Total Divas Has Had The Influence I Was Afraid Of

[Jack-Hammer]

With the second season of Total Divas set to end this Sunday, it's become painfully obvious that the show has finally taken many of the Divas down the road I was vehemently hoping we could avoid. Alas, I'm not surprised that it's happened, I'm more surprised that it took this long.

WWE has been using stories on the show as the basis for a couple of programs going on in the ring and it's just not at all working. In my opinion, it's pretty much a crap waste of time. Natalya and Nikki Bella have been feuding over Nikki's reaction to a painting Natalya made of she & Cena and gave to her as a gift, a feud that Natalya has been coming out on the losing end of.

Also, Summer Rae looks to be embroiled in a dual program. The one taken directly from Total Divas is against Eva Marie and it's just...it's just shit awful. Eva Marie may very well be the single worst female wrestler in WWE history. Their bit over backstabbing and arguing who's hotter makes for okay reality show drama, but it just doesn't translate well into a wrestling feud. That's especially true when one of the wrestlers involved simply cannot wrestle.

Summer Rae's other program is against Layla stemming from Fandango's "break up" with her while Summer Rae was away filming the next installment of The Marine franchise. They've been attempting to one up the other for Fandango's affections and I just don't see the point. The rose is long since off the bloom when it comes to Fandango and, frankly, Summer Rae has been a bigger star and more over with fans for the better part of a year. Layla's become a good wrestler over the past several years and Summer Rae has shown herself to be pretty decent, she knows how to use her character during matches. While neither gal is especially high on the importance scale right now, it just makes their feud pointless given that they're fighting for the attention of a guy that's only a slight step above a comedy mid-card jobber, though I think he's heading in that direction.

 

[klunderbunker]

The latter feud shows the problem with this.

If you watch Total Divas, you see the logic behind why Summer Rae screwed over Eva in the tag match on the show: Eva is terrible. She can't wrestle, she's there because of a reality show and how she looks in shorts, and she would drag down any team she's in. It's stupid, but at least it makes sense. That being said, we're supposed to cheer for Eva because she's some young tough girl that is trying to achieve something. We're of course supposed to ignore how evil she is on the show.

On the other hand we have Summer chasing after Fandango, but if you watch Total Divas you would see them going on a date "in real life", and them having ZERO chemistry and agreeing to just be friends. But now this is their "wrestling" life and there are feelings and a breakup there.

In other words, you need to watch Total Divas to understand one story but if you watch the show, the other story isn't going to make sense. Hence the problem with the whole show.

 

[OYDK]

Yea I agree, it really sucks... I think the only reason Eva is even ON the main roster right now is because of Total Divas which is completely unfair to her and all the other Divas in the WWE. On the show, Eva says numerous times that she was basically only in developmental for what? A month or two, and she's already getting a feud on RAW of all shows! It just doesn't make sense to me, and she's not going to get better this way. As for Nikki and Natalya... Give me a break, I'm supposed to believe that Nikki does everything not to hurt Nattie's feelings on the show but all of a sudden turns into a complete bitch when it comes to Raw?

I just really hope WWE doesn't create the major storylines on the show just for a Total Divas payoff, like giving Summer a title shot at next years Mania or anything...

 

[The Fabulous Rougeau's]

With Eva the problem only appears if they try to make her a big deal as a wrestler from the beginning. Maybe it was different with Trish but I recall them using her at first as a valet/manager who really didn't compete regularly in the ring for the first year to 2 she was in the WWE. She was constantly on the show but I'm guessing she trained in between shows and wrestled when ready. This is the approach they should have with Eva.

 

[enviousdominous]

Oy vey! I think the point of all this is that a select audience watches Total Divas and it's their low-brow expectations that are being satisfied with what we get on tv.

I sat through half an episode of Total Divas once. What I gather is that it grants its viewership the notion that they're in on the secrets behind a pro-wrestling production, and in doing so puts them in a separate class of gullible idiot. What happens on Total Divas is no less scripted than what happens on RAW. The show is on E! for crying out loud, people who watch E! for any reason would really want to see a sordid love triangle and whatever the fuck Eva Marie is supposed to be.

