What is Smackdwon Doing Right That RAW is Doing Wrong?

[Zardnaar]

As the thread says. I am a month behind on my SD/RAW thing but I watch the highlights on youtube.

Overall Smackdown is entertaining IMHO. RAW is OK to meh it seems (Goldberg got a huge pop though).

SD also has a sense of humour IDK if it is because the way they are using Elsworth, Dean, AJ and the others but Dean on the phone last week and chatitng up ladies in the audience over refereeing was funny I thought. Elseworth is also hamming it up I think.

Anyone here like RAW over SD for any reason (its 100% fine if you do not trolling).

 

[Jacob Fox]

This might make me sound like a broken record, but I honestly believe that Raw's biggest problem is the three hour run time. There have been several times that Raw has had a few better matches but the show has still dragged. There have been times when Smackdown hasn't had a single decent match, but the show has still been entertaining.

Watching Raw seems like a chore because you know you have to be there for three hours. After that, Smackdown just seems a lot easier to get through.

There have been times when Raw has absolutely stunk throughout the years, but it was still entertaining to a degree. If they take the amount of matches and segments they have now, and condense it to two hours, the show is going to pick up. It will seem more fast paced and exciting, which is the main thing that Raw has been missing over the years. I honestly believe it is the single most hurtful thing to the enjoyment of this show.

Other than that, I still don't like Michael Cole as the play by play man. Either have him call the matches, or replace him with someone who will. I honestly don't even mind the jobber matches... hell, back in Raw's early days, they always had jobber matches... but if they decrease the run time, the jobber matches just don't have to take place.

 

[Solid Snake]

Raw's biggest problem is the three hour run time

I don't think this is being a broken record, it is true. If they cut it down to 2 hours, each segment would mean more.

 

[Roadster]

I don't think this is being a broken record, it is true. If they cut it down to 2 hours, each segment would mean more.

And less people would get on TV.

 

[Solid Snake]

And less people would get on TV.

Is that necessarily a bad thing? They'd have more time off to rest and such and they managed just fine before on 2 hours, before the network. Now they have the network, NXT, all the shows on the Network... They don't need a 3 hour show.

 

[Solid Snake]

I feel like SmackDown in general is doing smarter booking, better matches, AND having a 2 hour window to fit this all in makes it more worth watching. Less filler bs and all that. Also Raw is on from 8 till 11PM where SmackDown ends at 10PM which is better for a lot of people, specially those who work in the AM and go to school. (Yes, I know the times vary depending on where you live but ending sooner makes more sense for a weekday show.)

I always said that even though it used to be 9 till 11. I felt it should have always been 8 till 10 and SmackDown (when it aired on Friday) be 9 till 11.

 

[Rogue]

Smackdown has been going off a cliff in terms of quality, from what I have seen lately.

Hawkins legit has the Eva gimmick now, and it isn't the same at all. Eva at least had go away heat, Hawkins more or less just cringe personified.

Dolph Ziggler as a champion is one of the dumbest moves of 2016, Miz was actually making the IC title mean stuff. Ziggler ruined all of it.

Bray vs Randy is so so so boring, no point for Kane either. Have Harper break off, save him while you can.

The Ellsworth thing is already outplayed, it's annoying. Hurts Styles and makes Ambrose fall back to his wacky shitck, something nobody wants.

Raw isn't much better, so does it matter? You're comparing horse poop to dog poop basically.

 

[Jacob Fox]

And less people would get on TV.

Every wrestler doesn't need to be on Raw every week. In fact, overexposure to the wrestlers is likely hurting them more than them not appearing on TV every week. In fact, champions nowadays have more non title matches than title matches. It would be much better keeping non title matches to a minimum and not trying to have almost everyone wrestle a televised match every week.

 

[Grievous 3D]

I think its the fact that SmackDown has to be more efficient with its
matches and overall story telling. They have to make every minute
count because of the hour less in run time.

RAW has that extra hour...and with that extra time comes, in my opinion
a overall feeling of complacency.

And of course...it just feels like RAW is wasting the talent they have.
Sami Zayn, Neville, Enzo And Cass, The Club, Cesaro...all these
guys deserve so much better...Zayn and Cesaro especially.

Some of the best matches I've watched since returning to wrestling
have been between Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn...not to mention
that soon be classic Zayn had with Nakamura.

Now Kevin Owens is one of my current favorite male WWE superstars...
and I was happy for him to become Universal Champion...even
though you have to wonder what the plan was had Finn Balor not
been injured.

But where is Sami Zayn? Currently in No Man's Land picking a
fight with Tank McConcrete. Now I'm not saying Owens & Zayn should
fight forever...but...Zayn deserves more than to be fed to Bulk VanderHuge.

And don't even get me started on the Cruiserweights...who are
also being used incorrectly at incorrect times.

Personally...I don't think its the third hour...its how RAW is written
as a whole. They need more focus on crisp, simple story telling,
develop some of their characters and make use of every minute
they have.

They have to make us want to watch all three hours...not make us
fall asleep before the show is finished.

 

[Stopspot]

Smackdown feels more organic.

RAW is filled with gimmicks, Smackdown has characters. The performers on Smackdown come off as much more 3 dimensional right now.

 

[The Phenom]

I dont't know what you guys are watching but Raw is far more entertaining then SD Live................:fact:

 

[The Phenom]

Smackdown has the same matches every week........

 

[Thou Confidential]

Raw > SD LIve

 

[RedDwarfTechy]

Smackdown feels more organic.

RAW is filled with gimmicks, Smackdown has characters. The performers on Smackdown come off as much more 3 dimensional right now.

This. 100%.

They do it in 2 hours which raw fails to do in 3. That fact makes the show better imo. The 3 hour marathon they call RAW like @Jacob Fox said feels like a chore to watch, smackdown on the otherhand is around the time you'd spend on a movie anyways. So it's much easier to digest.

I'm not saying RAW is crap but yeah, smackdown is much more easier for the casual fan (like me).

And I agree with @Shadow - Dolph Ziggler ruined that title and Randy Orton and that whole feud is Meh.

 

[Prince Bálor]

This might make me sound like a broken record, but I honestly believe that Raw's biggest problem is the three hour run time. There have been several times that Raw has had a few better matches but the show has still dragged. There have been times when Smackdown hasn't had a single decent match, but the show has still been entertaining.

Watching Raw seems like a chore because you know you have to be there for three hours. After that, Smackdown just seems a lot easier to get through.

There have been times when Raw has absolutely stunk throughout the years, but it was still entertaining to a degree. If they take the amount of matches and segments they have now, and condense it to two hours, the show is going to pick up. It will seem more fast paced and exciting, which is the main thing that Raw has been missing over the years. I honestly believe it is the single most hurtful thing to the enjoyment of this show.

Other than that, I still don't like Michael Cole as the play by play man. Either have him call the matches, or replace him with someone who will. I honestly don't even mind the jobber matches... hell, back in Raw's early days, they always had jobber matches... but if they decrease the run time, the jobber matches just don't have to take place.

Spot on.

Also, SD >>> RAW, easily.