The Unbelievable Truth Behind Wrestling Fan TRIBALISM
Triple H's television is often described as "coherent" and "logical". You could make the argument that the bar is low, and that coherent and logical is the bare minimum for a traditional fictional medium. It's nonetheless very effective; by doing the basics and establishing and regurgitating the premise of a storyline, and featuring his key programmes at least once per week, Triple H has made it very clear why his characters are in conflict and that you never lose sight of that. Tony Khan meanwhile doesn't tell his stories with as much focus or as much exposition. Key details and beats are often more subtle, and sometimes, weeks pass by without the conflict feeling like it matters to the characters.
Consider the Kenny Omega Vs. Don Callis programme and contrast it with the Cody Rhodes Vs. Brock Lesnar feud. Khan ultimately lost sight of the emotional layer in the former. It needed, desperately, a fired-up promo from Omega. It needed that basic component to make fans believe in the conflict and in Omega's blood-thirsty determination to exact his vengeance for Don's betrayal. This is the absolute first thing Triple H would have done - and the second and the third, since his plotting is incredibly basic and he tends to have his characters repeat the premise of the rivalry ad nauseam, interspersed with the odd brawl.
Triple H's television is just not that exciting. It is solid, functional, and repetitive. Instead of doing that, Khan, to pad everything out, had Callis loosely align with about eight stables and throw goon after goon at Omega, who either went 50/50 with the Blackpool Combat Club or lost (and frequently) to Konosuke Takeshita.
Omega won a corporate tie-in, having lost a more serious singles match, and somehow ended up as the #1 contender to the World Tag Team titles alongside Chris Jericho - presumably as a means to reboot the Callis programme yet again in a future championship match against Takeshita and Callis Family member Powerhouse Hobbs. This approach led to more interesting and different match-ups, but somewhere along the way, the point was missed. Yes, Hobbs once cracked a steel chair over Omega's head, but do you really buy the idea that Omega and Hobbs despise one another?
That a money-drawing personal issue of pure animosity exists between the two men?
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