This week in Gimme Five we take a look back at Survivor Series - how did it stack up? The team bring you their thoughts on one of WWE's Big Four.

We also discuss the firing of John Cena, and we discuss the recent Old School RAW - should this be a more regular event?

The upcoming Tables, Ladders & Chairs ppv is also up for debate, as well as the recent spate of WWE releases.

Glad you could join us for the latest G5!

1) Survivor Series: overall impressions? Best and worst matches and moments? Did you watch this ppv? Did it stack up?

Stevie:
It beat my expectations. I really enjoyed the majority of it, I thought the three opening matches were brilliant. I loved a lot of the comedy featured, especially Dashing Cody Rhodes, and the energy the Superstars seemed to be bringing to the fray. The only real letdown was the Edge/Kane match, which isn't really a letdown considering it was exactly what you'd expect it to be - dull and plodding. Kudos for the story elements they brought in though, otherwise it would have been snooze-inducing.

Dion:
Another really solid ppv from WWE. In fact, I can't remember the last time there was a "bad" ppv. I only wish they'd bring back the classic Survivor Series match through the entire card.

Simon:
I rarely watch them on the day these days - so it was a treat. I liked it a lot and echo sentiments that there really wasn't much wrong with it. The tag match was throwaway, but I never really thought otherwise, same with the Diva match - good result but not really a good way of telling the tale. But again, we never really hold our breath for Diva matches (normally you can actually hold your breath for the duration of a Diva match). Kane and Edge both plod and I didn't enjoy that match much but nothing to ruin it and I agree - the first three matches were great. Woulda been nice, perhaps to see one more traditional Survivor Series match, but all in all a very solid ppv.

Luke:
I have been getting a lot of heat from friends about this but I didn't think Survivor Series lived up to my expectations at all. I thought that Daniel Bryan once again stole the show but the real reason I was watching was for the main event which, even though I was hoping for a Cena heel turn, I was still pleased with the match and the outcome. I thought the rest of the card was pretty dull. I thought that the classic Survivor Series match was a let down as I thought it would of been a better idea putting Del Rio over, but never mind. Kane and Edge was sloppy as well and didn't add anything to their feud.

Steph:
Fantastic. Ted Jr vs. Daniel Bryan just pipped Dolph/Kaval at the post for PHENOMENAL match of the night, but I was a bit disappointed by the quickness of Alberto's dismissal. That was simply begging for an end-of-match run-on that never came. But frankly who cares because BEEEEEEEEEEEETH. BETH BETH BETH BETH BETH BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEETH.

Scott:
It was great! Loved it! Every minute! And that thing where Daniel Bryan jumped WOOOAHHH!

...ok, I didn't watch it, and I'm a bit peeved about that. Very peeved. I'd remained deliberately unspoiled all day, but otherwise had a very busy, crappy Monday. Finally got home, changed to channel 200, and then something else came up that distracted me. And when I got back to the tv, it was past 8:30. And did you know that you can't book a ppv replay on SKY after it has started? I didn't. I know now. And my data is near the monthly limit so couldn't download it. Guess I'll wait for the DVD. Grump.

David:
Pretty good. Some parts dragged a bit (Edge vs. Kane) but most of it was consistent with my expectations. I love how strong the WWE undercard is these days, with the Intercontinental and United States Championship pictures delivering solid matches for months on end now!

Kirsty:
I thought it was an awesome show, I really enjoyed it. I thought that all the matches were really entertaining, especially the traditional Survivor Series match and the main event. And how cool was it seeing Natalya take the strap and the return of Beth Phoenix? Awesome stuff.

I thought it really stacked up, as probably one of the best ppvs of the year actually. Thoroughly enjoyable entertainment from start to finish.

Matt:
It seemed to ask more questions than it answered, which is becoming a trend of late with WWE ppvs. While the ruse of Cena’s departure was expected (by me at least), the merchandise cash cow won’t be off our screens for long, and the question is when will he make his return (Royal Rumble?). Will Nexus remain relevant to Barrett given he is being pushed well beyond the rest of them? Will Edge and Kane decide who is heel and who is face b’tween them? Does anyone give a shit about the tag titles any more? Or the Divas? Stay tuned…

2) The John Cena firing/finale of the Survivor Series main event was the right thing to happen? And the only way it could happen? Yes/No?

