difficult for casual watchers of WWE TV to take a side. Hopefully they end up playing on The Undertaker retiring Triple H’s best friend, so we at least have a motive to understand why ending the streak is so important to him.

Final Grade: B

Angle 3: Cody Rhodes vs. Rey Mysterio

This Week’s Successes: I was impressed by Cody Rhodes this week, and it was for the little things more than anything else. He has done a superb job of selling his "injury." As I mentioned in the live report, it is oddly reminiscent of how Kane sold his unmasking years ago on Raw. He saw himself as horribly disfigured, and nobody else saw anything. It’s archetypal narcissism, and it’s refreshing to see one of WWE’s young guns pull it off so well. Rhodes’s mannerisms are subtle and very effective at establishing the change in his character. There really isn’t much to say in regards to Rey Mysterio this week. He was passable on the mic in response to Rhodes, and he’s always solid in the ring.

This Week’s Failures: Rhodes wrestled his match with JTG in a suit, which always bothers me because it immediately lets you know that this match means nothing. I understand JTG is the resident jobber on Smackdown, but it just bugs me when not even the wrestlers in the match take it seriously. It was also odd that after Mysterio responded to Rhodes and set the match for WrestleMania, that Rhodes didn’t take any opportunity to respond at all. Hopefully this means we get a longer promo from him on Smackdown next week, but it seemed out of place that he would demand an answer from Mysterio and then not say anything after he got his wish.

Final Grade: B-

Overall Show Grade: B-

Overall Show Comments: The other angles on this show are floundering. The Corre has quickly fallen away from relevance as they continue to feud with Kane and Big Show, in what can only be called a confusing and boring set of circumstances. I have no idea why I’m supposed to care about this feud. We saw LayCool set aside some of their differences, but we still don’t have any idea what the Divas are doing at WrestleMania. The John Cena interview was much better than anything we’ve seen recently from him, and Michael Cole continues to shine in his new role. This show was a mixed bag at times, but I think this week the good outweighs the bad, so I feel pretty confident in giving the show a better than average grade.

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