[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]Our 4th of 5 Tough Enough S1 reviews!
Pilot review: OSWreview.com/tough-enough-pilot
Episodes 2-3-4 review: OSWreview.com/tough-enough-s1e2-3-4
Episodes 5-6-7 review: OSWreview.com/tough-enough-s1e5-6-7
To recap: with Darryl gone, the show’s declined – even a Pat Patterson payday didn’t help, but Kurt Angle had a great speech. We’re down to 2 women (Nidia and Taylor) and 5 men (Maven, Nowinski, Josh Matthews, “Josh lookalike” Chris, and Greg.)
EPISODE 8 “Dropping Like Flies” with The Hardyz & Lita![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]• This is the injury episode – The gang learn powerslams and Greg’s worried about the previously herniated disc in his back. I’m shocked that didn’t exclude him during the signup process. He tweaks it on an arm drag, and must stop and get X-Rayed.
• Josh picks up a bone bruise on his hip, which is a minor bone fracture that causes bleeding in or directly around the bone.
• With only two girls left, everyone’s aware it’s down to Taylor and Nidia. Nidia picks up a leg injury, and Taylor pulls ahead in training.
• It’s the HARDYZ! and Lita, who isn’t introduced for some reason. Jeff is wearing leopard print slacks. Yes.
• Their speech is mostly in the DVD extra. Matt does most of the talking going through how they were fans, dissecting and trying to figure out moves and getting signed at 19 and 16 respectively (Jeff was told just to say 18); that dedication will drive you to succeed. Lita dismissed wrestling going up until learning more about how wrestlers manipulate viewers emotions and thoughts. (She left out how she gained a notoriety of how she paid for wrestling school despite having no money! Spoiler, her mouth!)
• The show is left with Nidia getting used to the pain and recovering whilst Greg looks like he’ll have to quit.
• Oddly Taz is absent in this episode, even in the background.
Overall, blah. Aside from getting to hear Attitude-Era Hardyz talk I wouldn’t recommend.
EPISODE 9 “The Vicious Circle”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]• Greg gets positive news that it’s just a sprain, and can continue unless the MRI says otherwise.
• They drop a “CK” reference for Chris and leave it at that. (It’s explained in the next episode)
• We learn of THE CIRCLE GAME: making a circle with your hand and holding it below your waist, and getting someone to view it. Al Snow, Maven and Nowinski have a bet (Al, the crafty veteran, showed him a picture of him of him with two circles). Nowinski loses and has to go around Yale dissing Harvard. It feels like they’re hazing a guy who’s already gotten a job in WWE.
• They’ve also dropped the “Nowinski is a dick” storyline. He finds it difficult to turn off ‘work mode’ when he gf visits for the weekend.
• Josh Matthews – he was made for the 90s, brah. Check out the metal bead necklace, frosted tips and surfer look. His girlfriend Jane visits and although initially happy, blows up at him, not wanting to be a WWF wrestler’s wife. They leave it on a rocky note. By the way, their shirts match. That can’t be a coincidence.
• Maven looks to have conjunctivitis (pink-eye). If true he shouldn’t be allowed wrestle anyone for 10 days!
• The MRI results are in. It turns out not only was Greg mis-diagnosed (he actually had 2 herniated discs) he now has a small third herniation, so he has to quit (he needs spinal surgery to continue) and says his goodbyes. Well done sir, you raised my hopes, and dashed them quite expertly!
• Taz is gone in this episode too. Hmm!
Wrestlers travel a lot and have tons of free time on their hands, the circle game is a perfect time-waster. Sadly another make-shift episode until we get to the final episodes.
EPISODE 10 “Timing is Everything” with Mick Foley[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]• Chris’s nickname “CK” is explained: Career Killer, because of the mistakes he makes in the ring, ranging from blowing spots and inadvertantly knocking heads. He’s told his problem is he keeps “anticipating” ie telegraphing the moves ahead of physically doing them, messing the timing. Al loses his temper when a botched headlock takedown could’ve injured him. They don’t mention him injuring Tori until the finale.
• IT’S MICK FOLEY! Commissioner Foley . In a DVD extra, he reads from his Foley is Good biography, and playfully insults Al & Taz (recalling a casting call for a Seinfeld commercial, Taz wouldn’t go easy on him, saying “Seinfeld is taking his chances”. He reads Taz as 5’7″, 270 lbs. Come on, that’s bollocks. He’s Triple H’s weight?
• I could listen to Foley for hours, a really likeable guy. He admits it’s possible yet very difficult to have a family, but you’ll miss out on your child’s first words and steps. How you use moves is more important than knowing moves, but you need to know ’em as others do, so you don’t have an “all time four fingered stinker”.
• Maven (who’s been in the background in general) finally gets focus, his mom has bone marrow cancer and has gotten a little worse. He’s able to get some time off and see her. Maven’s complexion comes from having a white mom and black dad. He approaches this as he does his training, with his positive, calm and professional demeanour, it’s no wonder he got so far in this show. No drama. He has a quiet chat with Josh about his worries. Seeing this, it must be so difficult to pretend to be natural with multiple cameramen, boom mic and assistant filming you.
• Meanwhile, the rest of the gang have some zany fun rock-climbing. Josh kills it. They adjust to being without Maven’s positive influence and draw him some letters (like children do for astronauts).
• Despite doing really well, Josh says he’s thinking about quitting, which sounds like real TV garbage.
• The gang talk smack behind ‘big suck up’ Nowinski’s back, as he has a Tazz tee. Don’t knock it, it’s a great t-shirt!
• Chris says he’s lost something (while boom mic guy wanders into shot) and Al parlays him quitting into the show’s catchphrase “you’re saying you’re not tough enough”. Hey, fuuuuuuuuck you! Chris leaves and there’s barely any goodbyes; like everyone was secretly happy too see the back of him. Tell me a lieeeee! Say that you won’t go!
Same as the last two, best part is the interview. Maven sounds like a real lovely guy. Thankfully this lull is over and next time we’ve the last 3 episodes of TE!
That’s it! Thankfully after this we’re gearing towards the end so things heat up! Final episodes of Tough Enough S1 coming soon! Screengrabs from episodes 8-9-10:[/vc_column_text][vc_gallery type=”flexslider_fade” interval=”10″ images=”2766,2767,2768,2769,2770,2771,2772,2773,2774,2775,2776,2777,2778,2779,2780,2781,2782,2783,2784,2785,2786,2787,2788,2789,2790,2791,2792″ onclick=”link_image” custom_links_target=”_self” img_size=”full”]tricker[/vc_gallery][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]
Latest on OSW:
• RAW & Triple H interview thoughts: OSWreview.com/raw-feb2-aitch-interview
• Wrestling News Packet (Feb 1st): OSWreview.com/2015feb1st
• OSW latest episode updates: OSWreview.com/updatejan29
• Royal Rumble 2015 & RAW review: OSWreview.com/rumble2015andraw
• Royal Rumble 2014 match review: OSWreview.com/rumble2014[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Leave a Reply