There's a simplistic beauty to the way SmackDown Live can pack so much action and storyline developments into two hours of television each week.
The matches are short and crisp, with the creative turns well defined. And there's typically a cliffhanger element leaving you wanting more, providing enough incentive to watch the postgame show, Talking Smack.
The show's foundation and execution have been so strong in recent months, you get the feeling that just about any storyline could get over. So it's probably no surprise that SmackDown continues to thrive with indie wrestler James Ellsworth -- someone who pulls off the role of simpleton so well -- as a central figure in its main event feud.
SmackDown rolled out the latest chapter Tuesday, as Ellsworth's involvement dominated the opening and closing segments of the show (along with interspersing backstage conversations in between). And just as improbably as Ellsworth himself being thrust into this position, the formula continues to work.
Ellsworth's single-minded quest to win Dean Ambrose's forgiveness for costing him a match last week led to the man "with two hands and a fighting chance" getting banned from ringside for the main event. But Ellsworth evaded ringside security long enough to make an impact, ultimately distracting WWE world champion AJ Styles and helping Ambrose get the win.
The victory secured Ambrose another title shot, which commissioner Shane McMahon announced on Talking Smack will come on Dec. 4 at the SmackDown-exclusive TLC pay-per-view. The subtle smile from Ellsworth as he was dragged up the ramp by security after the match was the perfect ending.
Ellsworth, who originally debuted on a July 25 episode of Raw as a squash match opponent for Braun Strowman, has provided SmackDown with the perfect foil for its top two stars to play off of thanks to his almost extreme everyman vibe.
It has allowed Ambrose to rely on the strength of his comedic muscles while embracing the softer side of his edgy babyface persona, which was evident when he hugged Ellsworth just before the credits rolled. And it has provided Styles someone to pick on, further stamping home his current role as heel, which he executed well Tuesday by twice assaulting Ellsworth out of sheer annoyance.
While WWE has given Ellsworth room to stretch his wings both in the ring and on the microphone, they have toed the line well in avoiding overexposure or setting him up to fail. And Ellsworth has been able to build a connection with the audience because of the duality of his current role as equal parts buffoon and underdog.
The highlight of Tuesday's show may have come in Ambrose shoving Ellsworth out of the back door of the arena and saying, "You got your cellphone on you? Good, because any man with two hands can call an Uber and get a ride out of here."
But you don't get the feeling like Ellsworth's run is looking like it will end anytime soon, nor should it.
While it's hard to know exactly where that point of oversaturation begins for Ellsworth's character or whether he will last through TLC (let alone find himself spot at the Royal Rumble in January), right now it's working.
More Ellsworth is a welcome thing in a Styles-Ambrose rivalry that likely doesn't reach a level this compelling without his presence.
Sometimes trying to understand and figure out why an angle works so well is less important than just sitting back and enjoying it.
Hits and misses
It's creepy, it's gimmicky and it has me completely hooked. Randy Orton's full turn to the dark side and acceptance that Bray Wyatt is a god, thus completing his membership in the Wyatt Family, was the right turn needed for the Orton-Wyatt angle to start making sense. It was also handled with legitimate care and attention to detail, as Orton said he was born with the devil whispering in his ear and he's done trying to fight it. For as talented as Orton is, his character isn't necessarily going anywhere at the moment making a development of this kind a welcome one, especially if the Wyatt Family can once again become the type of vicious and menacing heel faction that WWE's main roster currently lacks.
Ellsworth acted as the butt of several one-liners on Tuesday, including Styles telling him to "crawl back into that bargain bin" that he came out of. The announce team took its shots on multiple occasions as well, including John Bradshaw Layfield saying that Ellsworth is "a generation away from walking on all fours. He's not a mistake, he's a freak that doesn't belong."
Credit SmackDown Live for the use of a brief black and white video promo on Baron Corbin that perfectly encapsulated his character. With scenes of Corbin riding a motorcycle and complaining about the demanding nature of fans while standing behind a chain-link fence, the promo nailed home Corbin's self-obsessed loner persona and lack of patience for anything that gets in his way. It has been a slow road for Corbin after being selected by SDL with such a high pick in the July 19 brand extension draft. But the overall package appears like it's starting to come together.
It's not clear exactly where this is headed, but SmackDown once again teased at the supposed real-life tension between The Miz and general manager Daniel Bryan with an entertaining argument during Miz TV. The payoff was the creation of an Intercontinental title open challenge, with Dolph Ziggler defeating Curt Hawkins in a squash match which lasted mere seconds (to the chagrin of an angry Miz at ringside). The use of Bryan was meant to add more spice into the ongoing feud between Miz and Ziggler. But the reintroduction into the storyline of Bryan's real-life situation of a forced retirement, with Miz telling him that he's scared to fight, makes you wonder whether this was just another step in the slow play toward Bryan's eventual return (provided he gets cleared).
Is the personality of Natalya, who was named as the coach of SmackDown's women's team at Survivor Series, slowly evolving into that of a crazy cat lady with no self-awareness of her own issues? I'm not saying it isn't working, but just wanted to clarify.
SmackDown also deserves credit for its pacing, allowing a large number of superstars to get over despite a small amount of camera time provided. Tag-team victories for American Alpha and The Usos likely didn't combine for five full minutes of ring action, yet both matches were able to get across the storyline message that was intended heading into Survivor Series.
Bryan had several rants on Talking Smack against Raw, saying it was likely to fill out the fifth member of their Survivor Series team with a member of the Attitude Era, mentioning Gillberg and "Road Dogg" Jesse James. For as much as Bryan had a point in making the joke, as Raw currently features Goldberg in its marquee feud, it was SmackDown which featured a tag-team match on Tuesday involving a washed-up version of The Headbangers (not to mention The Spirit Squad). So pot, I would like to introduce you to kettle.