Stevie:
Yes. In this Post-Russo era, fans never have a reason to believe in anybody. If the guy you start cheering for turns on his friends every three weeks, what's the point? With no consistency of character, there is no character. For years Cena has had a cookie cutter character where you'd find it difficult to actually explain who he was. The Nexus story, drawing in elements of the classic blue collar worker going to a job he hates, allowed us to understand the man himself in a believable way. People understand him now better than ever. He stood true to his values and didn't change them on a whim. Yes kids - you can believe in John Cena. At least for the foreseeable future. As Dion wonderfully put it in his Editorial this week, teaching kids the value of 'Never Give Up' is actually heartwarming to me. I'll suffer through my dislike of Cena's in-ring style if this is the benefit. Kids need role models and Cena is one. That gives him worth far past the whims of a fickle audience or fickle writers.

Dion:
There were so many ways this one could've played out. The great news for us is, this interesting angle is clearly far from over.

Simon:
Well it's been the most interesting angle of the year and it's been well played on all sides and has served to benefit pretty much everyone involved and it was good. The match itself was nothing great but then the match had to take a back seat to the finale/decision and Cena's victory lap of the crowd probably caused a few with a heart to mist over in the eye department.

Luke:
I thought that the way he was fired was decent enough. It kept his good guy character intact and he played to the crowd well. I think there could of been other scenarios that could of worked out well too, but WWE stayed with the safe card for this one.

Steph:
I was pleasantly surprised that there was no insta-reversal of the firing. Yes, it could've gone the other way with John heel-turning to save himself - I'm thinking of Punk's heel-turn off the back of an entirely well-reasoned cashing in of Money in the Bank - but I think this was far and away the best way to play it.

Scott:
Well, it surprised me. And it's good to know that WWE still have the capacity to surprise. I, like many fans, was smarkly thinking "they won't get themselves in a situation where their biggest money earner has to be 'fired' for a while, so they'll do something to let Barrett win, but to let Cena then get one over him." Well, I was wrong. We were wrong.

And it suits. The character, the everyman-superman character, the hustle-loyalty-respect nature of the Cena character won out. And it pleases me to see WWE creative bods decide that the character is more important than anything else. Few other characters get this respect (try identifying what Edge's character has been over the last five years, for example).

In retrospect it was the only way it could happen. But, because this is the wrestling biz, it was the last thing I was expecting. Kudos to all involved.

David:
Well, it's not the only way it could have happened, but it's perhaps the best way. I can't really say if it was the right way to go until we see some of the fallout on RAW, but for now I'm certainly interested to see what happens next.

Kirsty:
Yes it was the right thing to happen - perhaps not the ONLY thing that could happen though. After the build over the past few weeks it needed to follow that same line, but it's not the finale - no way. There is ALWAYS a pay-off and it will be coming for the Cena/Nexus angle. This is clearly a good time to give Cena some much-deserved time off, and I imagine we'll see Triple H back soon to give Wade Barrett something to think about. Then when Cena does return, Barrett'll wish he stayed in that biology laboratory back on Jolly Olde England, because he won't be laughing then!

Matt:
Yes, because seeing Cena triumph over the odds most times was getting stale. Even in his heyday, The Hulkster had to hiatus to remain fresh.

*Spoiler alert* (RAW spoiler coming up in next line - scroll past if you don't want to see it)

Cena's “farewell speech” on RAW is well worth the watch to make sense of it all.

3) Old School RAW - did you watch this? Did you enjoy? Is this something that you'd like to see on a semi-regular basis?

Stevie:
Maybe only once a year but yes, for sure. I think Piper put it best when he said Old School is a state of mind, not a time period. A lot of the newer generation could learn a lot from those who preceded them. It was great to see some of them back on TV and I enjoyed what they brought. My only complaint is hearing Jim Ross again - because it pointed out how truly terrible and detrimental to the product Cole's voice is. I'd only just gotten on board with Cole's new character and then I'm reminded of what it's like when an announcer actually puts over the talent. Now I'm back to square one, listening to a commentator who often can't wait for wrestling matches to end on a wrestling show. Bizarre.

