WWE RAW results, live retro blog (Oct. 21, 2002): The one with Katie Vick

One thing that the so-called PG era has over past eras, particularly the Attitude Era, is that storylines aren’t as tasteless now as they were then. That isn’t to say this era doesn’t have its share of them (hello, Piggy James angle). Thanks to social media, any wrestling company that puts on a stupid story can and will be called out on it.

And as much as we rag on the oversexualized and tasteless stories of the Attitude Era, the generally regarded worst storyline in WWE history happened long after WWE’s most popular era ended... which, in essence, is why this story existed in the first place.

I, of course, am talking about the infamous Katie Vick storyline, the Wrestlecrap Gooker Award winner from 2002.

This week’s live retro blog will look at the October 21, 2002 episode of RAW... the one with the Katie Vick simulated necrophilia thing.

Look, we did a few good shows lately. Time to do a bad one, okay?

Anyway, we’re starting at 7pm ET Saturday. That’s 6pm CT, 4pm PT, 1pm Hawaiian, and midnight in Great Britain. Everywhere else, figure it out.

All you need’s a broadband Internet connection and an active subscription to WWE Network (first month’s free if you’re a new subscriber).

This Saturday night should be... an experience to say the least. We’ll get through it together. Promise.

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Howdy, I’m Eddie Mac. And I hope you join me for live retro wrestling action.

We open with the intro from the previous night's No Mercy PPV interspersed with highlights of the world title match where Triple H unified the Intercontinental and World Heavyweight Championships. That means, that yes, as of this moment, there's only one men's singles championship on RAW.

RAW October 21, 2002 from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. I don't think it was called the Bridgestone Arena at that time, but it's what it's called now.

No pyro or ballyhoo as the show opens with Motorhead's "The Game" as we are introduced to the World Heavyweight Champion Triple H and Ric Flair. He blasts the dirt sheet writers and fans for saying he didn't deserve to be handed the world title. But hey, he's beaten everyone that's been put in front of him and ended 23 years of Intercontnental title history in one night. At this point, he's feeling untouchable, and there's nothing anyone can do about it.

As proof, he's got a video of what went down the night Katie Vick died, and he plans on airing it later... whoops, never mind that shit. Here comes Hurricane, Kane's tag partner, and he's pissed. He beats on Haitch and Flair and is able to snag the tape for a moment, but Haitch nabs the tape, makes one more Katie Vick reference, and we go to break. But we do have a tag match: Kane and Rob Van Dam vs. Triple H and Ric Flair later.

Match 1: Christopher Nowinski defeated Jeff Hardy in 5:54. This was a match that happened.

Backstage, Eric Bischoff's watching a video of Big Show doing Big Show things to him when Stacy Keibler walks in. Stacy wants to referee a match, and Eric gives it the greenlight. Any match other than the main event. Big Show walks in and Bischoff books a match between Show and the entire 3 Minute Warning in a handicap match.

Backstage, Tommy Dreamer confronts Al Snow. They agree to a Singapore cane match later. Dreamer leaves, and Nowitski lets Snow know that he didn't want nor need Al's help.

Match 2: The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray & Spike) defeat Lance The Un-Americans (Lance Storm & William Regal) in 3:27 to become the #1 contenders for the World Tag Team Championship. Post-match, Spike gets popped in the gut by Regal's brass knucks, and LSD bleeds from the mouth. Ouch.

Backstage, Trish Stratus is photoshooting and chats with the photographer about Victoria. Trish is soon confronted by the World Tag Team Champions, Chris Jericho and Christian. Christian brings up the time Trish barked like a dog (can you... can you not? Thanks). Jericho invites Trish to his locker room for some "Vitamin C". I think I just threw up in my mouth a bit. Anyways, Bookdust and Trish vs. Canadians Named Chris and Victoria later.

Eric Bischoff appears and praises the Hell in a Cell match from a night ago, but he's got something that can top it forSurvivor Series in Madison Square Garden: THE ELIMINATION CHAMBER. Wait... what? What is this Elimination Chamber? WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THIS, ERIC BISCHOFF? YOU GET BACK HERE AND YOU EXPLAIN THIS!

Backstage, Stacy Keibler's walking in what passes for refereeing gear. But what match is she refereeing?

Promo for Batista.

Match 3: Test defeated D-Lo Brown in 2:22. Whitby Boot of Death finishes the job. Test and Stacy hug it out, and in a little more than a friendly matter. He did it all for the nookie, didn't he?

