The SmackDown Files: The Homecoming From Hell - An AJ Styles Story (5-30-2017)

By: Keila Cash

Hello everyone and welcome to another installment of The SmackDown Files. Tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live emanated from the Phillips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. Traditionally, my hometown has not been the best when it comes to crowd head. They’ve improved over the past couple years, but it’s still a struggle to keep them awake during the show. Did my ATLiens represent The A like a boss or did they let me down once again? The answer to that question can be found throughout this blog. Without further ado, let’s dissect tonight’s episode of SD Live in no particular order.

·        SD Live got off to a fine start with another edition of Kevin Owens’ Highlight Reel. Shinsuke Nakamura was Owens’ guest and he mocked Nakamura’s rock star persona and vowed to put him in early retirement like Chris Jericho when he steps over him to win the Money in the Bank Ladder Match.

·        Baron Corbin interrupted the proceedings and showed a recap of his beat down on Sami Zayn from last week. Owens had a great line about Corbin beating up Zayn for two minutes while he’s been doing it for fifteen years. KO was offended that Corbin crashed his show and told him to get the hell out of his ring.

·        Nakamura reminded both men that they lost their respective matches last week and they responded with a 2-on-1 attack until Zayn made the save. Shane McMahon booked Zayn and Nakamura vs. Owens and Corbin which took place after the commercial break.

·        Owens was entertaining on the mic as always. Corbin was decent, but Nakamura struggled a bit which caused a tepid “What?” chant to break out. Fortunately, the fans were able to comprehend the gist of his promo before things went off the rails. All in all, this was a better installment of the Highlight Reel than the one that took place a couple of weeks ago.

·        Sami Zayn and Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Kevin Owens and Baron Corbin when Nakamura nailed Owens with the Kinshasa for the win. The match was solid for the most part, but it was the bickering between Owens and Corbin that led to their undoing down the stretch.

·        Zayn threw Owens into Corbin which caused both men to have a shouting match. There was a bit of shoving before Corbin clocked Owens with a punch. The kerfuffle allowed Zayn to clothesline Corbin out of the ring which set up the finish.

·        The New Day announced that they would be facing The Usos for the SmackDown Tag Team Championship at the MITB PPV in a few weeks. The back and forth promo exchange between both teams was entertaining which gives the Tag Team Division some much-needed energy. Their feud and subsequent matches should be fun to watch if everything is booked properly.

·        The film noir edition of The Fashion Files was great. Fandango and Tyler Breeze…How I Love Thee.

·        The Fatal 5-Way Elimination match featuring Charlotte, Carmella, Tamina, Natalya, and Becky Lynch never got underway because all hell broke loose before the referee rang the bell.

·        The action was good as Becky Lynch laid out Carmella with a clothesline which sent her over the timekeeper’s area. Charlotte delivered a moonsault from the top rope onto Tamina and Natalya at ringside. Lynch dropped Carmella with an Exploder Suplex on the floor before Tamina nailed her with a Superkick. Charlotte responded with a big boot of her own before Natalya nailed her with a clothesline.

·        Natalya was about to put Charlotte through a table, but Charlotte slammed her against the steel steps before Powerbombing her the through the announce table moments later.

·        Shane McMahon came out and announced the first-ever Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match to determine the number one contender for the SmackDown Women’s Championship.

·        The rumor of such a match taking place has been circulating for a few weeks. The Fatal 5-Way Elimination Match threw everyone for a loop, but it was a nice way to set up the MITB Ladder Match. This is another huge step for the women to show up and show out on the big stage. Let’s hope they seize the day and make the best of this opportunity.

·        Breezango defeated The Colons when Tyler Breeze pinned Primo with the Unprettier. The comedic stylings of Breezango were on full display once again. Breeze dressed like a woman while Fandango wrestled in his trench coat before taking off it before the commercial break.

·        Squirt Guns were also used along with Breeze reprising his role as the Janitor who mops up the ring with flair and style. Once again, their antics played well in the arena which is a win for them. It would be nice to see Breezango dial back the silliness, but they are maximizing their minutes on television which is a positive in this day and age.

·        Randy Orton cut a straightforward promo about how he was going to give Jinder Mahal an old-fashioned American ass whopping at Money in the Bank and become a 14-time WWE Champion.

·        Orton’s pride was on the line because MITB takes place in his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. He wanted to take his late grandfather’s approach by letting his actions speak louder than words.

