Line #9 WebVideo/BeingTheElite


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dds4x28_2f1d8cd2_526e_4994_b8d9_82515a660af0_1_3.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:"The! Elite! The! The! Elite!"]]
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4	''Being the Elite'' is an original Platform/YouTube series by {{professional wrestl\|ing}}ers Matt and Nick Jackson, Wrestling/TheYoungBucks. The show was originally a vlog type series with fellow professional wrestler Wrestling/KennyOmega. Over time, the series began to mix blogging content with in-kayfabe skits which covered storylines involving their membership in the Wrestling/BulletClub, producing their first pay-per-view ALL IN, then their independence as Wrestling/TheElite, and their formation of the promotion Wrestling/AllEliteWrestling.
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6	Today, the series is primarily an extension of Wrestling/AllEliteWrestling, showcasing both behind the scenes footage of the promotion's events and the antics of their roster, as well as both comedy and drama skits which forward AEW's storylines.
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8	The series recognises a single championship, which can be challenged for by playing a party game of the reigning champion's choosing:
9	* '''BTE World Champion''': '''Wrestling/ChristopherDaniels''' since April 11, 2022.
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11	----
12	!!"TVTROPES PAAAAARTYYYYY!"
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14	* AbortedArc:
15	** Whatever the plans were for Wrestling/MartyScurll's reintroduction following the rest of the Elite abandoning him to form Wrestling/AllEliteWrestling - with numerous teases that Marty held a big enough grudge to consider his former friends as being dead to him - were ultimately abandoned after Marty was implicated in the 2020 [=#SpeakingOut=] movement.
16	** There was a storyline through the Dark Order segments involving Stu Grayson and Anna Jay. After she joined the group, Anna Jay was shown comically lording over Stu, but after Anna was forced to take a leave of absence from the group due to an injury, Stu began seeing her at various places, [[MaybeMagicMaybeMundane being given at various times as Stu hallucinating about her or Anna actually being there]], while the rest of the Dark Order acted as if they never had a female member, much to Stu's frustration. The way Stu was concerned about seeing her implied that it was building up towards a RelationshipUpgrade between the two, but it was dropped out without a trace after it was revealed that Anna Jay was dating fellow AEW wrestler Jungle Boy in real life (the revelation in fact came the day after the last ''Being the Elite'' episode featuring the storyline).
17	** Whatever plans were in place for the Young Bucks[=/=]Hangman reconciliation storyline following ''All Out 2022'' were forced to be abandoned after the Young Bucks were suspended and BTE went on hiatus following a backstage altercation with Wrestling/CMPunk. The storyline would be revisited after ''Revolution 2023''.
18	* AffectionateParody: The intro from Episode 141 was done in 16-bit videogame style.
19	* ArtifactTitle: Zig-zagged - Originally, the series was the Young Bucks travel vlog. As time went on, the vlogs become more scripted in nature, and began to heavily feature other members of the Bullet Club, Wrestling/AdamCole And Wrestling/KennyOmega in particular; before effectively becoming the primary narrative vehicle for the Bullet Club as Cole left for WWE and Wrestling/MartyScurll joined in his place. As the group prepared for ''All In'', the cast expanded to include the Bucks’ friends from the independent scene; by the end of 2020, the original trio of Omega and the Bucks have effectively been reduced to extras with a larger focus being placed on other AEW acts. When AEW went back on the road in the summer of 2021, the focus shifted back to being the Young Bucks travel vlog whilst retaining a focus on other AEW acts.
20	* BaitAndSwitch:
21	** In an early episode, the members of SCU are in London, England, admiring the scenery and how beautiful the landscape is... [[spoiler:that is, the landscape and scenery of South California, which they're appreciating via a phone, only to bash London for ''not'' being South California]].
22	** Episode 137 has TheStinger where Wrestling/KennyOmega stresses over a difficult choice with Nick Jackson of Wrestling/TheYoungBucks. At the time of the episode's airing, Omega was a free agent and rumors were rampant that he would sign with WWE.[[note]]For bonus points, had Omega signed around the time the episode was taped, he would've probably had the chance to appear at the Wrestling/RoyalRumble.[[/note]] [[spoiler:The choice Kenny stresses over turns out to be whether to start playing the [[Platform/PlayStation4 PS4]] remake of VideoGame/ResidentEvil2 as Leon Kennedy or Claire Redfield]].
23	* {{Cliffhanger}}: This is a common trope used on the show. Spoilers for notable ones ahead.
24	** To close episode 90, [[spoiler:Kota Ibushi joins Wrestling/KennyOmega to patch things up with Wrestling/TheYoungBucks in the midst of a Wrestling/BulletClub split. Ibushi and Omega reformed their previous tag team The Golden Lovers and later formed a short-lived stable with the Bucks called The Golden Elite]].
25	** To close episode 148, [[spoiler:Nick Jackson calls "an old British friend". The screen cuts to a phone ringing with the caller ID displaying "Dead Friend 1", which was also that episode's title]].
