Episode Commentary: A Leg Up
Eva Marie in a Maxim photo shoot?
Yeah, this was certainly a good-looking episode of “Total Divas.”
Once again, Eva Marie steals the show. Her steamy Maxim spread, combined with her continued moments with Jojo and Nattie Neidhart made for the most enjoyable moments of “Total Divas.”
Simply put, the show is at its best when it’s free of bells and whistles and just real.
But like other episodes, the drama was plentiful. Ariane and Vinnie’s relationship continues to plod along, while Nikki Bella and John Cena remain the “fun” couple. Jojo tells the girls she wants to sing and thanks to again, the trusting and caring Eva Marie, she pursues it. Sadly, by the end of the episode, the two Divas in training are at odds.
Things continue to falter for Jojo as Trinity likes the notion so much that she piggybacks on the idea. The case often in the industry, Jojo isn’t allowed to shine as much as she should. Regardless, it’s easy to see that Jojo is a vital character on the show.
Aside from the main arcs, there was a few moments where “Total Divas” truly shined. Seeing the Bellas and Cena discuss wrestling through injuries was important for establishing the legitimacy of the show. These may be beautiful women, but they put their bodies on the line every night they step into the ring. To see the real side of that made the show work for a reality fan and a wrestling junkie.
Sadly, that momentum is thrown out the window every time Ariane and Vinnie are on-screen. Their emotional woes are your standard reality TV fare. In order for this show to be taken seriously (as serious as a reality show can be), this “angle” needs much less time. While seeing how female wrestlers handle relationships is an important topic and should be on the show, Ariane and Vinnie’s relationship isn’t the type that deserves to be profiled for millions to see. Sure, the scene with Vincent’s father and outside the jewelry store were fun and train wreck in the best sense, it shouldn’t steal the drama from the thing that matters most.
For those who are lost in the nonsense and don’t see the show for what it should be, “Total Divas” will thrive if it focuses on the emotional and physical strain a life in wrestling has on a beautiful and talented woman.
For most of this episode, it did that, but there were enough moments that make you think the show’s producers would rather hang on the mores of what works in reality TV than establish themselves as something completely unique.
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