·        Orton spoke with conviction and sounded alive on the mic for a change. However, his rah-rah speech came to a halt when Jinder Mahal appeared on the big screen.

·        Mahal cut a basic promo about Orton clinging to a bygone era that is dead and gone. He vowed to continue his reign as the modern-day Maharajah at MITB as he raised the WWE Title high in the air while blocking the face of Singh Brother B which was unintentionally hilarious. Orton responded by doing his signature pose as the segment came to an end.

·        Mahal is already being slotted as a supporting character nine days into his WWE Title reign. He’s been booked strong, but his presentation doesn’t scream main event player just yet. I guess Mahal is still in the Build-A-Star Training Academy…

·        In a Rite of Passage that all WWE Superstars must go through, AJ Styles lost in his home state to Dolph Ziggler in a good main event match.

·        They were on short on time, but they worked their asses off to put on a show for the fans. Sadly, the outcome left the crowd feeling numb which caused SD Live to end on a sour note.

·        Styles tried to hit Ziggler with the Styles Clash on multiple occasions, but he was unable to pull off his finisher.

·        Ziggler hit Styles with the Zig Zag for a near fall. It appeared that Styles had the match won when he went for the Phenomenal Forearm, but Ziggler knocked him off the top rope and nailed P1 with a Superkick for the win.

·        Questionable booking aside, this was a good way for Ziggler to build momentum heading into the MITB Ladder Match. Meanwhile, Styles has to get back on track without the benefit of 50/50 booking. Let’s hope the Powers That Be has a trick up their sleeve next week. Fingers crossed! 

·        Overall, I thought tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live was decent. The in-ring was action was okay for the most part. The Atlanta crowd was livelier than usual, but the air was let out of the room when AJ Styles lost to Dolph Ziggler. What a way to get the crowd excited for 205 Live. *Insert Sarcasm Here*

·        This was a maintenance show that added a few pieces to the Money in the Bank puzzle as WWE added The Usos vs. The New Day for the Tag Team Titles and the first-ever Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match featuring Charlotte, Carmella, Tamina, Natalya, and Becky Lynch.

·        The rest of the card looks skimpy in terms of mid-card feuds, but there is enough time to add a few matches before the PPV. With two more live shows to go, time is of the essence. Let’s hope the creative team can get the job done. Fingers crossed!

On that note, this wraps up another edition of The SmackDown Files. I hope you enjoyed it and I will be back next week with a brand new installment of The Raw Exposé. See you later, boys and girls! 

The Raw Exposé: The How To Destroy Bayley's Character in Five Easy Steps Edition (5-29-2017)

By: Keila Cash

Hello everyone and welcome to another installment of The Raw Exposé. Tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw emanated from the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina. This is the go-home show for Extreme Rules which happens to fall on Memorial Day this year. This is a double whammy for WWE because holiday shows traditionally pull low ratings. The company was smart enough to announce a Triple Threat Match featuring Finn Bálor, Samoa Joe, and Bray Wyatt and Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins a week in advance. Did the double main event save the show from falling into the abyss? The answer to that question can be found throughout this blog. Without further ado, let’s dissect tonight’s episode of Raw in no particular order.

·        The opening segment of Raw was pretty blah, but the latest edition of Miz TV set up an impromptu Six Man Tag Team match featuring The Miz, Cesaro and Sheamus vs. Dean Ambrose and The Hardy Boyz which took place after the commercial break.

·        Dean Ambrose and The Hardy Boyz defeated The Miz, Sheamus, and Cesaro when Jeff Hardy pinned Miz with a Swanton Bomb. The match was solid as Miz isolated Ambrose from his team midway through the match. Jeff eventually made the hot tag and cleaned house.

·        The ending featured a parade of finishes when Jeff nailed Sheamus with a Twist of Fate only for Cesaro to counter with a European Uppercut. Ambrose dropped The Swiss Superman with Dirty Deeds before taking out The Celtic Warrior with a tope on the outside. This allowed Matt to hit the Twist of Fate on Miz which set up the finish.

·        The babyfaces gained momentum heading into Extreme Rules while the heels have to come with a new strategy to conquer their foes come Sunday.

·        Someone has dirt on Kurt Angle and Corey Graves is acting as his crisis manager to keep the so-called “truth” at bay. What an interesting turn of events…

·        Elias Samson defeated Zac Evans with a Swinging Neckbreaker. The match was short and inoffensive for the most part.