We as fans have evolved to be able to tune out the occasional abominable segment while we're watching WWE.

Is Bo Dallas any easier to watch than Eva Marie?

 

[haning13]

Definitely agree with all of you.

Total Divas as a reality show is a good asset in terms of generating popularity for the Divas. (They finally get more TV time to develop and they actually get a reaction more than once in a while.)

However, fusing Total Divas storylines with WWE storylines is just a complete mess. In a case of irony, it sucks the realness out of the storylines. I'm a huge wrestling fan and even a fan of the divas but there really is no need to make wrestling faker than it already is.

 

[J~P]

I'll be the one to disagree.. My wife finally has gotten into WWE because she watches total divas and now tunes into RAW with me every week. It has got her more hooked on wrestling which is fun. I've always been a diva fan from the start and I was getting kind of depressed with how they were barely utilized anymore, well that changed ever since total divas and sure we get a crappy segment that isn't very long every week. But just because you're not enjoying it doesn't mean the women aren't.

It was a very smart idea to create a show similar to the Kardashians but use wrestling in it. Have some fun with "entertainment" for the ladies. While giving them more on screen time then what they were getting. It's obviously fake, but so is the show you're watching every Monday and Friday... hate to break it to you. Now stop being stubborn, and realize that women want something to entertain them while watching WWE.

 

[ocekit]

I'll be the one to disagree.. My wife finally has gotten into WWE because she watches total divas and now tunes into RAW with me every week. It has got her more hooked on wrestling which is fun.

But just because you're not enjoying it doesn't mean the women aren't.

That's pretty awesome that your wife and other women are getting into WWE thanks to Total Divas, but I agree with the others.

I'm a woman who's always been a wrestling fan first and foremost. I tried to watch a couple episodes of Total Divas before turning it off out of complete lack of interest. While I've always supported the Divas and am glad to see that WWE is turning the Divas into something worth discussing, I'm not particularly interested in many of the characters.

Perhaps if they had kept the events of Total Divas completely separated from the events of RAW, it wouldn't bother me so much. Acknowledge that the Divas are on the show, but keep them as separate continuities. That seems to work for their other behind the scenes stuff.

Now stop being stubborn, and realize that women want something to entertain them while watching WWE.

What, muscular, half-naked guys working up a sweat in the ring isn't entertaining enough for some women? Just kidding.

 

[TJ Matics]

Total Divas has had the influence I had hoped it would.

You guys can kiss AJ Lee's bum all you want, but all she did was skip around the black whole that was the Divas Division. TD may not produce story lines of the year, and it is responsible for the likes of Eva Marie getting more attention than those who deserve it, but the good comes with the bad.

Here now we have Layla, one of the best female wrestlers on the roster, about to go against Summer Rae, an up and coming diva who's at least competent in the ring, facing off in what looks to be a good match, but there's a problem: the story doesn't match up perfectly with a pre-filmed show. So we as wrestling fan can suspend disbelief when we want (UT's tombstones, Brock Lesnar being pinned, Special Guest Host on a wrestling show) but when it comes to a simple feud over Fandango it needs to be over analyzed to the point that it doesn't make sense. Guess what? Nothing about WWE makes sense, believe it or not it's all scripted. But when it comes to a divas show that until today no one watched because of how bad it sucked. , we need to dissect it as if its been picked up for an Emmy.

I for one enjoyed TD last season, unfortunately I haven't had the time to catch this season...but guess what? The divas are not going out there and scribbling calculus questions, it's not that hard to follow if you don't watch the show, and if you do sneak in a view and things aren't matching up perfectly...who gives a flying f^ck! Layla has been drowning in obscurity for how long now? She now has an actual program, with a build, and a match coming. But screw that because Fandango's hair on the show doesn't match his swoop on RAW.

TD at the very least gives the divas a chance they wouldn't have had without it. You can complain about Natalya's treatment on the show and her being pinned by the likes of Nikki Bella, but what exactly was she doing prior? Farting. Call me crazy but I'd rather see the former. Naomi had her chance to shine because of the show, unfortunately she was injured before she could pull the trigger. Brie has improved in the ring and actually tries to get a reaction from the crowd, Nikki is, slowly but surely, following suit. Also if it weren't for TD you guys wouldn't have gotten that "shoot" promo on the entire cast that you love to drool over so much either.

