Taped from the Mid-Hudson Civic Center in Poughkeepsie, NY on December 17th, 1984. I'm not too familiar with the week-to-week WWF programming (that's an understatement. I'm practically blind with the mid 80's. 1987 is when things start coming together for me, which happens to be when the main programs were Superstars and Wrestling Challenge). Since we're in the pre-PPV era, the entire purpose of each show is to sell tickets to the live events. Yes, that could still be considered accurate as years went by, but there was more focus on pushing TV, too.
- So much for respecting the trademarks of others, as they blatantly use Michael Jackson's "Thriller" for the opening video (just the instrumental, but it's one of the most identifiable beats in music history, so... yeah, blatantly stolen).
- Vince McMahon and Bruno Sammartino are calling the action, unless otherwise noted.
- Lord Alfred Hayes is standing by with an Update from Studio 54. An award is being presented to music sensation Cyndi Lauper and WWF Managing Star, Captain Lou Albano. The Rock n' Wrestling Connection is going full speed ahead. After so many years as one of the top heel managers, it must've taken time for fans at the time to accept him as a babyface.
- Advertisement for the WWF coming to the Boston Garden on January 5th with an 8:00 pm start time. Greg Valentine defends the Intercontinental Title against Tito Santana in a rematch that is three months in the making. Andre the Giant & Junkyard Dog take on Big John Studd & Ken Patera in a Special Attraction Tag Team Event.
- Hulk Hogan is standing by on location with Hillbilly Jim, making him breakfast. Jim isn't used to getting up early, and whines about wanting some eggs, pancake, and grits, but Hogan gives him a protein shake (did he use Python Powder?). Jim reluctantly drinks it, but Hogan downs it like a Champion. "Out of the can, and into the man." They take it to the gym (with Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger" playing, of course), and Hillbilly Jim has trouble doing the basic bench presses and squats and annoys Hogan by always wearing his hat. Now they're in the ring for some training, and I'm wondering if Hogan constantly referring to him simply as "Hillbilly" is a demeaning term. Jim runs the ropes as awful as you can imagine, but he's still better at it than Kelly Kelly. This, along with other training segments, were featured on the Coliseum Video "Wrestling's Country Boys." When HILLBILLY JIM is the best character that the stereotype produces, you must be afraid to ask who's worse.
- "Mean" Gene Okerlund is standing by to continue promoting the card at the Boston Garden. To go along with the top two matches, he runs down the rest of the show... Adrian Adonis and Dick Murdoch defend the Tag Titles against Jack and Jerry Brisco... Blackjack Mulligan takes on Dr. D, David Schultz... S.D. Jones meets the returning Magnificent Muraco... Swede Hansen goes one-on-one with Brutus Beefcake... Mr. Fuji takes on Brett Hart. Just for the record, the WWF didn't start televising cards from the Boston Garden until the Spring of '85.
- "Mean" Gene Okerlund is standing by for an interview with Blackjack Mulligan. Yes, I'm a bit surprised he's still on the roster at this point. He turns the interview into a comedy routine, talking about eating too much Turkey for Christmas and asking Gene about getting good presents. He calls Schultz a bigoted man who hasn't come to terms with himself. This could've been either a decent brawl or a complete dumpster fire.
- Piper's Pit with guests Big John Studd, Ken Patera, and Bobby "The Brain" Heenan. McMahon makes sure to give us a disclaimer that Piper's views aren't shared by the rest of the World Wrestling Federation. Heenan admits the recent attack on Andre the Giant was planned, and Studd is holding on to a bag filled with his hair. Patera says it was easier to accomplish than they anticipated. Piper calls Studd the REAL Giant of the WWF as he shows off his trophy. He offers Piper a lock of hair as a souvenir ("It's got fleas in it!").
- The Magnificent Muraco is on location on the beaches of Hawaii, getting oil rubbed on his body from three women, throwing shade at Hulk Hogan for being a phony.
- "Mean" Gene Okerlund is standing by for an interview with Adrian Adonis to hype their title defense against Jack and Jerry Brisco. Gene reminds us that the Briscos have a non-title victory over Adonis and Dick Murdoch. Adonis says Murdoch isn't here because he's up to his ears in pencils doing their taxes. They had double pneumonia and a 102 fever the day they lost to them, then accuses the Briscos of kissing up to the promoters for favors. Junkyard Dog enters the scene to push his match teaming with Andre the Giant against Studd and Patera. JYD has no business in the match, so he just rambles about whatever comes to mind rather than push any rivalries.
- Vince McMahon wanted to show us footage from a recent visit to Madison Square Garden, an award presentation for Captain Lou and Cyndi Lauper, but something went down and the tape has been sequestered, and maybe we will see the footage next week, but no promises. Speaking of next week, Tito Santana will be in action, as well as reigning Intercontinental Champion, Greg Valentine, the tag teams of Rotundo and Windham, and Studd and Patera, and Piper's Pit with the Tag Team Champions, Dick Murdoch and Adrian Adonis.
Final Thoughts: As a stand-alone show, this was a good showcase for the WWF's Tag Team Division, highlighting the Champions, Dick Murdoch and Adrian Adonis, as well as three of the other top teams in the company: Jack and Jerry Brisco, Mike Rotundo and Barry Windham, and The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff. WWF Champion Hulk Hogan's main presence is mentoring "Hillbilly" Jim, but also has a returning Magnificent Muraco breathing down his neck. Thanks to Piper's Pit, we know that Andre is in a blood feud with the Heenan Family over being raped of his dignity. Even though I will not cover every week of TV, I will pop in as much as I can, and based on this episode, 1985 is starting off on the right foot.