·        The Triple Threat Match featuring Finn Bálor, Samoa Joe, and Bray Wyatt was very good as Joe squeaked out the win in nefarious fashion. The match started off slow, but things picked up after the commercial break. Bálor overcame a 2-on-1 beat down and made a gutsy babyface comeback when he ran wild on Joe and Wyatt. He nailed Joe with a running knee and laid out Wyatt with a dropkick into the barricade. Joe suffered a similar fate as the fans chanted “This Is Awesome.”

·        During the closing moments of the match, Wyatt laid out Joe with Sister Abigail which allowed Bálor to capitalize by hitting Wyatt with a Slingblade followed by a running dropkick in the corner. He capped things off with the Coup De Grace, but Samoa Joe broke up the pin and tossed Bálor head first into the second turnbuckle which allowed him to pick up the win over Wyatt.

·        All three men worked hard and put on a very good match for the Greensboro crowd. Bálor didn’t get pinned, but Wyatt was made to look like a chump once again after talking a big game prior to the Triple Threat bout. Somebody had to lose and I guess the Eater of Worlds was the odd man out. Does this telegraph a win for him come Sunday? We shall find out soon enough.

·        Rich Swann defeated Noam Dar with the Phoenix Splash in a quick match. Sasha Banks provided the assist when she took out Alicia Fox at ringside. I figured Banks would win the battle because she was wearing tennis shoes while Fox wore high heel boots which prevented her from getting too physical. Friendly tip: Wear appropriate shoes when it comes to kicking ass. This is also known as the Trish Stratus Rule after the Hall of Famer made a surprise appearance at the Elimination Chamber PPV in 2011 and had a clumsy brawl with Laycool while wearing high heel boots.

***Jump the video ahead to 6:13 in order to see the Shoe Faux Pas***

·        This concludes the fashion portion of The Raw Exposé. We now return to regularly scheduled blogging.

·        Swann vs. Dar was a nice way to promote the Mixed Tag Team match featuring Swann and Banks vs. Dar and Fox at Extreme Rules on Sunday. My crystal ball was right on the money. Yay me!

·        Big Cass was a bit defensive as he proclaimed his innocence to Corey Graves about not attacking Enzo Amore backstage last week. Hmm…

·        Titus O’Neil picked up the win over Kalisto when he pinned him with a roll-up while grabbing a handful of tights. The match was pretty nondescript for the most part.

·        Alexa Bliss tried her best, but her dynamic personality and mic skills couldn’t save Bayley: This Is Your Life. The segment died a thousand deaths times as the fans booed and chanted “Delete, Delete, Delete” throughout. The script was dreadful and the acting from Mrs. Flapper, Tracy, and Phil made things even worse. It was tough to watch and I felt bad for Bliss who tried to turn chicken shit into chicken salad.

·        Bayley came out and got the jump on Bliss, but the Raw Women’s Champion turned the tables by hitting her in the back with a Kendo Stick. Bayley sold the shot beautifully which plays into their Kendo Stick on a Pole match at Extreme Rules. WWE is playing it smart by having Bayley get her revenge at the PPV instead of giving it away on free television. That’s the only saving grace from this horror of a segment.

·        Enzo Amore was assaulted in another backstage attack. Big Cass blamed The Revival, but Kurt Angle shot down that theory because he told them to leave the building. Cass’ defensiveness makes him the prime suspect in my estimation.

·        Austin Aries and Jack Gallagher defeated TJP and Neville when Aries made Neville tap out to The Last Chancery after the Cruiserweight Champion failed to hit the Red Arrow which led to the submission finish. The match was decent, but it was slotted in the 10:00 P.M. Lull Period of Death. Gallagher’s prolonged sell job didn’t help matters either, but it did lead up to an exciting finish once Aries made the hot tag.

·        Roman Reigns defeated Seth Rollins with a Spear in an excellent main event match. Reigns and Rollins know each other very well and their in-ring chemistry was on full display as they worked their asses off to put on a show for the fans.

·        The action was hard-hitting and physical throughout. Reigns targeted Rollins’ ribs when he hit the Drive By early on. Rollins did a nice job selling the injury as he tried to counter Reigns’ smash mouth offense. There were several great spots in the match including Reigns nailing Rollins with a Superman Punch in midair and Rollins dropping Reigns with a rare Turnbuckle Powerbomb only for Reigns to counter with another Superman Punch. That sequence popped the crowd as the drama ramped up down the stretch.

