I often wish WWE would offer up character angles that were a little more toothsome, a bit less flimsy.  Complexity is good, but it requires a backbone of logic to pack a real punch (NPI-lol). Ever watch great movies of the 40'sand 50's? Most had no special effects, were in black and white and bare bones in terms of passamenterie and window dressing. Yet, they are as compelling today as they were then. Why? Characters. Great characters, enhanced by witty, logical, intelligent dialogue: flirty without being campy, snappy without being juvenile. What is entertaining hasn't changed all that much over time.  The characters that move us may metamorphosize, but in the end, in WWE, as in the rest of the world, there only seven stories.  Its the characters that make those stories live and breathe over and over.

Its why Jack Sparrow - that sparkling, devilish, rogue with his astucious phrases - was instantly beloved. I wish Chris Jericho had even a shadow of that script. He keeps trying to make Rey Mysterio out to be a hypocrite hampered by his mask who requires the salvation that only revelation can bring. Yet, Jericho respects him in the ring.  CJ nails that latter part and it comes thorugh effectively, perhaps because its the most honest aspect of this whole odd angle. The rest gets a trifle thin.  If Rey's such a good wrestler, what is this salvation supposed to accomplish? As CJ obviously stumbles trying to explain, its clear that the concept is rather flimsy.  I hate when this happens.  It just confuses everyone, fans, wrestlers...the only one who escapes scott-free is Jim Ross, bless him!!! (Greetings to the Resistol from the Stetson). And it makes Jericho look like a misguided ecumenical, which is a waste of a guy who has all the earmarks of a great heel.

I wonder what Gail Kim would be doing now if she'd been given the opportunity call McCopycat out as a paper champion, who'd beaten no one of consequence during her title reign and who is the top diva on SD only because everyone else who could wrestle either retired or got traded. How would that be for some feudal  flint and tinder? (Anyone want to say that last five times fast? Hah!!)

Where would Brian Kendrick (who?) be if he got to show a real personality? I mean one other than his ridiculous low calorie version of RKO.  That heel turn was ill-conceived and did not suit him, but he has all the tools in the ring.  I loved him with London.  He's been forgettable ever since.  He's too cute to be a heel, but he can act (don't believe me? Check out his early-years bit as a messenger boy from Big Show, bringing a singing telegram to the Undertaker. Comedic brilliance on both sides. (And a lovely chokeslam as a bonus for anyone who digs up the vid.)) He needs something like that again. Maybe not today, manybe not tomorrow..but soon, and for the rest of his career. Until then,  he'll always have London. (Yes, that last was tongue-in-cheek for those of you not up on your Casablanca script.)

So c'mon WWE - have yourselves a movie night, black & white style. Take some notes. And take your game up a notch. Savvy?