Riot 580: Breaking Point!

[Mr.Sensation]

http://ocwfed.tv/recapshow/Riot/riot2k21.png

Whole Lotta Show!

[Quartz]

WORDS (only reviewing RPs as we get plenty of eyes on the videos, aside from my own obviously.)

 

- H2O starts the show in catering where he belongs. He hints at a rematch with DOC, as they had a solid feud a few years ago leading into their team-up last year. Tony is more interested in a champ vs champ match, which booking is DEFINITELY making happen in 2K22! Still, knowing what I know later in the show, I'm curious where Doc and H2O go from here, because a THREE WAY DANCE would make my pants wet.

 

- Hyper Mantis Red edgelords away in his apartment, name dropping several people he's had run ins with recently. Taking a liking to the pacing and dialogue in Mantis promos, but it appears we're headed on a collision course between Mantis and TLB, the one we didn't get after he killed him. Have to see if TLB is as interested, though.

 

- Sanctum continuing their upward momentum in a backstage promo. Sheldon's words seemed to hit a tad harder for me in this one, directed most pointedly at their upcoming opponents in The Wrestling Club. Fraser provides the veteran lore dump which is necessary here and it doesn't go too long. I think Fraser's lines could do with some grammar/pacing checks here or there. It reads a tad clunky as is and making the reader double back to see "what did he say" can take them out of it a little bit. Nothing major, but something to consider.

 

- THE WHO IS A NICE GUY, A CALM GUY, AND HE'S FRIENDS WITH DRAGO CESAR SO YOU SHOULD LIKE HIM MORE.

 

- Interesting. Stalker Harvey follows up on his convo with dominion m8 Tony Everrett by coming to their room. More antagonistic behavior, but much more aggressive than earlier. Harvey has tons of history with Nate and Rust, so it's no surprise they are not fans of each other. I like this arc so far, with Harvey scouting the backstage area for new opportunities without leaving any of his own past on the table.

 

- P3! You know the drill! Go read it and have a laugh!

 

- Ashley and Harri's escapades continue pre-match, with Harri seemingly more interested in entertaining the fans and being front and center than winning a match. Ashley being number one bitch in modern day OCW, I'm sure she's eventually going to have an issue with that, but we will see. ETIQUETTE, ETIQUETTE!

 

- OWEN with a GREAT promo tonight, directed at Cort Marshall. Owen appears to keep landing himself in situations where folks don't want help against a common evil. I especially love the directedness here and OWEN's use of the Morrison Method to set the scene and use body language in text form. I was in there on this one. Good stuff.

 

- Back to back excellent writing here with Colin's Stacy Clark segment. In addition to his great use of Morrison Method setting the scene and making you feel like you're watching a real segment, he turns his "haha I'm funny look I'm meta" schtick into a more serious light, showing that he wants to drive and move forward with more than gimmicks or scoops. Love it.

 

- Stacy is busy tonight, finding Chris Baxter, new HOFer. Accomplishes a lot in short time. I think this one works for pacing, as it reads a lot like a speech instead of a written document. The grammar and such could be a little better but I'm nitpicking. I wasn't re-reading anything. It covers the run in with Mantis, more world building, which I love, and acknowledges the HOF induction. These promos covering more than just "I exist" are essential to have a presence.

 

- YES! MAXXED OUT! Holy cow, another great example of using the "narration" or bolded parts to set the scene and tell a story. Maxx covers a lot of ground with this one and even puts over other folks in OCW, something not often seen outside of feuds within a bubble. The mishap at the end with Mark Reese's theme playing helps add to the Maxx aesthetic and the fact Mark was there behind him the same way Justin Tucker was last year... That is very interesting for the future, especially with Mark being embroiled with TWC/Elliott Parker/other things right now.

 

- Marcus McMichals returns with mostly a "presence" promo. Nothing hugely established as of now in terms of future intentions, but we get to see more about Marcus and who he is/what drives him. His line about Harvey taking days off could be interpreted as making excuses, OR importantly, it could be a way to show how his pops and others around him have influenced him in potentially negative ways, causing him to go down the path opposite Harris Turner, who at this point have to be connected at the hip for their future in OCW bc of the S-Cup.

 

I did read it that way, seeing this as a thing where Marcus is a bit of a guy who has had the weight of the world on his shoulders and is just trying to meet expectations. This is a level of nuance that allows characters to evolve and I'm all for it.

 

- Dominion is all over this show, which is a good thing. Doc follows up on his loss to Nate by disgusting means, alongside Tony who continues his great promo work from Season 16. The story has clearly shifted once again in Dominion, to "where is Nate's head at??". This happened with Danny and Rust last year before reconciling and now with DOC back, it seems Tony is conflicted.

 

I will say, one thing that really leans itself to this story is the ABSENCE of Nate. Normally I'd say everyone should be around, but I think Nate being this overwhelming force looming over these storylines (both Harvey earlier and this one here) is ominous and helps his presence as this larger than life force these guys Doc and Antonio are trying to decipher. That said, a face-to-face showdown next week on Turmoil??? LETS GO! That's how you sell a show.

 

- Short and sweet promo from Christian Garcia, really leaning into his own beliefs and by very nature, being able to shift to a more sympathetic figure. References to the history between he and Ross is great, because it's something that I felt people don't pay enough respect to. Keep doing that, even as brief as it was. This also helps CG's motives as we have seen several backstage and in-ring PHYSICAL confrontations between the two (and will again in the ME). If these are overdone without explanation over and over again, it can get really tired and overdone. These promos giving some context as to why this physicality is present help lessen that a bit, so I appreciate this.

 

- hehe, harri got the bucket on her head. TerraMiSue on top.

 

- Cort responding to OWEN, leaning into a bit of a character shift from his Hollywood USA days since Jehst is gone, now. This reads to me as a bit of a more serious, "prove it" Cort Marshall. One that not only recognizes the doubts being levied against him, but also one that acknowledges them openly, which helps new viewers understand what kind of character he is. While still leaning very much face alongside OWEN, both men are put in situations where you can understand their respectful problems with one another. Match coming up on Ambition, which should help tell us where this goes from here.

 

3 more shows for OCW for 2K19. Let's get some love for the storytelling and effot put in week and and week out. I can't write reviews like this every week but the RPs are just as important as anything else and (as I mentioned in this post) are so pivotal in helping to flesh out stories that make these matches mean so much to us. Make sure you read the words (it's reall ynot that much) every week and drop a few lines in here if you can.

 

It makes Jay smile and it's worth it for no other reason than that, honestly.

[B-17]

Greene vs. Deaver

 

3

 

Siddhant vs. Mark Reese

 

3.92

 

Debbie D & Mina V. vs. Moore Etiquette

 

3

 

KD vs. Owen

 

2.85

 

Alastair Ross vs. Nate Ortiz

 

3.85

 

Segment of the night

 

Colby's Gold Mic