·        Reigns was about to hit Rollins with another Drive By, but Rollins rammed Reigns into the steel steps instead.

·        Rollins pulled off a beauty Frog Splash onto Reigns for a near fall. He went back to the top rope and tried to finish him off with the Phoenix Splash, but Reigns rolled out of the air which allowed Rollins to roll out of the move midflight.

·        Reigns went for the Spear, but Rollins cut him off with a knee to the face. Reigns countered with a stiff right hand only for Rollins to respond with an Enzuigiri. Rollins went for his jumping high knee finisher when Reigns nailed him with a Spear for the win.

·        Raw went off the air with Reigns posing on the top turnbuckle while Rollins was licking his wounds in the ring.

·        Reigns vs. Rollins was one of the better television matches of the year. This matchup still has legs if WWE doesn’t run it into the ground by booking them in a series of matches without any sense of purpose. Tonight bucked that trend in the best possible way and I am looking forward to the Fatal 5-Way Extreme Rules match on Sunday because it promises to be special if it’s booked properly.  

·        Overall, I thought tonight’s episode of Raw was decent. It’s very apparent that WWE tried to stretch time by having a super long opening segment that took up much of the first hour. With the roster not at full strength due to several wrestlers being on the shelf, killing time by any means necessary is the way to go these days.

·        The first couple of hours zipped by until the disastrous Alexa Bliss-Bayley segment that kicked off the third hour. The Cruiserweight Tag Team match that followed didn’t help matters, but the main event saved the show from falling off a cliff.

·        The Triple Threat Match featuring Finn Bálor, Samoa Joe, and Bray Wyatt and Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins carried the show from a wrestling standpoint. Both bouts placed extra shine on the Fatal 5-Way Extreme Rules Match in a strong way. This could be a Match of the Year Contender when it’s all said and done. The talent is good enough to pull it off, but the execution is key. We shall see how it all plays out soon enough.

·        The rest of the Extreme Rules card looks solid as each match had a final hard sell heading into the PPV. Positioning and timing will tell the true story, but this event has the makings of being a very good show if everything falls into place. The last two brand exclusive PPVs have been disappointing. Let’s hope WWE can make reverse that trend come Sunday. Fingers crossed!

On that note, this wraps up another edition of The Raw Exposé. I hope you enjoyed it and I will be back tomorrow night with a brand new installment of The SmackDown Files. See you later, boys and girls! 

The Geekcap Roundup

Supergirl "Nevertheless, She Persisted"

Kara fights against Superman after discovering that he has been infected by silver kryptonite by Rhea. After narrowly defeating him, they make their way to the Fortress of Solitude where they recuperate and create a new plan. Reviewing the Daxam archives, Kara chooses to invoke the ancient act of Dakkam Ur, a battle to the death against Rhea for the sake of the Earth. Meanwhile, in attempt to patch her relationship with her daughter, Lillian offers Lena a device created by Lex which could be reengineered to infect the atmosphere with lead. The device could prove harmless to humans but force the Daxamites, including Mon-El, to leave Earth. Despite the risk to Mon-El, Kara accepts the device and gives it to the DEO for an emergency use. Fortunately, thanks to a telepathic connection to M’Gann, J’onn wakes up from Rhea’s device.

Kara and Rhea begin their fight, but the Daxamite Army begin an attack on National City despite the combat. Clark, J’onn, and Mon-El provide protection against the army until M’Gann arrives on Earth with her own White Martian army to even the others. Kara is initially weakened against Rhea’s kryptonite-infused blood but manages to overpower her in the end. Unfortunately, Rhea vows to continue fighting, setting her armies against the weakest of National City. Reluctantly, Kara activates Lena’s device, poisoning the Daxamites including Mon-El. To save his life, Kara places Mon-El on her pod, sending him off the planet for his own safety. Although Kara mourns the loss of Mon-El, J’onn and M’Gann reunite while Alex proposes to Maggie. In a flashback, on the day of Krypton’s destruction, a group of Kryptons load an infant onto a ship, feeding it blood and vowing that it shall conquer Earth. 

