We have arrived. The end of this lengthy homework assignment is here. For this week we watch this infamous episode of WCW in which the previous version of the show is thrown out and a great risk of rebooting the entire company begins. Twenty five years ago this was one of the most captivating episodes of wrestling we had ever seen. But how does it hold up today?

We are live from Denver and all the fireworks start off this explosive episode. All of the younger, non former world champions are in the ring. More come out as the episode opens. Vince Russo has called this meeting. A lot of faces we haven’t seen in awhile, or at all. No one in the ring is in their wrestling gear. Jeff Jarrett comes out to introduce Vince Russo. Russo’s “Iron Man” music hits. He said he’ll never appear on camera! Oh, if only. Between Jarrett and Russo WWF or related names are said at near a 5-1 ratio over WCW. Way to start fresh putting over your own company. We have our first mention of the “New Blood of WCW”. I feel bad for the people on the opposite side of the ring that are staring at dozens of butts for 20 minutes plus. The Good ole boys network. The Radicalz. Why don’t I switch channels? Hail and – Rick Fuller? Looking very tall in the back. Eric Bischoff says “are you done yet?” We expect fighting but Vince and Eric hug. They list their mistakes like Hall, Nash, Sting, DDP, Sid, and the biggest of all – Hogan. Lex, Liz, DDP, Kim, Sid, and Sting all watch in the back. People who were against each other just two weeks ago. Eric apologizes to everyone in the ring – the New Blood. Brian Knobbs just smiling and nodding along as his best friend/meal ticket is run through the mud.

The Main Event level talent that was watching from the back finally comes out. “For once you showed up for work.” Everyone in the ring is in regular clothes! “No softball, Sid?” Sid has been there every week, usually in the main event! This will now be a “level playing field”. Russo calls out Ric Flair. Russo strips all champions of their titles for what is the new playing field. There is only “one belt left”. Technically we haven’t seen the World, TV, or Cruiserweight titles.

Sid tells Eric to come and get the title. Eric threatens Sid’s wallet and that’s the only reason the champion hands over the titles. Eric asks Sid if he can find his scissors, twice, which means the line did not get the reaction they expected.

There’s a whole lot of sucking up being done in the ring. Watch Van Hammer and Lash LeRoux.

Tony Schiavone, Scott Hudson, and Mark Madden are your announce team.

Hulk Hogan just arrived.

Sting tells Hogan what he missed and both assure the other that they’re not ribbing.

A mini tournament will be held tonight with the winner facing Jeff Jarrett at the upcoming Spring Supreme PPV. Diamond Dallas Page, Sting, Lex Luger, and Sid Vicious will compete tonight. Jeff Jarrett being the most recent United States champion is technically the number one contender. Okay, some logic.

DDP (with Kim) vs Lex Luger (with Elizabeth) in the first match of the tournament.

Both men have their entrance music and lights cut short, implying that the new team in charge are messing with them.

Lex still works well here and continues to show why he was one of the MVP’s of the previous era. Buff Bagwell’s music plays, all of it. Hey, he wasn’t in the ring earlier! Lex is distracted. DDP hits a low blow. Buff hits on Kim. DDP is distracted. Lex attacks. Buff hits on Liz. Lex is distracted. Diamond Cutter. DDP wins.

Hogan looks for Eric.

Curt Hennig just arrived and talks to Russo who makes a match.

Hogan still looks for Eric.

Tank Abbot comes out and says he’s not a “candy ass wrestler”. Really continue to put over your own product this evening. Tank calls out Goldberg and says he will beat people up until Goldberg shows up. Tank also was not in the ring earlier tonight. Tank beats up Mark Madden. Security eventually stops him but neither of the other two announcers call for help, or feel bad for Madden, or show any emotion at all over their peer being assaulted.

Jarrett gets mad at Russo for making a match and Russo says, “do I look like JJ Dillon to you?”

Kidman tells Torrie that he has to do this.

Hogan gets directions from Terry Taylor. Hey, weren’t we told that he was one of the bookers? Why isn’t he getting heat?

Hogan finds Eric’s office and they have a private talk.

Kidman comes out.

The camera crew keeps showing the same hot Asian girl in the crowd. More so than any woman under WCW contract.

Kidman calls out Hogan. Hogan leaves Eric’s office and sees this on a monitor. Hogan comes out and he gets his full music. Interesting. Big size difference between the two. Hogan censors himself and calls Kidman P-whipped. Kidman attacks but Hogan gets control. Hogan trash talks. Eric is out with a chair. Big swerve and Eric hits Hogan with the chair. Eric then counts Kidman pinning Hogan. Hogan’s blatant blade job before the chair hits him is shown over and over again on replay.

Ric Flair arrives in a limo.

Hogan is backstage destroying things.

Flair watches what took place earlier in the night.

The announcers apologize for the words that Hogan said. Multiple people have said “shit” tonight before Hogan talked but there’s no apology for that.

Flair calls out Russo. Scott Steiner comes out to the Steiner Brothers music. Steiner cuts a terrible promo on Flair, complete with fake teeth. Shane Douglas returns and attacks Flair.

Kevin Nash arrives on crutches.

Is that Bret Hart in the crowd? It’s too dark. And in the next scene, yes it is him.

Ric Flair looks for Shane Douglas.

Hey, Mean Gene has found Shane Douglas and conducts an interview.

Sting vs Sid Vicious in the tournament.

