A return...to Ruthless aggression?

[Stopspot]

WWE has stepped up their game recently with the booking. The double turn at Payback, the Daniel Bryan program, parts of the Ryback v Cena feud, the set up for the current Cena v Henry feud just to name a few scenarios. They have also started being a bit more edgier than they have tended to be. I know it is a bit early but are we seeing WWE reverting to the way the show was booked and run during the Ruthless Aggression era?

tell me what you think. Another little tidbit is that during the vickie/Shield segment Vince walked in and clearly emphasized ruthless aggression. Do you think it will return for the long term or that it is just a short term thing?

 

[Dolph'sZiggler]

I think that was just Vince being Vince. We aren't heading to another anything era, we are just (seemingly) beginning to get logical storylines and character progression for once. I don't see anything overly 'edgey' about what's going on, nor do I think that is what the WWE needs. They are doing things the right way with story telling.

 

[Crayo]

Honestly, pre-Rock return, WWE superstars wouldn't even say the word ass. So to say it has got edgier is definitely true, but it's edgier than WWE's most watered down state in modern history. I heard somewhere that the last hour of RAW or something is TV-14, but I'm not even sure if that's true. Either way, logical booking and sense backstage is helping. HHH's influence seems quite large with some signings, and reportedly wants more stars talking from their heads and not scripts. He's oldschool.

It's not a new era yet, because nothing really defining has happened to cause it, but it's definitely a different product from 09/10 imo.

 

[BaraaKhalaf92]

Yea gotta say I noticed that, it's definitely interesting.
I think even the way they are booking matches and feuds is different now, the way the double turn was executed at Payback along with many other things makes me sure that there is certainly a change in the good direction and that they are at least listening to what fans want.

 

[Stopspot]

I heard somewhere that the last hour of RAW or something is TV-14, but I'm not even sure if that's true.

I think that is found somewhere on the corporate page. I'll try snooping and see if I can find a source on that.

Either way, logical booking and sense backstage is helping. HHH's influence seems quite large with some signings, and reportedly wants more stars talking from their heads and not scripts. He's oldschool.

Yeah, we are seemingly getting more influence from Hunter's style of running things. It will be interesting to see if it will be like that for as long as his on screen character is involved or if it will revert after.

 

[Crayo]

Also, I wonder if Punk had influence? The product has changed since he held the company up legitimately and said "Fuck you. Book me properly or I'm gone", and then resulted the biggest push in his career. Probably a huge coincidence but maybe Punk's outspoken ways has encouraged other employees, wrestlers, or whatever, to actually speak and contribute some ideas. Vince does really strike me as someone who is dominant and damn right scary backstage.

But compare this current WWE to the guest host era, and there is definite change. I suspect lots of minimal factors like HHH, Punk, Rock, and more were the result of the change.

 

[Jonathan]

Since its debut in 1999, "SmackDown" has always been TV-PG. As of June 2008, all of WWE's broadcast programming became TV-PG as rated by the Standards & Practices departments of our network partners. Currently, between 9-11 p.m. EST on general entertainment networks, nearly half of all programming on television remains TV-14 while WWE has made a full transition to TV-PG content.

http://corporate.wwe.com/company/faq.jsp

The last hour being TV-14 is technically true as it's past 10pm but they still class it as TV-PG.


Also, there hasn't been a lot of edginess, has there? Like Dolph's stated it's just the fact that storylines now make sense and things are put together well.

 

[Stopspot]

Your point on Punk is interesting. It could be a factor. The creative chaos we have had backstage last year can also be a factor. With writers trying harder since head writers are sacked pretty regularly so as to protect their jobs. Might be a combo of the two.


anyways Crayo here was what I could find on WWE's site about the rating of RAW. Doesn't say anything about the last hour being TV14.

 

[Stopspot]

Also, there hasn't been a lot of edginess, has there? Like Dolph's stated it's just the fact that storylines now make sense and things are put together well.

I think edginess might be the wrong word I used in this discussion in the OP. A better word might have been seriousness. That stories are more serious since they are put together more logically.

 

[DK JAMES]

Now if we just got the brand split back I think they'd be going in the perfect direction. I love dat draft.

 

[Jonathan]

I think edginess might be the wrong word I used in this discussion in the OP. A better word might have been seriousness. That stories are more serious since they are put together more logically.

Now that I agree with.

 

[Crayo]

http://corporate.wwe.com/company/faq.jsp

The last hour being TV-14 is technically true as it's past 10pm but they still class it as TV-PG.


Also, there hasn't been a lot of edginess, has there? Like Dolph's stated it's just the fact that storylines now make sense and things are put together well.

Compare it to 2009, everything is edgier. Anyone can seemingly say ass. We've seen bitch, shit, etc., all been said. Yes I know this is cursing-specific, but the matches are too, and the stories.

Your point on Punk is interesting. It could be a factor. The creative chaos we have had backstage last year can also be a factor. With writers trying harder since head writers are sacked pretty regularly so as to protect their jobs. Might be a combo of the two.


anyways Crayo here was what I could find on WWE's site about the rating of RAW. Doesn't say anything about the last hour being TV14.

Yeah it's listed as PG, but there must be more freedom as the first hour is so much different from the last. Jonathan seemingly nailed that though. Also, I too believe the belief writers have that their jobs can go at any minute help. Probably helps that WWE have Heyman around as well. Not even joking.

 

[Dolph'sZiggler]

Now if we just got the brand split back I think they'd be going in the perfect direction. I love dat draft.

I agree. No reason to not have Raw and SD operate as separate shows. It would keep matchups fresher, and actually give us a reason to watch SD if they had it as its own roster and not just using guys we already saw on Raw that week.

 

[Stopspot]

Yeah it's listed as PG, but there must be more freedom as the first hour is so much different from the last. Jonathan seemingly nailed that though. Also, I too believe the belief writers have that their jobs can go at any minute help. Probably helps that WWE have Heyman around as well. Not even joking.

Yeah, Jonathan must have been just ahead of me with posting that. He seems to have found what I couldn't find. It is logical since late night TV tends to be more lax on ratings than prime time/early night. At least that's how it is here. You're not allowed to show ads for alcohol here before 10pm unless it is like non-alcoholic beer so as to not encourage kids to drink. I could see similar rules apply to the ratings system.

 

[Danielson]

One thing I noticed the other night was the reference by kane to daniel bryan about being a d bag or something. They are allowing edgier things to be said, but as far as in the ring stuff, it's still the same, but only with better quality due to the newer talent.