26	* {{Crossover}}:
27	** Several WWE superstars such as Wrestling/TheNewDay and Wrestling/ChrisJericho (pre-AEW) have appeared in the show. Episode 65 featured a RunningGag of the Bucks going about their day and unwittingly missing various WWE contracted talents that they had history with, such as Wrestling/AJStyles and Wrestling/KevinOwens.
28	** When the Dark Order were banned from vlog by the Young Bucks, they proceeded to make appearances on Wrestling/SammyGuevara and Wrestling/EthanPage’s vlogs as they tried to find a new vlog to call home, before instead deciding to just blackmail Cutler into putting them back on BTE.
29	** Wrestling/DolphZiggler, Ryan Nemeth's brother, makes his first on-camera appearance in episode 360 while doing a comedy show with Ryan in Detroit.
30	* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness:
31	** The first several episodes don't have a video game or sitcom intro, just the Bucks and Omega chanting "The Elite".
32	** Subtitles for the episodes started at Ep. 50.
33	** Until Wrestling/AdamCole signed with [[Wrestling/{{WWENXT}} NXT]], the series primarily focused on the Young Bucks, Kenny Omega and Cole. Shortly after Wrestling/MartyScurll joined Wrestling/BulletClub, the focus shifted to include Scurll, Wrestling/AdamPage and Wrestling/CodyRhodes, before eventually expanding to feature other talents who weren’t members of Bullet Club that they were friends with.
34	* EvenTheGuysWantHim: One episode had the Beaver Boys trying to recruit Wrestling/{{Wardlow}} into the Dark Order, but got sidetracked when they (especially John Silver) couldn't stop gushing about his body.
35	* EvilIsPetty: The Young Bucks banning Dark Order from appearing on ''BTE'' after they backed Hangman to challenge Kenny for the AEW title.
36	* FlippingTheBird: A specialty of MJF.
37	* FunnyBackgroundEvent: In episode 149, Brandi and Cody Rhodes are trying to shoot a promo at the Jacksonville Jaguars practice facility for AEW's ''Fight For The Fallen'' pay-per-view. Hangman Page is running up and down the football field as part of his "Full Gear Challenge". A few seconds later, Cody and Page are shooting their own promo while Brandi is trying to take a 360 photo.
38	* HalloweenEpisode: "[[Series/SquidGame Elite Game]]", released for Halloween of 2021 and featuring Brandon Cutler, Michael Nakazawa, Private Party and Lulu Pencil going through The Elite's version of the Squid Game.
39	* HijackedByGanon: The civil war between Kenny & Cody for leadership of Wrestling/BulletClub came to an abrupt end when the rest of Bullet Club kicked the BTE crew out of the group, having grown sick of their egotistical behaviour.
40	* HostileShowTakeover:
41	** A variant, with their invasion to an arena where an episode of ''Wrestling/WWERaw'' was taking place, mirroring Wrestling/DGenerationX's invasion of an arena where ''Wrestling/WCWMondayNitro'' was taking place.
42	** The show itself was victim of this at the end of Episode 181, "We Lied", where the Wrestling/InnerCircle attacked the Bucks and their cameraman Brandon Cutler, stole the phone with which they recorded the show, and annouced that the next episode would be "Being the Inner Circle". Sure enough, the next episode followed them until the Bucks and Cutler recovered the phone. Further cementing this, it was the episode after that one that was named Episode 182.
43	** A different variant of this trope took place in Episode 263, when the heel Young Bucks fired the face Dark Order from BTE, effectively taking back the show. Dark Order were reinstated in Episode 266.
44	* ImprobableWeaponUser: A RunningGag in the Dark Order segments is Mr. Brodie Lee grabbing a stack of papers, rolling them, and throwing them at some poor subordinate for their failure (usually Evil Uno or John Silver). At one point, Mr. Brodie even told Uno over the phone to hit ''himself'' with paper, who proceeds to do so even when Mr. Brodie couldn't know whether he did or not. Subverted a couple of times when Brodie delegates the task to hit Silver to Evil Uno; not only does Silver NoSell it, but states that he will not sell it for anyone other than Brodie (he did sell for Trent's mom Sue, but only after Brodie yelled at him into doing so).
45	* LastDisrespects: This happens twice during Wrestling/JoeyRyan's funeral:
46	** First, Scorpio Sky of SCU begins their speech saying that [[CatchPhrase "this is the worst funeral I have ever been in!"]].
47	** Then, Arthur starts dissing Ryan himself in front of the entirety of The Elite [[spoiler:sans "Hangman" Adam Page, who wasn't there]], who were grieving Ryan.
48	* LeftTheBackgroundMusicOn: At Episode 141, "All In" is playing after Matt and Nick reveal their brand new action figures. The next scene involves Sammy, who was listening to that same song while drinking.
49	* LoopholeAbuse: The show often plays phone videos, or displays photos, of their matches instead of reproducing TV broadcasts. Multiple episodes close with the camera panning upwards as the Bucks do the DX chop.
