WWF Superstars (September 14, 1996)

 

Original Airdate: September 14, 1996

Your Hosts are Gorilla Monsoon and Mr. Perfect from the control center

As this is the ten year anniversary episode, we start with a cool montage of all the show opening themes from over the years

We go back to 1986, with Roddy Piper destroying the Flower Shop

Clips of Randy Savage defending the WWF Intercontinental title against Ricky Steamboat in 1986, complete with Randy crushing his larynx in the post-match angle, which kicked off their WrestleMania III feud. With Monsoon, of course, not failing to take a shot at Randy, by paying him a compliment, and then noting “but that was ten years ago…”

Superstars Memory: Rick Martel introducing Arrogance on the Brother Love Show in 1990

Tribute to Andre the Giant

We go back to 1987, with Andre the Giant turning in Hulk Hogan in Piper’s Pit

More from 1987, as Honky Tonk Man smashes a guitar over Jake Roberts’ head in the Snake Pit. I still can’t get over how nasty that shot was

Superstars Memory: Mountie pouring a bucket of water over, and then shocking Bret Hart with his cattle prod in 1991

Superstars Memory: Mr. Perfect’s various athletic feat vignettes from 1993

We go back to 1988, with Rick Rude trying to put the moves on Cheryl Roberts

We get a montage of various broadcasters from over the years doing different ‘update’ style segments (including the actual Update segment), and it’s actually pretty thorough! Charlie Minn! Craig DeGeorge!

Dok Hendrix is in the studio for the In Your House Slam Jam

Superstars Memory: The Islanders steal the British Bulldogs’ dog, Matilda, in 1987

Superstars Memory: Bret Hart is named Best Wrestler of the Year in 1991

We venture back to 1988, with Bret Hart sending Jimmy Hart back to the dressing room, which turned the Hart Foundation into babyfaces

A look at some of the more ‘eccentric’ guys, like Papa Shango, Damien Demento, and… the Steiner Brothers…? This was basically just an excuse to hear Howard Finkel announce a series of names. I’ll allow it

Superstars Memory: The Rockers debut in 1988

In Your House ad

Superstars Memory: Randy Savage proposes to Miss Elizabeth in 1991

We go back to 1990, with Earthquake attacking Hulk Hogan on the Brother Love Show

Superstars Memory: Papa Shango casts a curse on Ultimate Warrior in 1992

Superstars Memory: Brother Love introduces Paul Bearer as Undertaker’s new manager, in 1991

We go back to the Funeral Parlor in 1991, where Undertaker came out of a casket to attack Warrior

We go back to 1991, with Ric Flair getting in Piper’s face at the commentary table, and then clobbering him with the NWA World title belt. That leads to a big brawl, and Vince McMahon takes a chair shot in the chaos 

We get a montage of Vince opening the show with his various color commentators over the years

Hendrix is back with another In Your House Slam Jam. Of note: they show clips of Mark Henry training, and the guy he’s beating up on is a pre-debut Rock

Superstars Memory: Goldust unveiling his ‘Razor’ tattoo in 1996

Superstars Memory: Phineas Godwinn slopping Sunny in 1996

Clips of the Bret Hart/Bob Backlund WWF Title match, and aftermath, from 1994, which might have been the best match to air on the show to that point. Or ever

From 1995, Shawn Michaels interviews a cardboard cutout of Diesel on the Heartbreak Hotel

BUExperience: I could have easily watched three more hours of this. Honestly, this was surprisingly comprehensive, and didn’t shy away from a lot of the guys who weren’t in the promotion anymore (or, more importantly, with WCW). I expected them to mostly show stuff from 1995-96 to stay on brand, but they actually covered a lot of stuff. Sure, there were some missed opportunities, but it’s only an hour long show, you couldn’t expect them to cover everything. 

This was a lot of fun, and considering that Superstars would essentially be done as a show just a few months after this, it serves as a wonderful swan song for (almost) the entire run.