TD is far from perfect, but it's at least giving the division layers. Thick, healthy ones? No. But the division is now something more than just AJ Lee's swing set.

 

[lilroach420]

I think most people are over-analyzing it. Like someone else said, we're wrestling fans who suspend our disbelief for something like Kane causing lightning strikes, or a tiny bull getting his tail pulled off, but we get up in arms when something happening on TD doesn't match what's happening on Raw?

I've watched most of Total Divas, missed a few episodes here and there. And I completely agree that the storylines they try to mix with Raw don't work. But, here's the thing...they take up maybe a total of 5 minutes out of 12 hours worth of programming a week.

 

[rbv13]

I have actually enjoyed Total Divas. While I am not a religious follower of the show I’ve likely seen a majority of the episodes. Cheesy over the top reality programs are a guilty pleasure of mine and the addition of pro wrestling only adds to my enjoyment. It is important, as in any reality show, to take it all in as the simplest forms of entertainment. I will say, while I do enjoy TD my attention towards those Divas while on RAW or SD! has completely disappeared. I’d rather watch them on their own show and away from the main product.

Those individuals complaining about Eva Maria being pushed or other “who are more deserving” not being pushed truly baffle me. Eva Maria creates a massive amount of awareness and positive #s for the E. They would be insane not to capitalize on her looks and presence at this stage in the game. I would also like to know “who is more deserving” and why the hell are they? Should Maxim Magazine get a lot of shit because they need her to their Hot 100?

 

[nbieclkl91]

The thing that bugs me the most is that it gives certain Divas the idea that they are mega stars now. The show is clearly scripted and the fact that we now have a diva like Cameron for example, talking and acting like she's the greatest Diva in history really gets on my nerves.

The show has also made me hate Natalya. She comes off as whiny and controlling on the show. All she does is complain and back stab.

Brie Bella comes off as a closet Bitch, while Nikki comes off as a Bimbo gold digger.

I don't really have anything against Niomi so I'll leave her alone.

Summer Rae has talent in the ring but her personality on the show is portraying her as a well...Let's just say she "gets around."

Which leaves me with Eva Marie. I will full on admit that she is horrible in the ring yes, but it seems like she is now training at WWE Developmental which is good. As for her personality, they portray her as a bitch on RAW & Smackdown, yet she seems to be the most down to earth one on Total Divas.

In general, the storylines suck and they need to keep them on E! Network and out of the ring. It's sad that Divas like Paige, AJ, Alicia Fox and even Tamina don't get more attention.

 

[rbv13]

The show has also made me hate Natalya. She comes off as whiny and controlling on the show. All she does is complain and back stab.

I am 100% with you on this one. I am not sure why but I can no longer stand her. There are times when I honestly wouldn't mind punching her in the face. I never had an opinion on Tyson Kidd but now him just being her husband makes me dislike him. Honestly I could give two shits about the Hart family and I think it is all because of her.

 

[Serious Mozzarella]

I don't think these on-screen storylines you're seeing involving any of the "Total Divas" exist to serve a purpose outside promoting the show. That show is the creative direction they're being taken in.

The issue I'm having with the entire thing is that, you watch Total Divas, and it has a very behind-the-scenes feel to it. Completely outside of kayfabe. No faces, no heels, just a bunch of friends who occasionally argue with each other. Then they make it a kayfabe issue, acting like Nattie wanted to have a match with Nikki because of her terrible painting, but turn around be completely outside of the realm of kayfabe.

It's part of the reason why I don't think we're seeing these storylines translated into WWE kayfabe. These matches are nothing more than commercials for the show with zero storyline longevity.

 

[The Warlord]

I've never liked womens wrestling...and I cant stand 95% of reality shows.

A WWE diva reality show???? Jesus H. Christ on a popsicle stick...thats on par with Vince's genius XFL and WBF.

No thanks