50	* MurderIsTheBestSolution: Tired of Brandon Cutler asking them for bit ideas (and having no good ideas), the Best Friends and Wrestling/OrangeCassidy decide it would be easier to just murder him.
51	* MyFriendsAndZoidberg: The intro always lists the members of the stable (Wrestling/KennyOmega, Wrestling/MartyScurll, Adam Page, Wrestling/CodyRhodes and Wrestling/TheYoungBucks) and finishes with ''"Also: Flip Gordon"''. Fittingly, the scenes involving Flip are very few.
52	* OurSloganIsTerrible: Subverted. During Being the Elite's attempt to include public service announcements, there was the slogan "BTE is drug free, and that's the way to be!"
53	* PacmanFever: Kip Sabian exhibits this when he plays video games on-screen against Leva Bates. Leva downplays this, justified in that she is playing calmly and confidently and has no need for manic button-mashing and stick-waggling.
54	* RuderAndCruder: Since ''Being the Elite'' doesn't need to worry about the restrictions of network television, it contains far more swearing and suggestive humor than can be found on ''Dynamite''.
55	* RunningGag:
56	** [=SoCal=] Uncensored (Wrestling/ChristopherDaniels, Wrestling/FrankieKazarian and Scorpio Sky) coming to a town, Scorpio Sky declaring it ''"the worst town I have ever been in"'', and talking about how it doesn't compare with Southern California.
57	--> '''"SCU!"'''
58	** FTR and the subsequent FTRR. [[spoiler:In WWE, "FTR" stands for "Forever The Revival", after Wrestling/TheRevival. In BTE, the "F" in "FTR" is a F-bomb.]]
59	** Matt Jackson would grab Flip Gordon's hand, the screen would cut to pink-and-orange, and Matt would say, "Where do you think you're going?" in a scary voice and music...and usually something bad would happen to Flip.
60	** Matt Jackson signs autographs while staring at the autograph seeker, not looking at his signature.
61	** The "Trevor and Arthur" bits, where two offscreen voices parody old, gruff bookers/promoters and heckle BTE wrestlers and guest stars. "Trevor" and "Arthur" are represented by two pointed fingers.
62	** Matt Jackson hands Scorpio Sky candy bars to eat as a VisualPun when their brand names are brought up in regular conversations, often when the candy bars themselves are not referenced.
63	** The ticking clock and countdown screenshots on the way to a major announcement.
64	** Joey Janela doing random odd jobs that often ends with him lighting himself up with a fireball to his face. Literally.
65	** [[Wrestling/AdamPage Hangman Page]] wearing "full [wrestling] gear" in situations where the rest of BTE is wearing casual or dress clothes. Cody and the Bucks insist that he lose weight prior to AEW's ''Double or Nothing'' pay-per-view. The "full gear" gag was written into the Episode 141 intro. The same episode featured Page's "Full Gear Challenge". [[spoiler: It finally pays off in Episode 152.]]
66	** After his dental job, Christopher Daniels wearing something around his mouth or the camera censoring his mouth, both Kaz and Scorpio making fun of the situation, and Daniels calling them dicks.
67	** MJF cursing everyone and everything (Cody included) until Cody gives him attention. This finally backfired on MJF in Episode 143 when Cody overheard one of MJF's insults about Cody, with MJF thinking Cody was not in earshot.
68	** Matt Jackson's objection to Michael Nakazawa, which spun off in segments where his name is said repeatedly, including a full SCU promo with them saying it in the same intonation as their regular "worst town" promos.
69	** Whenever someone sees Jungle Boy riding on Luchasaurus' shoulders & gets called out on it in a situation, Luchasaurus retorts: ''"With all due respect, I have a master's degree"''.[[spoiler: He actually ''does'' have said degree, specifically in history.]]
70	** [[Wrestling/KarlAnderson Sour Boy]] is the ''worst''.
71	** Anna Jay pushing Stu Grayson and causing him to dramatically topple over furniture or objects. Lampshaded in episode 276 when, during a Dark Order reconciliation, he thinks something is missing just as she is about to do it again.
72	* StealthParody: As part of the Nakazawa RunningGag, there is a montage of Matt Jackson (and his children) saying Michael's name. A clip of Matt getting his hair brushed has him saying it again, which is a parody of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsy_0JSWxck Ronda Rousey's supposed out-of-character rant against the WWE]].
73	* ShowWithinAShow: The short-lived and popular "Marty and Flip Take Japan".
74	* SomethingSomethingLeonardBernstein: During one episode, John Silver led some of the Dark Order to sing Cody's theme (behind Mr. Brodie Lee's back), but only got the first line ("Adrenaline, in my soul") before going "Something something Cody Rhodes!"
75	* TeamMom: Trent's mom Sue is this to the AEW crew as well as her son. She bakes cakes for Wrestling/TheDarkOrder, and even the large, intimidating, violent, AtomicFBomb-dropping Mr. Brodie Lee doesn't stand up to her, even managing to make him crack a smile when she fails to do Lee's signature paper-throwing to John Silver. He immediately throws John Silver under the bus instead.

Context WebVideo / BeingTheElite