Notes

• General Zod makes an appearance as a vision of Superman’s after being exposed to silver kryptonite.
• Clark references his experience on Warworld while training with Kara.
• The infant on the ship could likely refer to the character Reign, an alien created by rogue scientists on Krypton who later interacted with Supergirl in attempt to conquer Earth.
• It is revealed that once again, Cat Grant correctly guesses Kara’s secret identity as Supergirl.

Photo Credit: DC/CW

The Flash "Finish Line"

HR is revealed to have switched places with Iris, disguising himself to be killed by Savitar in her place. Without Iris’s death, the team figures that Savitar will eventually fade from existence having never needed to be created. Nevertheless, Savitar takes the Speedforce weapon and Cisco, revealing his plan to use it as a quantum splicer to make him ever-present in the past, present, and future regardless of his fading from existence. Despite the threat, Barry offers a chance at redemption for Savitar. Although he considers the offer, Savitar ultimately rejects the idea, believing that there is no place for a time remnant among the group, even if he could survive. He sets the Philosopher’s Stone off in an explosion, allowing him to escape. Meanwhile, Julian reveals that he and Caitlin’s mother have constructed a possible cure for Caitlin’s abilities if they can find her, and Harry arrives to encourage Tracy to continue to help the team stop Savitar.

As Savitar and Killer Frost set up the Speedforce weapon, Gypsy returns to Earth-1 to rescue Cisco. Together they, along with Barry and Wally, confront Savitar. Before Savitar can fulfill his plan, the weapon opens a hole in the Speedforce, allowing Jay Garrick to escape, and the team fights off Savitar. Caitlin soon turns on Savitar after the latter threatens Cisco, regaining some control. Barry ultimately subdues Savitar but refuses to kill him and prove the villain right. When Savitar attempts to strike back at Barry from behind, however, he is then shot and killed by Iris before he fades from existence. Afterwards, the team holds a funeral for HR. There, Harry reveals his plans to stay to fill the void on the group while Caitlin, though free from Killer Frost, chooses to leave the city to discover herself. Outside the city, a Speedforce storm rages without a speedster to stabilize it. As penance for his role in Flashpoint, Barry willingly leaves Central City to take his spot within the Speedforce.

Notes

• Savitar references future villain Devoe, otherwise known as The Thinker.

Photo Credit: DC/CW

Arrow "Lian Yu"

With a team of Malcolm Merlyn, Digger Harkness, Nyssa al Ghul, and Slade Wilson, Oliver begins a mission to rescue his friends that starts with Chase’s team destroying their plane off the island. They locate Curtis, Felicity, Thea, and William’s mother Samantha trapped in cages and fight off Talia and Artemis to reach them, soon discovering Harkness to have aligned with Chase. Reunited, they begin searching for the rest of the team and Oliver’s son. As they travel, Malcolm is killed setting off a landmine to protect Thea, and the group locate a monastery where they believe the others are being kept. Oliver finds Diggle, Lance, Dinah, and Rene but is soon knocked out by Slade who seemingly betrays him to Chase. However, it soon becomes a ruse to release the others as Dinah fights off Black Siren and Nyssa fights her sister Talia. Oliver confronts Chase who claims he will have to be killed before giving up William. Meanwhile, five years ago, Oliver fights off Kovar and his men on the island.

Felicity and Curtis attempt to restart an old plane but soon discover the island to be covered with hundreds of explosive set to go off if Chase is killed. The others manage to escape captivity as Oliver fights and chases after Chase to find his son. Meanwhile, five years ago, Oliver fights and kills Kovar, beginning his plan to signal for help to leave the island and return home. On the boat, he calls his mother Moira on his return. Back in the present, Oliver follows Chase onto a boat where Chase reveals to be holding William, threatening to kill him unless Oliver kills him. Instead, Oliver shoots him the leg to reach William, refusing to prove Chase right and risk his friends and family. Chase then shoots himself, triggering the explosives on the island and leaving everyone’s fates in the air.

Notes

• Moira makes another reappearance since the 100^th episode.
• The scene of Oliver signaling a Chinese boat from the island is the same one used from the pilot.

Photo Credit: DC/CW

Archer Review: Archer Dreamland: Auflösung

 

 

All good things must come to an end and this season of Archer was one of my favorites. The season finale aired last night and had many shocking twists, laughter, and intense action sequences.  The scenes were more intense which could be the reason the show went to FXX allowing it to get away with more adult content.  Once the review is concluded you’ll see the content of which I refer to, so without further a due let’s discuss the last episode of Archer Dreamland, “Auflösung.”  There are SPOILERS ahead you have been warned.