Backstage, Terri's with Victoria. Goldust cuts in and calls out her claims against Trish. Enter Booker T, who gets in this sly reference that only longtime WWE fans will get: you can't spell Chris Jericho without "HO". I'll gladly explain this if you'd like.

Match 4: Chris Jericho, Christian, and Victoria defeated Booker T, Goldust, and Trish Stratus by submission in an intergender tag team match in 7:07. Jericho submitted Trish with the Walls of Jericho. An off night for the six, it seems.

Backstage, Terri's outside Kane's locker room and she will speak with him once the footage is done. Coach is with Triple H who asks why he do this. Basically Haitch wants to prove a point. At least we get a disclaimer before the footage rolls.

We see Haitch as Kane enter a funeral home (and just so we're not mistaken, he mentions that he is Kane, even though it's practically impossible for anyone to confuse Haitch as Kane). Anyway, the funeral home. Hunter approaches Katie Vick's body (a mannequin, probably a blowup doll). He goes on about the accident and how Katie wouldn't touch him. Haitch fondles the body of Katie and strips her of her clothing. He stops to smell her panties, remarking how he loves the smell of formaldehyde in the morning, and Haitch strips down and...

..umm... yeah. It appears they're having sex, Jim.  This... this is happening."Kane" is screwing the "corpse of Katie Vick". Don't look at me like that. Haitch pretty much mentions it right after coitus. He pulls out a pile of goo and says "I screwed her brains out".

Right. Time for analysis.

Haitch is laughing while Coach looks unamused and wants to be like anywhere else in the world right now. Terri opens Kane's locker room door, looking for a reaction, and the door is quickly shut. Kane pretty much speaking for all of us. Thanks Kane.

Match 5: Tommy Dreamer defeated Al Snow in 2:22 in a Singapore cane match. Chris Nowitski tries to be a good friend and help Al Snow, but Nowitski hit Snow with a cane, leading to the win.

Match 6: Big Show defeated 3 Minute Warning (Rosey, Jamal, and Rico) in 2:54 in a handicap match. Dominant win by Show.

Cut to a wheelchair-bound Shawn Michaels at The World in Times Square (the restaurant formerly known as WWF New York). We'll be hearing from him after the break.

An ad for WWE Anthology coming November 12. (Note from Future Eddie: Seek this out if you can if you're a fan of WWE music themes. You'll thank me later.)

After the break, Coach interviews Eric Bischoff. Big Show's been traded to Smackdown. Wait.. what?

Hurricane's in a parking lot and he's waiting for someone.

Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler interviews Shawn Michaels. We look back at Haitch nearly killing Shawn at Summerslam. Shawn says he's on the mend and he'll be back soon. Soon he leaps from the wheelchair and does his little dance. Seems to me HBK will be back real soon.

Match 7: Rob Van Dam and Kane defeat Triple H and Ric Flair in 12:21. Five-star frog splash by RVD beats Ric Flair one night after a five-star frog splash by RVD beat Ric Flair. Backstage, Kane beats on Haitch some more. Hurricane appears next to an open car trunk. Kane chokeslams Haitch on the hood before throwing him in the trunk. Kane shooes Hurricane away and let's Hunter know he's gonna screw him; the only question is if Hunter will be alive or dead when the screwing happens. Oh dear.

EDDIE MAC'S QUICK REVIEW

Um... wow. Wow, you guys. I've heard about how bad this show was, but I had to see it with my own eyes, and... yeah. This. Was. HORRIBLE. I was strictly Smackdown around this time (due to my financial situation), and thank God. I can see why the Reign of Terra is often regarded as among the worst periods in wrestling history. Without the whole necrophilia thing, this is a bad show that you probably would have forgotten about by the next day. With the necrophilia angle, it's an all-time stinker. It's in the short list of worst episodes of RAW ever, and it can be argued it's among the worst episodes of any television show ever.

I guess the moral dilemma following the show is this: would you want to live a long life or relative anonymity or die young with a degree of notoriety? After watching this episode of RAW, give me the life of anonymity. I'd watch this episode once just for historical purposes, but I cannot recommend a repeat viewing. In keeping with the show's main plot, I'm gonna give this episode a 2 out of 10, would not bang. Or in this case, 2 out of 10, would not watch again.

No live retro blog next weekend (NXT Takeover: Brooklyn 2: Brooklyn Harder is next Saturday night). This feature returns in two weeks. With a better show. Promise.