[5.0] "A much more tame Shotgun Saturday Night, and that is for the better. Strong opener between Hunter & Rocky, even if it does end via countout. Match of the night is Histeria (Super Crazy) & Mini Mankind defeating Mascarita & Venum. Faarooq picking up a squash victory and the main event ending in DQ feel flat but standard. Jim Ross replacing Sunny on commentary helps brings this to more mainstream WWF programming. Will be interesting how the next few weeks look, as it already feels like its stepping away from what they wanted this to be."

[6.0] "Probably the best episode so far, which says more about the product itself than it does about the quality of the show. The entire thing is really just a pre-show for the PPV. You'd expect more given the card, with HHH against The Rock and Austin against Goldberg, but the only match that provides much in the form of entertainment is the lucha match."

[7.0] "Basically, the go home show for the Royal Rumble. McMahon & JR on commentary, Sunny just there to dance before we are a minute in, it feels like a step backwards away from the cool club scene to Jim Ross. IC champ HHH stumbles through a promo, HHH vs. Rocky Maivia in a non title match. The fans in San Antonio love Rocky. (Highlight from last week when Marc Mero fell out with Rocky in confusion over Stable) comically bad hip toss from the Rock but no one cares, Jack Roberts and the Snake in the ring, HHH & Rocky bail, crowd goes wild, show goes to break, that is how you format TV! Jake joins commentary, shame Vince & JR are still there. Someone in the crowd is wearing an American football helmet. Are we finally doing to get Dr. Death vs. Jim Duggan in a helmet match that Mid South tasted for 6 months in 1984? ... No. But we do get a laptopless marlina coming to the ring to talk to HHH. It's a distraction, and Goldust chases HHH away. Rocky picks up a count out win, good enough match, and crowd loved all the shenanigans. Doc Hendrix, Sunny, and Tod Pettengal do the Macarana cause 1997. Histeria and mini Mankind are playing black jack, Honky Tonk man is dealing from the bottom of the deck and being casually racist. Bob Backlund is stopping traffic in New York as he didn't get the memo they were in San Antonio. Racist Tod Pettengal interview with Mini Mankind. Mini Mankind & Histeria (super crazy) vs Venum & Mascarita Sagrada, Stone Cold on commentary for reasons. Decent match even if it was split screened with austins face. Nothing says cool like Doc Hendrix's basement they should have had bespoke shotgun promo packages. The Nation of Domination are out, Crush swots away Pettengal, about time. Jessy James comes to the ring his mic isn't working so we miss half of "alone with my baby tonight", into the break. This isn't how you format TV! Jessy James vs. Faarooq, quick win for Faarooq. Mascarita Sagrada is playing pool, badly. Goldust vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin, which HHH watching on with a couple of valets of the week. Think the YouTube video is missing a confrontation between Terry Funk and Austin, which is a massive shame, so my review excludes that if it did exist. Jim Ross admits the rumours Goldust was pregnant we're wrong, I wonder what the dirt sheets reported. Terry Funk runs in and attacks Austin! The lockeroom runs into the ring mele breaks out, HHH chocking Goldust with a snooker cue, and Austin throws Funk into a beer vat, hot end to the show. Overall, the show is much improved from the first 2 episodes, still some bits that are missmatched to the later night club presentation and elements that could have been improved."

[8.0] "The interaction between Steve Austin and Terry Funk was a unique and rare point in wrestling history. Tell me where else are you going to see that interaction. Funk was so unhinged, it was great TV. Getting The Rock vs Triple H in the opener was also a bonus. This isn't a great show match wise, but to take you right into it in early '97, this was as good as you can get."

[5.0] "This was alright. Certainly a watchable and entertaining enough show, even if it isn't nearly as crazy as some of the earlier editions of Shotgun."