The previous episode ended with Trexler telling Archer that Mother had killed Woodhouse. This episode picks up moments after with the entire car in silence. Poovey speaks up first which causes Archer to point his gun at her and ask Trexler to repeat what he said. Trexler says that she didn’t kill him directly but probably had that big henchman do the dirty work.  The scene changes to that henchman rubbing Charlotte's head and Mother asking him to tie up loose ends which involve killing Charlotte. So, he goes downstairs to retrieve a shovel.

Back to the car with Archer but now everyone is now tied up, and Archer announces they are heading to Dreamland. After some irritating remarks, Archer then gags everyone with a sock and tells another joke. No one can answer because they're gagged, but it doesn’t stop Archer from answering his joke.  The next scene shows Dutch who’s is stealing a car by throwing the driver out of the car. There is still a woman in the vehicle with him as he drives away. Once again, another woman is forced to jump out of a moving car.

We find Krieger making more of the blue stuff that Dutch needs to survive, and he is interrupted by the henchmen. He came down for a shovel, and Krieger yells at him in German not to get it dirty or least clean it when he is done.  But that doesn’t matter anymore has they hear Archer voice coming from upstairs. He has Lana, Trexler, Poovey, and Cyril tied up on the stage and removes the gag as Mother and Charlotte enter. Mother immediately ask what is going on here and Archer points the gun at her and Charlotte motioning them to sit on the stage as well.

 

 

 

 

Archer also takes more drugs as Mother tells him that Trexler is lying about her involvement. The discussion goes back and forth with each throwing blame until there is a massive crash. The entire front entrance is torn apart by non-other than Dutch who is here for the blue stuff. So, it is an unfortunate coincidence for our gang that brings them all together.  Krieger pops up with the blue stuff that Dutch needs and shows everyone his involvement in making Dutch a robot.

 

The henchmen attempt to take down Dutch and is thrown to the side very quickly. Which causes Krieger to think again about giving Dutch the blue stuff if he is a killer.  Dutch is about to take the blue stuff then Archer intervene and is thrown into the bar. Dutch then reveals that he killed Woodhouse “just to see is lights go out,” which makes Archer furious. Dutch takes the blue stuff and then grabs Archer by the throat and starts choking the life out him and enjoying every minute of it.  Krieger who is reluctant to kill his creation orders his robotic dogs to kill Dutch. They tear him apart and break his neck in the process which kills him instantly.

The dogs continue to rip him apart even when ordered to stop by Krieger. So, Charlotte has a bright idea to throw a chair at them. That causes them to turn their attention to the others and as they are about to attack the henchmen intervenes. He kills both dogs which were hard to watch as he rips their jaws all the way back.  That was the content that I mentioned earlier which was intense.  The henchmen then demonstrate to Charlotte his affection which she rudely rejects.

During the chaos, everyone is untied by Poovey which leads Cyril and Poovey to try to walk away with the ransom money. They are stopped by Lana and Poovey reveals she is a T-man and Archer clarifies that it is treasury agent.  Mother grabs Archer's gun and points it at Lana.  Mother ask if she been spying on her operations and planning to take her down. Lana calmly tells her that her colleagues know where she is but there is a bang. Lana is shot by Mother right in the gut which shock Mother because she didn’t mean to shoot. Apparently, the gun has a hair trigger which Poovey doesn’t believe. So, Poovey takes the gun and ends up shooting Lana another six times. 

Lana dies in Archer's arms which leaves him to say things that stood out but not sure yet how they could be important later. He tells Poovey no one can survive being shot seven times not even in a parallel universe.  Is this about Archer’s condition back in the real world?  After mourning Lana’s death for 10 seconds he goes to the ransom money and finds that there is none, the bag is filled with pornographic incest magazines. The scene moves to Cecil who is marrying Trinette at the hospital.

The next scene shows Archer at Woodhouse grave as he pays his partner respect. The final scene is with Poovey who returns home to find all the Chinese women gone which causes her to break down in tears. The credits roll, and we see that the show was dedicated to George Coe who played Woodhouse and passed away a few years ago.  That wrapped up Dreamland which was a crazy ride but was very enjoyable. I’m not sure what next season will bring, but I do know that there is only two season left in this series. So, there is a conclusion in sight by the creators, and I trust they have a satisfying ending for Archer in mind.  Till then I’ll look forward to entering the danger zone again with Archer and all the other insanely funny characters next season.

