WWE SmackDown Review: December 20, 2024 Location: XL Center, Hartford, CT Theme: The Final SmackDown of 2024 / Saturday Night's Main Event Fallout The Short Version This episode served as a "go-home" show for the holiday break and a fallout show for the recent Saturday Night's Main Event. It was a show heavy on talking and storyline progression rather than in-ring classics. While the Kevin Owens storyline carried the episode, the lack of a major main event and a quieter crowd made this a "table-setting" episode rather than a must-see classic.
The Good
Kevin Owens’ Vengeance Tour: The highlight of the episode was undoubtedly Kevin Owens. Following his brutal attack on Cody Rhodes at Saturday Night's Main Event, Owens delivered a strong promo justifying his actions. He is excelling in this "ticked-off veteran" role. The segment where he interrupted the show (often targeting the commentary or ringside area) felt dangerous and unpredictable. This is the best character work Owens has done in years, and it makes the World Heavyweight Title picture feel personal and intense.
Tiffany Stratton’s Rise: The Women’s Division continues to be a strong point for SmackDown. Tiffany Stratton’s interactions with Nia Jax are walking a fine line between "friends" and "future enemies." Stratton is incredibly over with the crowd, and her "Money in the Bank" tease adds a layer of suspense to every match she is involved in. The chemistry between her and Jax (and the eventual betrayal everyone is waiting for) is compelling television. WWE.Smackdown.2024.12.20.LQ - LatestHDmovies.mkv
The Bloodline Saga (Sikoa vs. Fatu): Tensions within the new Bloodline continued to simmer. The dynamic between Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu is fascinating. Fatu is presented as a monster, but Sikoa is trying to maintain control as the "Tribal Chief." The visual dissention adds intrigue to the tag team division, even if the matches themselves are often short squashes.
The Bad
Lackluster In-Ring Action: Coming off a major PLE (Saturday Night's Main Event), this episode suffered from the typical "hangover" effect. The matches felt shorter and mostly designed to get specific talent on TV rather than deliver quality wrestling. Several matches were blatant squashes that didn't offer much excitement for the viewer. WWE SmackDown Review: December 20, 2024 Location: XL
Missing Star Power: With the holiday season approaching, several top stars (like Cody Rhodes) were kept off TV or limited to backstage segments to sell injuries. This left the live crowd with less to cheer for, resulting in a somewhat quiet atmosphere throughout the night.
Mid-Card Stagnation: The United States Championship scene and the tag team division felt somewhat stagnant on this episode. Without a clear #1 contender stepping up in a dramatic way, the middle of the card felt like it was treading water until the new year.
Notes on the File Quality ("LQ - LatestHDmovies.mkv") Since the filename indicates this is a Low Quality (LQ) release , here is what you can expect regarding the viewing experience: The Good Kevin Owens’ Vengeance Tour: The highlight
Video: Expect a resolution likely around 360p to 480p . The picture will be pixelated, especially during fast-moving action (like high-flying wrestling moves). The WWE lighting rig often causes "macro-blocking" (pixelation squares) in low-bitrate files, making it hard to see detail in the ring. Audio: Usually, LQ releases have 2.0 Stereo audio (AAC or MP3). It will be watchable, but you will lose the "arena feel"—the crowd noise might sound flat, and you won't get the bass hits of the entrance music. Hardcoded Subs/Logos: These releases often have hardcoded watermarks from the site ("LatestHDmovies") which can be distracting.
Verdict: If you missed the show and want to catch up on the Kevin Owens storyline, this file is functional. However, for a weekly show with mostly talking segments, it gets the job done. If you want to see the matches clearly, you might want to find a higher resolution source later. Final Verdict: 6.5/10 A passable episode that sets the stage for 2025. The storyline developments (especially the heel turns and Bloodline tension) were good, but the actual wrestling content was thin.