Television: Lords Of The Ring

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All this success is nice for McMahon and Turner, but what about Western civilization? The biggest concern is the popularity of pro wrestling among children. McMahon has a point when he says that wrestling is less violent and sexually suggestive than much of pop culture; still, it is jarring to go to a wrestling event and see boys so young that they must be taken to the men's room by their fathers. Another worry is the use of drugs. Steroids aren't as prevalent as they once were, but the abuse of painkillers has become a problem. WCW says it administers both regular and random drug tests. McMahon says the WWF used to test extensively, but that became too costly, so it now tests only when there are signs of abuse.

As for the key aesthetic question, Is pro wrestling fun to watch? The answer is: Not really. It can evince the rude, flimflam energy of its carnival origins, but as a form of pulp culture, wrestling has far less imagination than a decent horror movie or comic book. If you're desperate for mock terror on Monday nights, stick with Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

--With reporting by Hilary Hylton/Austin and William Tynan/New York