I haven't been this enthralled with WWE in a long time.

[thuschongswing]

And by long time, I mean...since about 2008 during the Jericho/HBK story. So it's not really a long time.

I haven't really watched full-time since about 2010, as the damn Guest Host era (and later, the "Let's Rely on Past Stars era") wore on me - with CM Punk losing the title at this year's Royal Rumble being the last straw. Then something happened. Not only did the writing improve, The Rocks and Brock Lesnars of the world went away, being replaced by the likes of Daniel Bryan and The Shield. I don't love everything about the product by any means, but this "Daniel Bryan vs. The Corporation" story is damn good.

Seriously Triple H, good job. WWE is now must-see TV again. Does anyone else feel this way too?

["American Nightmare" B.B. Bart]

I definitely feel the same way. Before we had Bryan enter the main event in the Summer, I'd never think of sitting thru all three hours of Raw, but I have in recent weeks. While I do kinda like Cena, I've really gotten behind DB as the underdog hero fighting impossible odds.

[SEAN CARLESS]

I think the definitive improvement is that for the first time in years, we have heroes that are almost undisputedly popular, and villains that are impossible to support. They've again found the balance that makes wrestling work. The story connects. The protagonist is actually facing and overcoming actual odds. The McMahons are actually playing believable antagonists with infuriating and incorrect views. Everything is firing on all cylinders. Marks and smarks and casuals alike are all on the same page. There's no division. There's no catering to just one tedious side. The vast majority is getting what they want.

[Raskovnik]

It's great to have legitimate villains again and an evil faction for the good guys to battle. It's been the "monster of the week" Cena stuff for far too long.

[543Y2J]

I think the lead writer who recently left gave the guy who is taking over him a really good platform to go from, and is making the most of the shadowing that he got. Can't remember but the guys name who was writing up to Summerslam I heard was a legit long time fan and not a Hollywood writer, he knew his stuff (+ somehow managed to keep Vince happy at the same time) and it's a shame he is gone. The guy who has taken over him is doing a good job so far though.

[Deleted]

When Cena comes back, they've gotta turn him. I don't buy the thought that "now the smarks will cheer him becuase he's a heel!" one bit. If he comes back and it goes back to lets go cena/cena sucks, I'm gonna be pissed.

[CMWaters]

Sept 18, 2013 13:51:29 GMT -5 @lovehater said:

When Cena comes back, they've gotta turn him. I don't buy the thought that "now the smarks will cheer him becuase he's a heel!" one bit. If he comes back and it goes back to lets go cena/cena sucks, I'm gonna be pissed.

He can be Orton's replacement in the Nu Corporation.

[The Ichi]

It's not quite Summer 2011 good, but it's close.

[willywonka666]

I don't watch, but I keep up here. I thought the faces were getting screwed with no end in sight, and Trips is at the forefront of all this ala Vince a few years ago

[Slammy Award-Winning Cannibal]

Agreed, I feel like its the first time in ages that they've created a great story that fans wanna get behind. As opposed to force feeding us the same stuff (Cena etc). It's just exciting television. I love all of it.

[YAKMAN is ICHIBAN]

There are parts of the show I am more excited by than anything in years, and then there is stuff like Big Show: Reluctant Crybaby Enforcer which is as unbearable as anything ever as has been.

[Ecks Ecks Ringout Ecks Ecks]

The angle is hot, and all involved are playing their parts to near-perfection. Great time to be a wrestling fan.

[BayleyTiffyCodyCenaJudyHopps]

Sept 18, 2013 14:02:59 GMT -5 The Ichi said:

It's not quite Summer 2011 good, but it's close.

I think I'm enjoying the Summer/Autumn of Goat a lot more than Summer of Punk 2. Aside from that unfortunate "ur not a rassler" snag (and at least Cena was eventually put into a proper context storyline wise before he left for surgery), Bryan's been a way easier protagonist for me to get behind. He doesn't want ice cream bars, movies or a clean smelling jet, he just wants a chance to be the best Bryan he can be.

And it doesn't hurt that Hunter and the McMahons are explicitly evil here, as opposed to their tweener status two years prior. I guess you could argue Punk was right all along, but the audience had no way of knowing how much so. To me Punk rallying against them leading into NoC 2011 was just bad writing.

[MichaelMartini]

Bringing up the summer of Punk reminds me of what this angle could have been. It should've happened back then, it was a perfect set up for it. I still think it would've triggered a new boom if it was evil CEO HHH, Cena as corporate champ, Orton and Show as part of the corporation and the Sheild as enforcers, with Punk, Hell No, Sheamus and Ryback as the main faces. Instead we got Punk vs Nash and new Union type storyline instead of an NWO one.

[Deleted]

Such is the power of D-Bry, he just has that connection that one either has or doesn't. Daniel Bryan is the avatar for everyone that has been told that they can't do something or that they won't make it so they should just quit. He's the guy that is proof that if one works hard at something that they can get to where they want to go regardless of any shortcomings. In comparison Steve Austin was the guy that a lot of us wanted to be- the big guy that didn't take any crap from anyone and gave it right back to his boss; whereas Daniel Bryan is the guy that a lot of us are- the guy with the insurmountable odds of the world staring him down and he can either give in or make it his. This same storyline wouldn't work with Punk playing the D-Bry role, because where D-Bry comes across as just a regular guy living his dream, Punk always has that aura of dickishness about him, so a lot of fans keep him at arms length instead of outright embracing him.

Everyone else is playing their parts really well. The Steph/Big Show stuff is dire, but at least it's hilarious instead of just bad.