Remember when I said last week was going to be the very last edition of the “old format” for Stars in Progress? Remember when I promised all these big, exciting changes that would revolutionize your Wednesday afternoons? I lied. It’s not happening this week. Here’s more of the classic format, because sometimes life happens, and you run out of time to be a genius.
STEP UP: Nikki Bella
The vocal Nikki Bella continued to separate herself from her “identical” twin sister this week, who opted to sit in a chair and cry for 10 minutes on Monday Night Raw. Brie is playing the part she needs to play – sad, abandoned, lonely sister who doesn’t understand why her whole world is imploding – but it’s Nikki who is shining through.
Look, neither of the Bella Twins are going to win Oscars for their promo ability. Brie had a few good moments in a feud largely carried by the vastly superior Stephanie McMahon, but give her a mic for more than 20 seconds, and it’s channel-changing time. She needs to be the silent protagonist in this feud. The only time I want to hear her cut a promo is when throwing down the challenge for a one-on-one match at Night of Champions.
Nikki was the right girl to take the heel turn. She’s not married to Daniel Bryan, for one. Her relationship with John Cena is a big part of Total Divas, but it’s rarely if ever mentioned on “real” WWE programming. Her lines about Brie’s saving the Earth garbage, her troll-faced husband, wrestling in handicap matches – right on the money. I’d give that long-winded promo about an 85% success rate, with most of the content hitting home, and selling me on the program between the two.
On a side note, is it strange to anyone else that Stephanie McMahon just walked her way out of this program? It’s like, now that Nikki has turned on Brie, the Authority no longer gives a damn about the last several months of drama. All is well. Brie’s contract? Totally reinstated on a full-time basis, no issues. OK then.
