Why RAW Was What It Was

["Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik]

From PW Insider:

Yesterday was one of the "longest" days in a long time for the WWE Creative team, according to several sources who reached out to PWInsider.com today.

PWInsider.com was told by several that Vince McMahon, extremely unhappy with the original plans for Monday Night Raw, "ripped up the script" several times, including the original plans and then the initial rewrite.

We are told that McMahon then began requesting new ideas, some of which we are told were good and others no so good, but rejected everything pitched to him before decreeing the new plans for last night's episode.

Until 6 PM EST, there was no official direction or plan for the episode.

One source who went through the process described it as "the loudest and angriest" they'd ever seen McMahon on a show day.

[Deleted]

Vince needs to be put in a f***ing home.

Imagine setting up Alexa Bliss vs. Charlotte and then thinking people would care more about Charlotte vs. Nia Jax, even with Alexa's current shtick not being very popular.

[Deleted]

We are told that McMahon then began requesting new ideas, some of which we are told were good and others no so good, but rejected everything pitched to him before decreeing the new plans for last night's episode.

See that right there is exactly why he needs to f***ing go immediately!!

He wants new ideas
Ideas get pitched to him
He just rejects everything anyways to do what he wants

The literal 3 step plan in how to ruin any show.

[smokinvokoun86]

And that Raw show was horrible anyway. How bad could the original version of the show have been?

[Deleted]

Oh it showed.

[TWERKIN' MAGGLE]

If the budget is such a concern, why have a writing team? Vince rewrites the entire thing by himself anyway.

[Finish Uncle Muffin’s Story]

They literally had a week to write this show based on what they advertised. The process is broken if they're not actually reviewing content with Vince until the day of the show and nothing you promised viewers happens. This isn't the Attitude Era where you're counter-programming based on competition.

I know I'm stating the obvious, but if I was a major partner or investor and hearing some of this stuff I'd genuinely be concerned. This is like Disney or Warner constantly requesting last minute reshoots on top films because they were worried about the finished product. They've lost the plot.

[PKO]

Aug 31, 2021 11:45:22 GMT -5 @dax said:

Vince needs to be put in a f***ing home.

Imagine setting up Alexa Bliss vs. Charlotte and then thinking people would care more about Charlotte vs. Nia Jax, even with Alexa's current shtick not being very popular.

I don’t personally like it, but I would say it’s divisive rather than not popular. The Lilly doll legit sold out on WWE.com.

It sure as hell would make more sense to go in that direction than with Nia cleanly beating Charlotte.

[PKO]

Aug 31, 2021 12:33:54 GMT -5 Finish Uncle Muffin’s Story said:

They literally had a week to write this show based on what they advertised. The process is broken if they're not actually reviewing content with Vince until the day of the show and nothing you promised viewers happens. This isn't the Attitude Era where you're counter-programming based on competition.

I know I'm stating the obvious, but if I was a major partner or investor and hearing some of this stuff I'd genuinely be concerned. This is like Disney or Warner constantly requesting last minute reshoots on top films because they were worried about the finished product. They've lost the plot.

It really doesn’t get talked about enough that writing the show on the day is absolutely terrible form. Having to alter things sure, plans subject to change sure, but it’s been last minute scripts for years and years and it really doesn’t need to be (and shouldn’t be).

The product has undoubtedly suffered because of it.

[Gecko]

This would not happen on any other show. I'm guessing that even topical shows where things aren't finalised until late on will have at least a general idea of what's happening on the show and not be at risk of the boss suddenly turning up and changing everything.

Wonder how often "creative has nothing for you" is actually "creative had 100 ideas for you, but Vince said no to all of them because of a random Vinceism."

[Finish Uncle Muffin’s Story]

Aug 31, 2021 12:37:46 GMT -5 PKO said:

Aug 31, 2021 12:33:54 GMT -5 Finish Uncle Muffin’s Story said:

They literally had a week to write this show based on what they advertised. The process is broken if they're not actually reviewing content with Vince until the day of the show and nothing you promised viewers happens. This isn't the Attitude Era where you're counter-programming based on competition.

I know I'm stating the obvious, but if I was a major partner or investor and hearing some of this stuff I'd genuinely be concerned. This is like Disney or Warner constantly requesting last minute reshoots on top films because they were worried about the finished product. They've lost the plot.

It really doesn’t get talked about enough that writing the show on the day is absolutely terrible form. Having to alter things sure, plans subject to change sure, but it’s been last minute scripts for years and years and it really doesn’t need to be (and shouldn’t be).

The product has undoubtedly suffered because of it.

I get that they don't feel like they need to change things because of the money they're making but it's a house of cards. All you need is FOX or NBC getting pissed off enough and shit goes sideways. Their current success is predicated on the fact that TV networks as we know them are dying and they need content band-aids to stave off the bleeding.

I'll be honest - I enjoy PPV's, I enjoy Smackdown enough, but RAW is just about background noise for me at this point. Last night was fine for the first hour and that triple threat was obviously great, but then everything else fell apart. At some point, people like me will find other background noise or ways to spend their Monday nights. If you took Drew, Sheamus, AJ and RK-Bro off RAW, there'd be nothing to keep people. It's in dire shape.

[Cyno]

This is what happens when you have to write a three hour show for an audience of one and that audience of one is an increasingly more out-of-touch old man.

[Deleted]

It just seems like Vince has been all over the place the last couple years. He normally changes his mind every few years but this like month to month at this point.

Sign everyone! We cant let anyone go to AEW ... Ehhh I guess we could help them out by giving them a few names.

BUDGET CUTS ... Resign Brock for another 8 matches.

AEW is not competition ... TRIPLE H LOST THE WAR!! GUT NXT!!

NO MORE INDIE WRESTLERS ... Why is Omos so green?

[Hypnosis]

[koreycaskets]

I would have kept Alexa vs Charlotte. Had Doudrop squash Nia Jax and have Eve Marie do a run in some way or another.

Would it have been amazing? Prob not but better than the shitshow they put on last night.

[Push R Truth]

[fw91]

Aug 31, 2021 12:49:44 GMT -5 @uppitynerd said:

It just seems like Vince has been all over the place the last couple years. He normally changes his mind every few years but this like month to month at this point.

Sign everyone! We cant let anyone go to AEW ... Ehhh I guess we could help them out by giving them a few names.

BUDGET CUTS ... Resign Brock for another 8 matches.

AEW is not competition ... TRIPLE H LOST THE WAR!! GUT NXT!!

NO MORE INDIE WRESTLERS ... Why is Omos so green?

The way I see it, is that although AEW beating NXT didn't do the brand any favors , I think Vince revamping NXT is more of a response to NXT alumni not being the best fits on the main roster, regardless of whose to blame.

[polarbearpete]

That was a pretty solid episode considering.

If they actually planned everything out for Raw (and stuck to it), the shows would be more consistently great.

Smackdown for whatever reason doesn’t seem to have things like this happen. Their feuds generally progress logically and they almost always deliver on their matches promoted in advance.

[sportatorium]

This is hilarious. Wonder how many "eyeballs" were on that product last night?

[madness50]

Vince needs to go home. He’s 76 years old and is a hindrance to the WWE in-ring product. He reminds me so much of Al Davis that it is honestly scary.