Dion:
I LOVED it. I wasn't expecting much, but i thought it was brilliant and the 'E obviously went to a lot of effort. It was the little things that I enjoyed the most - the old school banners, the old ropes, The Fink and the interview "set" with the ring in the background. Oh, and of course "The Doctor of Style" Slick!! It's a shame that so many from the late 80s have passed on. It would've been brilliant to see more stars from the past that we haven't seen forever.

A once a year Old School RAW would be great!

Simon:
I liked this more than I thought I would - and I reckon it should be done once a year, maybe twice. You know they could damn near create a ppv around this - have one or two old-school matches but then just use the oldies to do vignettes, to accompany and so on... anyway it was good. A really good episode of RAW.

Luke:
Yes and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was definitely one of my favourite RAWs over the past few years and brought back many memories. Watching guys like Sheamus come out with the old school Titantron made me visualize them in the world of WWF circa '98. It was cool, a fun event and I would love to see them do it more often. I think a lot of it did come down to the production values which gave it a real authentic feel.

Steph:
Yes, yes, yes - with the proviso that they find some more old talent to cycle through. Even I can only take so much Ted Sr/Dusty shenanigans.

Scott:
Watched it, loved it. And, no, I don't want to see it again; or not for a long long time. It drives me nuts how WWE take a unique, original, exciting, fun idea and, since it makes them money, repeat it ad nauseam, losing almost all of the unique, original, excitement. (see: gimmick pay-per-views).

David:
Old School is cool! I was worried it was going to be all 1993-themed, but we got an appearance from Sexual Chocolate so there was more recent history than I'd expected, which is a good thing. It doesn't have legs as a semi-regular show though - look how fast Saturday Night's Main Event went downhill once WWE starting holding more than one a year.

Kirsty:
A great show. But I think that a true old school RAW needs to include some people who - for whatever reason - were unable to show up. Hulk Hogan, the Ultimate Warrior, Macho Man and Honky Tonk to name but a few. And they all have their reasons but there's not much that money can't buy in this industry and if they do decide to run it as an annual event (which I think is as frequently as they could do it) then they have some time to try and persuade some of those names to return for the night. Which is what I hope they do. Even for the ones in TNA. You just never know.

Matt:
It was pretty lame actually. While I did mark out for “The Doctor of Style” Slick treading the boards, and the Iron Sheik having his microphone mysteriously cut out during a tirade directed at Hulk Hogan (bless his cotton socks!), the rest was like a bunch of agents and back room boys being wheeled out, with no real "overness" about them. Even Piper has lost his spark a little!

4) Tables, Ladders and Chairs is round the corner - are you excited by the return of this as a ppv event? What would you hope to see as a standout match in the mix?

Stevie:
It's one of the better gimmick ppvs in concept but by this point in the year I'm burned out on gimmicks for the sake of gimmicks. It still irks me that special match types are used for anything other than as blow offs to feuds, each chosen for the requirements of the participants involved. I understand it makes marketing their many ppvs a lot easier but detracts from my enjoyment of organic storytelling.

Dion:
I'm sure we'll see some great matches. I just worry that having so many TLC matches will force innovation and result in major injuries.

Simon:
It is a good gimmick ppv but it is squashed in at end of year - and I worry about the stipulation with regard to matches featuring the already old and broken-down (Edge/Kane). But it should be a good one, no doubt.

Luke:
I'm always excited to see some TLC action! I'm not too sure what to expect at this stage but I hope to see Daniel Bryan in a ladder match! That would be cool!

Steph:
TLC and Extreme Rules are my absolute favourites ppvs because I am a total sucker for gimmicks and shiny new things. Dream match? Anything involving the Divas and some ladders. Or even Beth Phoenix throwing Michelle McCool through a table.

Scott:
See my answer for the above question. I'm getting heartily sick of the number of pay-per-views and their gimmicks. The gimmicks have become meaningless. While I'll be paying attention to see if there are any matches or feuds that will be worth watching for, the gimmick now does nothing to make me pay money to see the show.

This time, however, I do hope they do the 'chairs' match properly. Where two wrestlers sit on them and debate current affairs. Gold.

