Can You Tell Me About: Lucha Underground

[Grievous 3D]

Hello again my fellow members...how is life treating you?

So as you can tell by the title...I'm here again to pick
your collective brains again and find out some information.

So...What can you tell me about: Lucha Underground

Now I know very little about the show itself apart from:

~ Rey Mysterio & Alberto Del Rio have worked on the show...as have some other ex-WWE performers.
~ Its heavily edited.
~ Jim Cornette doesn't like it (I listened to him rant on youtube)
~ Sexy Star...

*Sigh*

~ And that she held their top title (Only for a week...but still...that's pretty cool)

So...is Lucha Underground worth me tracking down and watching...or do I heed
the words of Mr. Cornette.

Oh...and just for the record...I have no problem reading subtitles as most of my
favorite films are from the Japanese kaiju genre.

Thank you for your time and all opinions and thoughts are welcome. I'll see you
all around the traps.

 

[Snowman1]

Two short answers to keep you satisfied:

1: Jim Cornette is wrong, like, always... And
2: Look up "Lucha Underground Catrina GIFS" and thank me later. Then check out Melissa Santos on Instagram.

 

[Grievous 3D]

1: Jim Cornette is wrong, like, always...

But...I thought Jim Cornette was always right?

2: Look up "Lucha Underground Catrina GIFS" and thank me later. Then check out Melissa Santos on Instagram.

*Checks Suggestions*

Wow...

Okay...so...yeah...very nice...

But how is the wrestling and storytelling?

 

[Stopspot]

The wrestling is fine. The storytelling is very out there. Lucha Underground is more a TV drama than a wrestling show and is presented as such. You have everything from time traveling, aztec gods, immortal monsters to regular luchadors competing for championships. It is a wacky ride.

It also doesn't make much money and the owners are trying to sell it because of that.

Also, fuck Jim Cornette.

 

[Grievous 3D]

The wrestling is fine. The storytelling is very out there. Lucha Underground is more a TV drama than a wrestling show and is presented as such. You have everything from time traveling, Aztec gods, immortal monsters to regular luchadors competing for championships. It is a wacky ride.

Wow...sounds like a head trip...Thanks for the info...

It also doesn't make much money and the owners are trying to sell it because of that.

Oh God...may-be they'll merge with TNA? Or Vince could buy it...lol

Also, fuck Jim Cornette.

Well...I like Jim Cornette...the guy makes me laugh...although he seems to hate all "modern/current" day wrestling...
I don't take his word for gospel...but like I said...I find his rants are very entertaining.

 

[Jacob Fox]

Well first off, you won't need subtitles for the most part. Lucha Underground is an American show. There are a few wrestlers who speak Spanish but they are the minority and they provide subtitles for it. The vast majority of the talking is in English though.

There's no real distinction between the men and women as far as wrestling goes. They're completely interchangeable as far as matches go. You'll see men and women wrestling regularly and even see male and female tag teams. They will not refer to it as "mixed" tag teams either, it's simply luchadores vs luchadores.

The biggest thing about Lucha Underground that differs from American wrestling is the story lines. As Stopspot mentioned, it's more like a TV drama in that respect. They even have a lot of wrestlers play characters that we obviously know they are not. For example, the Honky Tonk Man once had a cameo as a police officer. When I first began watching it, I didn't like the story lines. It was too weird for me because I'm a bit of a purist and even today, I think American wrestling has too much story in it. But once I watched a couple episodes, I really enjoyed it.

Another thing about Lucha Underground is that they film their shows MONTHS before they air. So if you hate spoilers, you have to work hard to avoid reading just about anything about it online. I had Mil Muertes' championship win, Fenix's Championship win, Matanza's championship win, Sexy Star's championship win and Johnny Mundo's championship win all spoiled months before they aired on TV and I wasn't even looking for spoilers when it happened.

Sad news about Sexy Star that I know will be trouble for your hormones, though. She retired to pursue a career in boxing.

 

[Grievous 3D]

Sad news about Sexy Star that I know will be trouble for your hormones, though. She retired to pursue a career in boxing.

I have heard about that...but...it doesn't bother me that much. She may eventually return to wrestling if the boxing doesn't work out.

Well first off, you won't need subtitles for the most part. Lucha Underground is an American show. There are a few wrestlers who speak Spanish but they are the minority and they provide subtitles for it. The vast majority of the talking is in English though.