Sting gets full music, as does Sid, so that bit lasted long. This is not a bad match but it’s paint by numbers as we wait for something screwy. The Wall comes out. Sid powers out of a two count and Sting lands on the referee. The Wall comes in and hits Sid with a chair. Really felt like timing was off here because Sid powerbombs Sting then the chair shot happens. The Wall choke slams Sid through a table. The ref counts out Sid and Sting gets the win, because someone has to move forward in the tournament.

Did Sting enter and exit to different music?

Flair calls out Douglas.

Hogan throws a giant tub of candy. Hogan beats up 2/3 of 3 Count.

We see scenes from the Hollywood Premier of Ready to Rumble.

Jeff Jarrett vs Curt Hennig.

We’re just waiting. Hey, here comes Shawn Stasiak. Out to Hennig’s old music too. There’s a ref bump. Shawn almost fucks up his finisher spot. Jarrett hits the Stroke for the pin.

Hogan looks for Eric in the Skybox area, and scares kid as he’s still covered in blood.

Flair walks.

Nash is on the phone.

Mean Gene interviews Sting.

Ric Flair vs Shane Douglas.

Hey, fans with signs, it’s Ric, not Rick. Russo comes out. This is the first time “Millionaire’s Club” is said. Russo hits Flair with a bat and hands it to Shane. Russo steals Flair’s watch.

Nash comes out on his crutches and cuts a promo. “What happened to that sweet wrestling show we were doing? Where’s the Dog when you need him?” Nash is great when he wants to be. Nash says Scott Hall is ready to come back. Nash then makes more WWF references. Doing a great job of getting over the other show. All of a sudden, Mike Awesome attacks Nash. This is the most memorable moment of the show for many, and yeah it’s shocking but not a great fight or promo.

Hogan is in his limo and is on the phone with someone, and asks that person to get hold of his attorney. Hogan is going to “eat his ass alive” Long term story telling foreseeing the Bubba the Love Sponge videos. Suddenly a Hummer crashes into the limo. “The white summer is back from last summer.” Must have gone to a great doctor and rehabbed like a MF to come back so early. Eric and Kidman get out of the limo.

Hogan is put on a stretcher. Kidman spray paints NB on Hogan.

DDP (with Kim) vs Sting.

Jarrett comes out and joins commentary. There’s about 12 minutes left of the show. Jarrett complains about the Millionaires, but wouldn’t he be a millionaire at this time as well? Jarrett gets in Kim’s face. This distracts the ref and DDP. Vampiro comes out and attacks Sting. DDP comes back in the ring and hits a Diamond Cutter for the pin. Jarrett swings the guitar at DDP but he moves and Kim takes the hit. Page checks on Kim. This is actually a shocking and well done moment. Kim isn’t used to taking shots from other guys.

DPP carries a limp Kim out of the ring area.

Eric and Vince convince Jarrett to go out and celebrate. There’s been no mention of any other title, and a PPV on Sunday. Jarrett says some things. DDP comes out to attack. Steiner attacks DDP. Lex out to save DDP. Vampiro, Wall, Buff, Sting, Booker, Cat and probably more all come out to fight too. The New Blood stand triumphant. Eric and Vince celebrate on stage. Bret Hart appears behind them and looks at them as the show goes off the air.

This is one of the most famous episodes of WCW Nitro. Top 5 for sure. It was an exciting night to watch live and we all thought maybe WCW was going to turn things around and become an exciting show again. However, after watching months of Nitro and Thunder, and revisiting this with many years of distance and my own growth I can honestly say. This episode is more of the same. It’s smoke and mirrors.

WCW still has issues. We’re going to change everything and push the young talent. Awesome. Who’s wrestling tonight? Um. A bunch of former world champions or someone who is about to be. But you’re going to push the young talent that’s been here right? Nope, we’re going to bring in other people, or bring back talent. The world title will be fought between Eric’s best friend vs Vince’s best friend. The old blood has more TV time than any young talent. The matches still have over booked shitty endings. Sure, some people show up who have been under contract. Almost like a new/old boss came in and told everyone they weren’t allowed to work from home anymore. Probably a boss some of these same Millionaires support. WWF and even ECW talent is put over more than any young talent in WCW.

That said, it is an interesting new story. It’s the illusion of change, but it’s a good illusion. Just like Stan Lee said, illusion of change. But still status quo. However, other than bringing in shock debuts or returns, which could have been done by any other booker, every single person was already here for the past few months. These stories and feuds could have happened if anyone had some ambition. Turning control over to Eric and Vince is an excuse. It’s January 1st. Oh I know I let myself go but I’m really going to try to get better now. You could have started being better any day. WCW could have tried any time. They just didn’t. And, to repeat, this isn’t really trying either. Phoning it in, bad booking, bad ending, too much Jarrett. It’s the same show we’ve been watching. Don’t part the green curtain to see the great and powerful Kevin Nash hiding behind it. Your next world champions over the next year until the end of WCW are: Jeff Jarrett (4 times), Booker T (5 times), DDP, David Arquette, Ric Flair (2 times), Kevin Nash (2 times), Vince Russo, and Scott Steiner. Former champions, two guys who shouldn’t have held the title, Jarrett and Steiner were bound to have it at some point, and Booker. One guy actually raised up, and the only reason for his first reign is because of whatever the mess is that happened at Bash at the Beach.

Beyond that, a wrestling show has to be fun for everyone. This new regime plays too much into the internet crowd. Which was not as big or obsessive as it is now. The scissor line falls flat. The majority of fans are there to see a show, not to decipher inside references. Give a variety of matches to appeal to marks, and moms, and moppets. Playing to one audience is a set up for failure when that one audience leaves.