The WWE Big Question #27 - Ding dong...

[The Penguin]

...Al Wilson is "dead."

This week the Big Question returns as we tackle the scripted "death" of Torrie Wilson's father, causing the quick end to his unpopular marriage to Dawn Marie.

On the January 9th edition of SmackDown! Dawn and Al were shown on their honeymoon. Fans were shown a series of segments with Dawn "wearing out" her over 60-year-old husband. At the end of the show, Dawn was unable to rouse Al and the EMTs rushed to the scene.

On Velocity that week, Josh Mathews announced that Al was in coma. By the time the SmackDown! preview was up for the next week Al was "dead."

Not too many people were happy with this angle to begin with, but how do you feel about how it ended. What do you think about the "death" of Al Wilson?




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[Jade_GL]

I think it was the dumbest angle I've seen in a long time, and the death just made it even worse. Who really cares either way? I wish he had just fallen into a black hole. That would have been much more interesting than his death and all the events leading up to it.

Yes, I'm bitter, but this story just makes the Divas look even more desperate and dumb and it makes wrestling look like a huge goof, well, an even bigger goof than it usually is.

[czyznyck99]

This angle would have been great if not for several big problems.

Al Wilson, the "real" deal - Bringing in the real father was a mistake, as much as I can't stand Vince McMahon sometimes, it's always better to have an established TV personality in a stretched out angle like this. Take a well preserved 50-year-old actor and make him Al, at least then we can look at the guy.

Why did this happen? - There is the political reason, and the storyline reason, both of which had no heat. Politically speaking, all of the women were on RAW, except for Dawn Marie, Torrie, and Nidia. Storywise, it was Dawn Marie who kept losing bikini contests that were determined by the fans, who always pick the face. Since I mentioned Nidia, it was a huge mistake not to involve her in this angle. Dawn was trying to destroy Torrie's "innocence," who better to help her than some trailer park trash. Then Kidman would have a great reason to fight Knoble for Torrie, and now the cruiserweight division is involved. Plus, we wouldn't have to see the Al Wilson garbage every week, it would more like every other week with a match in-between.

The "indecent" proposal - I still stand by the fact that UPN shot itself in the foot when they wouldn't allow the original footage to air on Smackdown. They allow Willow to make out with Tara on Buffy, but not this? Don't get me wrong, I liked the tasteful reserve, but I for one didn't need the garbage we got at Armageddon in its place. I personally thought that Torrie was going to go heel after that and attack Kidman or something, which would have been loads better.

The marriage - There was no point. It was completely illogical for me to guess Austin would crash this, but by that point I was too desperate to seeing this angle dead.

The honeymoon - I actually laughed at this, because it was funny, and terrible. And the paramedic with the shock paddles should have fired the next day. This was a joke. Everyone was saying "Thank God," instead of "Poor Al."



A plus - At least Dawn Marie didn't violate the dead like a certain non-Kane superstar.

Later.

[The Dork Knight]

Originally posted by Jade_GL
I think it was the dumbest angle I've seen in a long time

COUGH*HHH NECROPHILIA*COUGH

I agree, this angle is one of the dumbest.

I wonder is JAKKS is going to make a Al Wilson "Inaction" figure...

- The Dork Knight

[BlackCat]

This angle was horrible. I wouldn't have minded the angle itself as much if they could have at least done it decently. They extended it way too long and as a result, ended it horribly. I would rather have the angle extend a little longer to end appropriately than end abruptly and try some corny drama.

[Jade_GL]

Oh, you're right. Like some horrible childhood memory I blocked out the

COUGH*HHH NECROPHILIA*COUGH

angle. Now I remember, and I am scarred for life.... Thank you, I will now go scour my eyes with brillo pads until I forget this angle.

