FUTURE SHOCK THERAPY: Episode 11.5 Preview

CAN YOU HEAR THE FANS NOW? 

The Future Shock votes are in, and while I want to be surprised by what we just saw, I really can't be.  So without any further hesitation, let's get right into it. 

8th Place: Fiona O'Dalaigh
7th Place: Helga
6th Place: Kanna Haroshi
5th Place: Leah O'Quinn

I was all prepared to chalk this up to "too little too late" for Leah, who showed very little of herself in the first three episodes, and just didn't give us enough of herself in the fourth to keep her around.  But the more and more I thought about it, the more and more I realized, that's not the case.  It's not because Leah never really showed us her personality that got her bounced.  It's that when she finally did, the voters rejected it firmly. 

Leah went for the pity vote.  And that NEVER works where Future Shock has been concerned. 

Leah showed elements from the get go that she was out for sympathy, going far enough to make a pre-emptive strike on myself about how I'll probably just end up making fun of her.  That's a red flag right off the bat, but when it came time for her to actually speak, and show us who Leah O'Quinn was... here came the waterworks. 

Right off the bat, the reason we got why Leah never talked was that because she was afraid she'd be made fun of.  Playing to sympathy.  Then we got about how just because she can't hear, she can't feel things either, and that the fan's rejecting her was hurting her feelings.  Playing to sympathy. Shame on you, fans, shame on you for not embracing her! 

Here's the deal.  The fans love it when people overome adversity, as Leah no doubt had to do to even get this far.  But when you start pointing it out as often as she has, when you start usiing it as a crutch and excuse, the fans won't love it so much, as we saw.  They'd rather have a train wreck who can't wrestle to save her life than someone so full of self-pity.  And Leah's reaction when it didn't work, the meltdown temper tantrum calling the fans idiots who don't deserve her while going for even more pity ("I worked so hard..."), tells me the fans hit the nail on the head.  

Leah O'Quinn's participation in Future Shock should be looked at by every future Rookie hoping to be in this competition as a case study of what not to do.  Because the fan's want someone to admire, not pity.  They want inspiration, not a sob story.  They want to feel empathy, not sympathy. Leah was too much the latter, and not the former. 


Anyways, half gone, half to go.  Those remaining, in alphabetical order:

Lana Star
Lollipop
Marla Lee
Velvet Raven

Next week... A FOUR WAY CAGE MATCH WHERE YOU CAN ONLY WIN BY ESCAPING!  HOW FUCKING ULTRAVIOLENCE IS THAT!?

Well, actually quite a lot when you have a medieval arsenal stowed away inside.  And there's no door, so the only way out is over the top.  Which is covered throroughly in barbed wire.  The only question remaining is if we'll keep to the season theme and set something on fire. 

Either way, if I were in the final four, I'd be bringing some heavy duty work gloves to this one. 

THE FAVORITE: Velvet Raven.  Marla's dominating the season, but she's yet to win a challenge inside the ring, while Velvet came away with the six pack challenge.  Inside the cage should favor her even more, as Marla's trickery and Lollipop's evasion tactics are greatly reduced.  Velvet's got the power, speed, and pain tolerance to be the first out, and I'm calling her to do it. 

THE HOT SEAT: Lana may be the lowest vote getter to carry over, but it's do or die time for Lollipop.  I've had her in second place for most the competition so far, but she's yet to win a challenge, and she's yet to win a vote.  Being beaten out by Velvet in the Marla-less voting is a huge warning light for her, as it shows that in the minds of the fans, she's out of the top two in the season right now.  SHe's got two shows left until the third wheel gets dropped, so she needs to make her move now.