4 Ups & 3 Downs From AEW Rampage (Aug 27)
Downs...
3. The Commentary Dynamic
Why does one get the feeling that this might become a weekly whinge?
Here's the deal: Mark Henry is not going to grow as a broadcaster if he's constantly fighting three other voices for house room on a one-hour show. That's just impossible, and it's actually teaching the guy some bad habits. Now, instead of finding his own style, Henry is reaching for basic observations when he can.
It's not enough - it's nowhere near enough. Excalibur is the main play-by-play man, so he deserves to talk more, but what are Taz and Chris Jericho adding to the table beyond inside jokes or general "ha ha"? OK, so Jericho's energy is great, but his overbearing, shouty style completely overwhelms Mark's presence.
AEW need to decide what they want from commentary? Do they want Excalibur's move-rich narration with some colour from a partner sprinkled in, or do they want everyone to p*ss around and apologise for interrupting one another?
It's too messy.