There's no real distinction between the men and women as far as wrestling goes. They're completely interchangeable as far as matches go. You'll see men and women wrestling regularly and even see male and female tag teams. They will not refer to it as "mixed" tag teams either, it's simply luchadores vs luchadores.

The biggest thing about Lucha Underground that differs from American wrestling is the story lines. As Stopspot mentioned, it's more like a TV drama in that respect. They even have a lot of wrestlers play characters that we obviously know they are not. For example, the Honky Tonk Man once had a cameo as a police officer. When I first began watching it, I didn't like the story lines. It was too weird for me because I'm a bit of a purist and even today, I think American wrestling has too much story in it. But once I watched a couple episodes, I really enjoyed it.

Another thing about Lucha Underground is that they film their shows MONTHS before they air. So if you hate spoilers, you have to work hard to avoid reading just about anything about it online. I had Mil Muertes' championship win, Fenix's Championship win, Matanza's championship win, Sexy Star's championship win and Johnny Mundo's championship win all spoiled months before they aired on TV and I wasn't even looking for spoilers when it happened.

Wow...Thanks for the info Jakey-Jake...it sounds like I may have to check this show out...

 

[Stopspot]

Well...I like Jim Cornette...the guy makes me laugh...although he seems to hate all "modern/current" day wrestling...
I don't take his word for gospel...but like I said...I find his rants are very entertaining.

Cornette said that Jim Smallman, promoter and owner of Progress wrestling, a guy he had never met or spoken to. Should be hung in a trailer park.

Cornette is trash and his opinions are trash

 

[Grievous 3D]

Cornette said that Jim Smallman, promoter and owner of Progress wrestling, a guy he had never met or spoken to. Should be hung in a trailer park.

Cornette is trash and his opinions are trash

Okay...Thanks for your opinion...
But...
The real question is: Should I watch Lucha Underground?

 

[The Gipper]

Well...I like Jim Cornette...the guy makes me laugh...although he seems to hate all "modern/current" day wrestling...
I don't take his word for gospel...but like I said...I find his rants are very entertaining.

I'm a Russo mark, bro. So you ain't getting no sympathy from me from the toxic words you just said. 2:

As for the Lucha Underground part.......Here's @Geek773 to tell you more.

 

[Geek773]

I'm a Russo mark, bro. So you ain't getting no sympathy from me from the toxic words you just said. 2:

As for the Lucha Underground part.......Here's @Geek773 to tell you more.

HELLO!

Mostly everything has been said. No worries about language, show is American and The Temple is in LA. Commentary is excellent, Matt Striker is a great playbyplay. Luchadoras compete on the level of luchadores. Stories are wacky, wrestling is consistently great. They only have two PPV equivalents per year, Aztec Warfare and Ultima Lucha, so a lot of big matches are on the weekly show. Most shows have a match you want to see.

 

[Grievous 3D]

Thanks Geek773...I think I'm sold on it...

I'm a Russo mark, bro. So you ain't getting no sympathy from me from the toxic words you just said.

 

[Snowman1]

Should you watch it...

If you can't tell, besides maybe @Prince Bálor I'm the biggest Lucha Underground fan you'll find. So I'm really biased with this... if you can't tell, because I truly believe that LU being on Netflix is a complete game-changer for the industry because now new fans have a gateway into watching and enjoying wrestling. It's written by them "Hollywood writers" Cornette loves so much, but they take a whole lot of care of the show and do so much to get angles over. There's very few angles on LU you'll find yourself wanting to fast forward through - it being an hour certainly helps. And the wrestling is absolutely top-notch to boot. It's the lucha style and not the most realistic thing, but they're great at delivering pinball action and dudes flying everywhere... while doing an AMAZING job of delivering finishes that actually feel very satisfying to even the most minor of feuds.

Like psychopath Marty "The Moth" Martinez once stole the dogtags from the sniper KillShot and laughed as he held onto them in his room, as KillShot's main identity was watching the soldier who had his back die on the battlefield. He kept those dog tags in memory of him, and after Marty took them he obsessed over killing this dude and getting that memento back........then Dario came up with a "WMD match" which was a cartoonish Street Fight in a Call of Duty type battlefield... which ended with a blood covered Moth fighting KillShot at the top of the ladder, KS knocking him down a peg or two, as he looked up in fear as Shot climbed to the top rung and CRUSHED him with a Coup De Grace through a table underneath the ladder, he grabbed the dogtags and held them up while counting the 3.......then a mysterious man came out of the shadows... Killshot grabbed his arm, as Striker explained that "this must be his old army buddy!" It's a beautiful reuinion! He's alllOHHHHH! SUPERKICK TO KILLSHOT! Then the guy grabs his dogtags back and talks up how now he's going to leave him for dead, just like KS did to him...

