Can we appreciate heel Stephanie McMahon?

[Zaq "That Guy" Buzzkill]

Big Shows funny melodrama aside, I just loved how Stephanie acted last night, she just came across as a cold callous bitch while putting on a facade of a mother berating her child in public. It was just so evil and I loved every second of it.

[salz4life]

She has been solid. Much better than the whiny annoying heel in the McMahon/Helmsley Era and the Invasion.

[BigWill]

I actually think she's playing a better heel right now than Triple H.

[Lancers]

It's a different spin on the usual mad with power character type they usually do. Instead of doing overt threats with a crazy expression and shrieking yell, she's giving wrestlers the most passive-aggressive style possible in order to do her devious work. If you think about it, it goes quite well with today's sanitized corporate America that specializes in doing whatever it takes to make their cutthroat efforts seem softer by using methods that have been tinkered with by public relations firms for decades.

When Vince fired people in the late 90s/early 00s, he had this sort of sadistic pleasure in destroying peoples' lives. Nowadays, when HHH and Steph do it, they try to make it out like the person they are firing should be ashamed that they have to fire them. That it's really not their fault your career is over, they wanted it to work and believed in you, but you failed to live up to their expectations. It's actually, in my own personal opinion, even WORSE than Vince's wacky antics in terms of immoral behavior. You can chalk up Vince's behavior to him being insane. What's Stephanie and Hunter's excuse for treating people like that?

[Jonathan Michaels]

It helps that she's hotter than she's ever been.

[Allison Reynolds]

I believe it works well, because the passive aggressive 'professional' method that Stephanie and HHH have been doing, is actually somewhat realistic to what a real life boss in these matter might act sometimes. They don't lose their cool, just doing 'best for business' and it's something different from past authority roles.

[H-Virus]

I'm enjoying it. Just a shame that it sounded like she pulled that Big Show explanation right out of her ass five minutes before going to the ring, though.

Aside from that, the hugging and the 'I'm not mad, I'm just disappointed' emotion was great.

[sunnytaker]

yeah steph's much better when not shrieking. i like the whole "doing this as a friend like when you were there for me." bit with Show. with Vince you got the idea that he was doing it on some whim. HHH is hiding behind the "diz bidness" line while claiming to admire their ability to a limited degree of course. Steph is the one playing to the heartstrings and trying to appear to be the "sensible and caring" one of the bunch. plus it helps that until this week she's only been out once or twice a show while HHH is in about 5+ segments a show so she's not on so much doing this that you get sick of it.

[Kevin Hamilton]

At least she's not screechy voiced as she usually was back when, and she's always hot.. but I'd be fine never having her on-screen again.

[Deleted]

I don't think that she can shriek anymore after her voice took that weird Low-Ki direction for a while.

[Deleted]

Yes, though she has the most heat-killing theme since Rob Conway. She should be using My Time.

[rybackrulez]

Sept 3, 2013 10:33:34 GMT -5 Allison Reynolds said:

I believe it works well, because the passive aggressive 'professional' method that Stephanie and HHH have been doing, is actually somewhat realistic to what a real life boss in these matter might act sometimes. They don't lose their cool, just doing 'best for business' and it's something different from past authority roles.

That is what makes it work. No over the top cartoon villainy. Just Around the way "we didn't want to do this, but you are making us"

It is just cold

[The Baltimore Staircase]

There's no ranting and raving because they don't have to. Everyone knows the evil, powerful ways of the fac-gime, they don't have to push it. It's delightfully cold and calculated.

[wisdomwizard]

Yeah I loved it too. Especially since she was in one of her sexy business suits.

[Deleted]

I think Steph's doing well right now.

Instead of just being an over the top evil character, which there's no real reason for her to be, she's just being manipulative while keeping a fascade of caring about her employees. Something completely believable.

[Bo Rida]

I love how she gives the impression that she's now just a corporate drone devoid of any real personality.
It was a feeling I already had pre-heel turn when I saw see things like her announcing the NXT women's championship (below) so it's great she's playing up to it.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ej24AMxeiW0

[SeVeN: #TheBadGuy.]

Its been okay so far aside from the "when I was 12" stuff. But her theme and business suits make me uncomfortable. The theme just sucks.

I still prefer the Steph in my Sig. That Stephanie would be a great feud with today's Aj.

[Hit Girl]

She did alright on Monday. She played the heel in a unique way for her. Rather than being an outright bitch, she was guilting Big Show into doing her bidding by playing for sympathy. She's better in this role. Stephanie is most irritating when she tries to play the "alpha female".

[Chip]

She's EVIL. I wanted so much for Big Show to smack her right in the face last night, I knew it couldn't happen but I wanted it so much.

[jimmyjames]

Sept 3, 2013 21:06:32 GMT -5 Chip said:

She's EVIL. I wanted so much for Big Show to smack her right in the face last night, I knew it couldn't happen but I wanted it so much.

Agree, especially when she hugged him. That was so wrong.

When you elicit the type of reaction you describe, you know you're doing a great job.