Thoughts on ECW

You know, I think writing a post that doesn't concern movies or the script is going to be tough. I haven't done that in a while, but I think I can knock one out.

So ECW is halfway through their twelve-week contract with the Sci-Fi Channel, and I wouldn't be surprised if Sci-Fi extended the contract when it comes up for renewal. From all appearances, the show is one of the highest rated programs on the network, so it would make sense to keep it on. High ratings equates to higher advertising revenue, so Sci-Fi would be stupid to cancel a hit show just three months into its run.

But I didn't come here to talk about ratings. I wanted to talk about the show's lackluster writing. It's obvious that WWE has pegged ECW to be its C-level show, but that doesn't mean the writers have to half-ass everything. It's taken them this long to finally set up feuds and make that dumb stripper's segments be worth something. I'll admit that I couldn't do much better, but do we really need stupid characters like a stripper when we know we'll never see the goods as long as the show is on basic cable? Do we need a vampire and a tarot card reader that never do anything? Come on, WWE, throw me a bone.

There isn't much that can be done with what is essentially 45 minutes of air time after commercials, but they could at least give certain recurring segments the week off once in a while in order to put other things over. Why not give the Knox/Sandman/Kelly thing some time off and debut CM Punk, Shannon Moore, or the vampire?

And why spend so much time feuding with Raw and Smackdown? It makes ECW's whole roster look week if wrestlers from Raw and Smackdown are coming in every week to challenge for the ECW title. Aren't there any ECW guys who deserve a title shot? The whole ECW vs. WWE thing is going to get old, unless this whole thing with Paul E., Dreamer, and Test is just a setup to build Dreamer as the next contender for the title.

I want the new ECW to succeed, I really do. And with ECW getting a pay-per-view event in December, I don't see them falling off the radar until at least after the new year, if they do at all. I've also accepted that we'll never have the old ECW back, though I still have faith that WWE's ECW can improve and become decent, watchable TV.

I hope so, anyway.