(That's an undercard story. With that much effort put into it.)

As Stop said it's a TV show ABOUT a wrestling company. It's produced like one, which helps with the backstage skits being very great - and also having limitless possibilities, from having brainwashed gigantic cage monsters eating peoples faces to post-editing guitar solos on Johnny Mundo playing the air guitar in the ring.

The best example to explain LU is the GM, Dario Cueto. Almost all his actions are consistent with his character, of a SCUMBAG promoter who'll do anything to deliver violence to entertain the people. You can appreciate the guy for giving us Lucha Underground and loving his VIOLENCE!!!!! but every single backstage segment he's being a total cock and pitting allies against each other and having the women go out and face giant dudes and coming up with radical tournament ideas and stipulation matches. If they don't like it, they're free to leave... but what's the fun in that?) Now he's got a deep, dark, mysterious past and has some shady business dealings with Lorenzo Lamas, as the district police chief and her inside men believe the fate of the world is at stake. (Also Jeremiah Crane hid a ouija board hid in the ceiling when he was a kid, which sounds like you wrote it.)

(A common complaint is that fans HATE intergender matches, as the women get punched and kicked in the face OFTEN by men. I totally understand that making you uneasy, but IMO it works in a pro-wrestling context when the women shake it off and kick the dude's ass right back. Equality!)

ya know what. I can type about this all day. So. Here's an article written after season 1 which you should be bingewatching as soon as it hits Netflix.
Great read despite lots of Season 1 spoilers.
Everything You Wanted To Know About Lucha Underground But Were Afraid To Ask

 

[Grievous 3D]

Wow Snowman...thanks again for another epic info drop...I do really appreciate the effort you've put into this post.

There's very few angles on LU you'll find yourself wanting to fast forward through - it being an hour certainly helps.

That's good news...I love wrestling...but I love a good story with strong character development...

And the wrestling is absolutely top-notch to boot. It's the lucha style and not the most realistic thing, but they're great at delivering pinball action and dudes flying everywhere... while doing an AMAZING job of delivering finishes that actually feel very satisfying to even the most minor of feuds.

Sounds great to me...

As Stop said it's a TV show ABOUT a wrestling company. It's produced like one, which helps with the backstage skits being very great - and also having limitless possibilities, from having brainwashed gigantic cage monsters eating peoples faces to post-editing guitar solos on Johnny Mundo playing the air guitar in the ring.

Wow...that sounds fucking insane...but it also sounds like a lot of fun...

The best example to explain LU is the GM, Dario Cueto. Almost all his actions are consistent with his character, of a SCUMBAG promoter who'll do anything to deliver violence to entertain the people. You can appreciate the guy for giving us Lucha Underground and loving his VIOLENCE!!!!! but every single backstage segment he's being a total cock and pitting allies against each other and having the women go out and face giant dudes and coming up with radical tournament ideas and stipulation matches. If they don't like it, they're free to leave... but what's the fun in that?)

So...he's Vince Russo crossed with Eric Bischoff? lol

(A common complaint is that fans HATE intergender matches, as the women get punched and kicked in the face OFTEN by men. I totally understand that making you uneasy, but IMO it works in a pro-wrestling context when the women shake it off and kick the dude's ass right back. Equality!)

I have to be honest and state that I'm not a fan of intergender matches...but...
Lucha Underground did put their top title on Sexy Star...So I have to respect them for that.

ya know what. I can type about this all day. So. Here's an article written after season 1 which you should be bingewatching as soon as it hits Netflix.

I may have to do that. I'm currently staying with my parents recovering from foot surgery
and they have Netflix...so I may have an opportunity to catch up on all the Lucha Goodness
very soon.

Again...Thank you for the info Snowman...and I'm 100% certain I will be checking out
Lucha Underground.

 

[Grievous 3D]

@Snowman I wanted to ask...are there "Aliens" in it?