[Tanooki]

the al wilson angle was terrible in my opinion. if anybody thought brock lesnar was terrible on the mic, they should take a gander at this guy. there was only a single volume in his tone and there wasn't any pizazz. seriously, whenever he would grab the mic, i was like "AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!"

even though this was a terrible angle, the poor fella shouldn't have had to "kick the bucket" or "be pushing up daisies" or "become worm food" or "die".

maybe they could've turned this whole angle into where tori comfronts dawn marie and al wilson after they get married and tori admits her "passionate feelings" for dawn (i'm aware of tori and kidman, but right now i'm talking about the wwe story line)and al would become so heart broken that he'd pack his bags and leave forever!!! wha...? no...? that won't happen? oh. ok

KoD

[Jin Kazama]

What I find absolutly hallarious, is that a few weeks ago they though Torrie/Dawn was strong enough to ask for your $35 to see it, but then last week it was Velocity fodder.

Then again, I really doubt that anyone bought the PPV for Dawn/Torrie.

[EinBebop]

There've been a lot of great angles in wrestling since I started watching it many years ago... Savage vs George Steele, Shawn throwing Marty through the window, Mike Tyson joining DX...

...but this one tops them all for me.

But this goes above wrestling. It ranks up there with the great love stories like Romeo and Juliet, Casablanca, and Silence of the Lambs. A mismatched pair meets, and it's love at first sight. Outside forces seek to tear them apart, but love overcomes all. But the story ends on a tragic note when Al Wilson is violentally taken away from this life, leaving both wife and daughter devastated. It was a twist on the classic stepmother/stepdaughter cliche: this time it's the evil stepdaughter who conspires to keep our lovers apart.

But this story isn't just a testament to the great writers, we have to give props to the actors as well. I'm sure everyone at home was brought to tears by the fear and grief felt by Dawn Marie as the EMT's tended to Al in their hotel room. Torrie Wilson could've played the role as a straight *****, but she played her character with a more complex agenda: torn between her rivalry with Dawn and her love for her father, so confused by the end that even she didn't know the reasons for her actions anymore.

And what about Al Wilson? Mr. Charisma himself! He was the glue that held the whole thing together. I hope Rock is watching his back; Hollywood could be eyeing Al to take over the Scorpion King role in the sequel. But I'd be remiss in not mentioning Billy Kidman. If there was a 'best supporting actor' award for pro wrestlers, it would go to him. It takes guts to take your character and turn him into Forrest Gump without the charm.

And what about the timing of the angle? What better way to give the death of Al Wilson credibility than running promos for his funeral right alongside tributes to Owen Hart? It just shows how much thought WWE gives to even the smallest details.

The only tragedy here is the loss of Al Wilson; this guy took the sport by storm in a way reminiscent of Goldberg. I'm disappointed that WWE didn't notice the huge fan response to Al Wilson quickly enough to abort the death angle. They could've easily thrown him in a pair of black trunks and made the Angle/Lesnar main event at WM a three-way.

I heard the real reason they were bringing back the deadman gimmick for the Undertaker was to do just that, by having Undertaker resurrect Al Wilson at No Way Out. But contract negotiations fell through at the last minute, so they went back to BikerTaker.

If only Vince had had the foresight to lock Al Wilson into a long-term contract. But it seems that wrestling wasn't big enough for a talent like Al Wilson. Wrestling's loss will be Hollywood's gain.

But in the words of Sean O'Haire... "I'm not telling you anything you don't already know."

[The Penguin]

I'm always so late in replying, but I'm finally here over a week later.

The sensitive time we are in right now with the death of Curt Hennig is exactly why I don't think Al should have "died."

I looked back at the SmackDown! talkback for that week and I'll admit I actually said, "I hope the “character” of Al Wilson dies or something. I just can’t take this crap any more..." After it actually happened though I just don't think that was the way to go.

While no one cried or was upset over the "death" of Al Wilson he still had a on-screen dedication, a funeral and "condolences sent to the entire Wilson family." It was part of the story, but is just not okay with me, especially now.

While wrestling is similar to soap operas and sitcoms it has always been a bit more "real" than that and no one has ever "died" on TV without actually dying to my recollection. I wanted the angle over in the worst way, but pretending someone died was not the way to get it done.