Photo Credit: FX, FXX, TV Fanatic.com, TheAVClub.com, Movie Pilot.com, WatchCartoonOnline.io, itunes.apple.com, GeekExchange.com

Created by: Jasmine Yard

Spider-Man: Homecoming Final Trailer review

   

By Jim Scroggs
May 24, 2017
JHScroggs on Twitter and Instagram


       The third and final trailer for Spider-Man: Homecoming is on the inter-webs (What, I can't make cheesy puns?) and we've got plenty to talk about this very fun glimpse into the life our favorite web slinger from Midtown High.

           The trailer opens on Peter putting on his suit from Tony and the confirmation that he does have a Spidey OS, if you will. A voice welcomes him and tells him the amount of web shooter combinations that he has available so it's a nice little touch to add into this Avengers universe. We've all seen the scene with Tony talking to Peter in the car but this time, Peter asks when the next "Retreat" is and Tony speeds away leaving Peter in the middle of the street. There's a few new shots of Spider-Man in action in the streets like stopping a bike thief and helping a woman find out where something is. She rewarded him with a churro so that's a nice comedic moment. The bank robbery scene is added with a few new shots including a look at a really intense piece of alien equipment so that could be a pretty impressive force against Spider-Man. Peter is seen admiring the Avengers facility then that's where the action picks up. Vulture snatches Spider-Man out of the sky and to everyones surprise, the fat spider on the back doubles as a parachute so Tony really has thought of everything. Vulture is seen from head to toe in his full wings and armor suit and it's quite glorious if I say so myself. We finally get to hear Atlanta's own Donald Glover speak as he talks to Spider-Man in a garage of some sort as they discuss Peter not being great at the new gig. Shot of him landing in a yard next to some kids camping is a nice touch in the edit. There are some new quick shots of Peter running down the hall taking his tie and coat of, a great exchange between Peter and "Michelle" and she wants to know where he's going and asks what he's hiding. Some quick action shots that we've already seen follows and Peter looks a little shocked. Her response: "Just kidding, I don't care. Bye." The trailer closes out with Ned and Peter trying to find out more about the suit and the see that Tony has some training wheels on it. Peter complains about how Tony treats him like a kid but a kid who can stop a bus with his bare hands.


        I've never been silent in my thoughts about how many trailers is too many when it comes to movies. I feel like if done right, two should be a significant number to market your film but still have some questions about the story. I think Captain America: Civil War did it perfectly so that's where I feel like the line should start. Spider-Man: Homecoming is a film I've wanted to see ever since Sony and Marvel announced their partnership and so far, the trailers have had a theme to them. The first one was an introduction to Peter's life as Spider-Man and in High School while the second one was tailored more to the villains and how they fit into the story. This third one, however, I feel gave away too many fun moments, especially in the International trailer. I won't reveal those here but I will say that I am a little upset at myself for watching both. With all that said,   I really feel like this should be a good official introduction of Peter and Spider-Man into the MCU


Spider-Man: Homecoming hits theaters July, 7 2017

The SmackDown Files: From 3MB to WWE Champion of the World - Welcome to Jinder Mahal's True Bollywood Story (5-23-2017)

By: Keila Cash 

Hello everyone and welcome to another installment of The SmackDown Files. Tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live emanated from the Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio. The improbable happened at Backlash as Jinder Mahal defeated Randy Orton to become the new WWE Champion. The world is Mahal’s oyster and we’re just along for the ride as WWE goes for a major money grab in India. Time will tell if their expedition for gold is successful, but how will the modern-day Maharaja fair stateside. Is Mahal a game changer or flop waiting to happen? We shall find out soon enough. In the meantime, let’s dissect tonight’s episode of SD Live in no particular order.

·        SD Live kicked off with Shane McMahon making several blockbuster announcements regarding next month’s Money in the Bank PPV. Randy Orton will invoke his rematch clause against Jinder Mahal for the WWE Championship.

·        McMahon also announced the six wrestlers participating in this year’s MITB Ladder Match. They include AJ Styles, Baron Corbin, Sami Zayn, Dolph Ziggler, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Kevin Owens. Owens whined his way into the match after he bragged about defeating Styles via count-out to retain the United States Championship at Backlash.