David:
I like TLC because, despite being a gimmick pay-per-view, it's still able to give us a bit of variety. At Hell in a Cell the main matches have to be contested inside Hell in a Cell, but TLC has options from full-blown TLC to just a chair match, so the individual feuds can still be catered for in a somewhat individual way. And, of course, you get to see some crazy matches, so all-in-all it's got potential to be one of the better shows of the year. Give Daniel Bryan a chance at a gimmick match and I'll be happy.

Kirsty:
I'm not a huge fan of gimmicked ppvs, but I'm looking forward to it nonetheless. I imagine we'll see Wade Barrett starring - probably continuing to chase Orton's strap - and anything that continues his build is a good thing.

WWE will start thinking about beginning the Road To WrestleMania soon, so TLC will - hopefully - be a good time to conclude some angles so that the talent can begin their WrestleMania campaigns.

Matt:
Edge/Christan vs. Hardies vs. Dudleys?? No? Then why is this ppv relevant to finishing any feuds in WWE at the moment??

5) There was a recent round of firings including Luke Gallows, Divas Tiffany and Jillian and Shad Gaspar - will you miss any of them? Do you think some of them, no pun intended, were given a raw deal? (maybe they should have been given a RAW deal!)

Stevie:
It's always sad when anybody loses a job. Jillian was supposed to be transistioning into a agent role so I was surprised to see her cut. Shad Gaspard had requested some time in FCW to prepare for the return they had scheduled for him so that was a surprise as well. Tiffany isn't a surprise, given what happened. But I liked them all and will miss them, even if it's necessary to revolve your midcard around on a regular basis to keep things fresh. Of all of them I expect Gallows to be the first rehired down the track. He has a great upside that was hardly allowed to show.

Dion:
I'm surprised that Gaspard is gone. I thought he was going to be the "Michaels" to JTG's "Jannetty".

Simon:
The harsh truth here is that none of them will be missed.

Luke:
WWE makes yearly cuts every year and not everybody is going to be happy with the outcomes no matter who it is. I think that letting Shad, Jillian and Tiffany go was a good idea as they didn't bring much to the product over the last year. Though, I thought it was unfair that Gallows was given the chop despite the high profile roles he had with the SES earlier this year. Once he broke away from the Festus character, the future looked to have more in it for him but sadly not. I have heard that since being let go, Gallows has been booked up like wild fire for indy promotions in the US which has pleased him, but I do hope to see him return to the 'E one day.

Steph:
I will completely miss Jillian. She had a wonderfully terrible gimmick and she could actually wrestle. And I will really mourn Tiffany because I had high hopes of her achieving major stardom and rendering the abomination that is Kelly Kelly's popularity null and void.

Scott:
Jillian Hall is the one I'm going to miss most. She was genuinely talented. She took one-note characters (JBL's personal assistant, Brooke Hogan wannabe) and made them enormously entertaining, heat-drawing, heel gold. And she could work in that ring. With her gone, Beth Phoenix injured and Gail Kim just cashing the paychecks there really isn't anyone on the 'Divas' roster who can work a decent match apart from Natalya. And that's a damn shame.

Thinking about it, I also feel Luke Gallows can be a bit peeved, as he also worked whatever gimmick he was given really well. Anyone else remember when Ric Flair retired, amongst all the character breaking weeping and gnashing of teeth in the final farewell, there was Gallows (or Festus, as he was then) standing there with mouth open, glazed expression, resolutely keeping character. C'mon, WWE Creative, this guy could've worked with anything you gave him; you mean to say you couldn't think of anything? Perhaps that's why many of the creative team were also fired last week...

David:
Gallows definitely got screwed. I remember really getting invested in his match (as Festus) against Undertaker on SmackDown, and it takes a special sort of performer to get people caring about the corn-fed colossus. The Straight Edge Society should have been far more than it was, too, and Gallows could have been a big part of that. I hope he comes back in the future.

Kirsty:
I'll miss Luke Gallows. I think he did get a raw deal in that clearly he's capable of so much more outside of SES, but they weren't willing to spend any time on him. At least... not yet. Don't be surprised if he's back sometime in 2011.

Matt:
Gallows and Shad had a few rides on the gimmick roundabout and remained underwhelming (I thought Festus was Gallows' best work). Jillian's ample assets (err… her huge vocal chords) will be sorely missed. Tiffany who?