·        After much hemming and hawing, Shane-O-Mac booked Zayn vs. Corbin and Ziggler and Owens vs. Styles and Nakamura for later tonight as the opening segment came to an end.

·        This was a fine way to start the show. It went a bit long, but WWE did a nice job setting up the double main event. This could’ve been accomplished in ten minutes instead of twenty, but it’s par for the course when it comes to the layout of the opening segment for Raw and SD Live most weeks.

·        Becky Lynch and Charlotte defeated Natalya and Carmella when Lynch made Carmella tap out to the Dis-Arm-Her in a decent match. Naomi took care of Tamina and James Ellsworth at ringside while the babyface team finally got the upper hand against The Welcoming Committee for a change. This feud is far from over, but it’s nice to see the heels get their comeuppance for a change.

·        Sami Zayn defeated Baron Corbin with a roll-up in a super quick match. However, the victory was bittersweet as Corbin beat the holy hell out of Zayn after the match was over. Corbin tossed Zayn over the barricade before hitting him in the back with a steel chair.

·        Corbin wasn’t done as he carried Zayn to the production area and dropping him neck first into the railing. He continued his assault until WWE officials broke things up.

·        It should be interesting to see if Zayn’s injury will prevent him from participating in the MITB Ladder Match next month.

·        The Fashion Files will live on! Amen!

·        Jinder Mahal’s Punjabi Celebration was okay. The dancers were on point, but Mahal’s promos continue to be repetitive and monotone in nature. He also suffered from a bad case of hoarseness which prevented him from talking at full strength. The presentation was nice, but it was more style versus substance which is not going to help the modern-day Maharajah in the long run.

·        Breezango defeated Jimmy and Jey Uso in singles competition. Comedy ensued as Fandango sprayed Jey’s hair with a water gun which allowed Tyler Breeze to score the pin with a roll-up.

·        Jimmy suffered a similar fate when Breeze distracted Jey at ringside which allowed Fandango to pick up the win.

·        Breezango challenged The Usos to a rematch for the SmackDown Tag Team Championship which took place after the commercial break.

·        The Usos retained the SmackDown Tag Team Titles when Jey Uso pinned Fandango with the Samoan Splash. Fandango had a couple of near falls that popped the crowd something fierce, but the outcome was never in doubt.

·        Both teams are capable of having very good matches, but the comedy bogs things down a bit. However, the crowd seems to love Breezango’s antics which bodes well for their future. Unfortunately, it does pigeonhole them as a lower card gimmick team that shouldn’t be taken seriously when it comes to winning the “Big One.” Here’s hoping WWE can look beyond the laughs and see that Breeze and Fandango are talented performers in the ring as well.

·        Shane McMahon booked a Fatal 5-Way Match featuring Natalya, Carmella, Tamina, Becky Lynch, and Charlotte for next week with the winner going on to face Naomi for the SmackDown Women’s Championship at Money in the Bank.

·        AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Dolph Ziggler and Kevin Owens when Nakamura nailed Owens with the Kinshasa for the win. This was the longest and best match on the show as Styles and Nakamura had to dig down deep in order to overcome the heels.

·        Styles and Nakamura were in sell mode for a large chunk of the match until the hot tags tilted the momentum in their favor down the stretch. During the closing moments of the main event, Styles nailed Owens with a Pele Kick only for Ziggler to counter with a Superkick. Nakamura returned the favor which set up the finish. SD Live went off the air with Styles and Nakamura having a friendly stare down in the ring.

·        The mere thought of Styles vs. Nakamura is amazeballs, but patience is a virtue when it comes to building anticipation for this epic showdown. At least we will get a small morsel of what’s to come at MITB, though.

·        Overall, I thought tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live was decent at best. Most of the matches were short except for the main event. Three bouts ended via roll-up which is the epitome of lazy booking. Some variety when it comes to match finishes would be nice, but I digress.

·        The build for the Money in the Bank PPV is coming along nicely as three matches have been announced so far with Naomi waiting on the winner of the Fatal 5-Way match next week. The rest of the card seems a bit thin on paper because the MITB participants take up much of the card. There’s still time to add a few more matches to make sure everything balances out when it comes to the final hard sell. Here’s hoping the creative team can get the job done. Fingers crossed!

On that note, this wraps up another edition of The SmackDown Files. I hope you enjoyed it and I will back next week with a brand new installment of The Raw Exposé. See you later, boys and girls!