As RAW's recent booking shows, sometimes simple is best.

[The Doctor]

Lately, I've been noticing a real trend in RAW and its booking. Basically, that it's become extremely intelligent. Here are the ways I believe that's so:

1. They have been answering questions while raising others.
Why did the Nexus attack? They wanted contracts. But wait, they got their contracts. Why are they attacking more people? Well, they felt shafted by how badly they were mistreated by NXT. They were treated like animals so now they're a pack of wolves. But why are they STILL attacking people? Well...that we don't know. Not yet, at least.

There was a thread on this, saying that questions are the way to keep people tuning in. I totally agree. The Nexus' motivation, whether or not Danielson's release was a work, the identity of the new GM, and more are all questions that give us reason to tune in the next week and keep us guessing. It's storytelling at its most basic, and it's working perfectly.

2. Instead of giving us feuds or matches for free, they're making us WANT to see them.
Think back to HBK/Taker II. That whole feud was made of promos and confrontations. No matches at all. Both men did some excellent work in the buildup, and by the time Wrestlemania 26 rolled around, we were salivating at the thought of what some were anticipating as the best Wrestlemania match ever.

For something more recent (and my inspiration for this thread), we have the Harts vs. the Usos. We've had one match between the two, and that was a non-title six man match at Fatal Four Way. Any other time they have gotten close to facing off, there is a beatdown or interruption of some sorts (The Nexus during Natalya/Tamina, The Usos jumping the Harts last night.). Eventually the heat between the two teams will be unbearable and we'll want to pay for the match when they finally have it for the belts on a pay-per view.

Now, I want to ask you...Is it just me? Has RAW's booking been simpler and more intelligent lately than it has in recent years? Or is this just a wrinkle in time?

 

[Tenta]

I think there should be something said in regards to how the simplicity of the WWE's booking has caused the show to be much better, where as in TNA, the storylines are far more confusing.

Wrestling, itself, is an amazingly simple concept. As Eric Bischoff said, there's usually three or four angles that, if you permutate enough, will keep wrestling fans entertained for decades. Wrestling doesn't always have to be new and creative, per se, to be exciting. Of course, you can't throw out the same stories, but sometimes, it's so much easier to work a simple story, without turning off the fans. It doesn't have to be predictable, as each story usually involves different chracters, with different spins on the situation, and the Creative Team usually can find enough new nuances to change around the angle slightly so that wrestling fans are left satisfied. You're right in saying that the WWE is going by a very simple formula, that keeps fans interested. That's done by furthering the story, rather than leaving it dangling there for people to assume.

That, right there, is the difference between the WWE, and TNA. While the WWE answers a question every week, they set up a new one for us to figure out next week. Meanwhile, TNA seems more prone to just leaving the questions dangling, and expecting us to remember things that occurred fifteen years ago. Sure, some may, but there are others that are going to be turned off by the experience, and think to themselves that having to rely on information from now defunct companies just isn't entertaining. The WWE is doing the perfect thing for gaining new viewers, and placing a logical storyline in place.

 

[Super Crazy]

This has been the most interested I've been in wrestling in years. The way the show is being booked has me wanting to watch each and every week which is a first. It was just a mere year ago when I would think to myself " okay, if I don't see Raw this week, its' fine, I won't miss too much ", but now it's the complete opposite.

The way they book this show is so good, and to me WWE is showing an example of how one storyline can intertwine with others but not make everything too complex. Right now in TNA, Hulk Hogan himself is essentially a storyline, tied to everything, and making everything all the more complex and confusing and hard to follow, like Abyss' heel turn, where the hell did that even come from? Wasn't he just a face a few nights before that?

Anyway, on to the better program, RAW. On Raw we have the Nexus storyline, which believe it or not, can be thrown into any part of Raw, yet still remain it's own entity without confusing us or making things hard to follow. Look at Cena and the championship scene right now, the feuds going on in the main event are it's own thing, yet in the back of everyone's mind they are thinking " When will the Nexus attack next? ". They simultaneously attacked Randy Orton, Edge, Cena, and Sheamus in one night the week before Fatal Fourway, at Fatal Fourway, Cena lost because of the Nexus.

This past Monday on Raw Cena noted " Who do you think they are coming for next ? " and responded with Sheamus. So you see, while the Nexus is it's own storyline intertwined all throughout Raw, we still have Cena and Sheamus about to feud, yet they still have the Nexus on their minds, thus setting up the Steel Cage match for Money In The Bank.

Raw's booking to me has indeed become so simplistic, yet so intelligent just as Doc said. And just as Tenta said, TNA leaves you with so many unanswered questions, while the WWE sets up a question, answers it, and sets you up with another one, which intrigues all the viewers to want to continue to tune in.

 

[Ferbian]

WWE has been great as of late, especially on RAW, they are indeed raising questions, while answering others, they're leaving us hungering for more, especially with the fact that we want to see Wade Barrett getting places, the IWC to say the least wants to see it.

WWE's booking may not have been simpler, but it has been better, it has given us new stars, and has kept the pay per views looking interesting (even if Over The Limit failed, the card was still looking great) and Fatal 4 Way being a great pay per view.

So it's not just to RAW, it's all around, because we're getting new fresh storylines that we either wanted to see as of late (Sheamus as champion perhaps) something we've been wanting to see for a long time (Kane getting a push, Jack Swagger as champion) and something we really never expected would come out in the open (Undertaker storyline, Bret Hart as General Manager).

So WWE has definitely been booking at a very high level as of late, and I think it can only benefit them in the longer run, if they keep it up, they can, and probably will be riding on the momentum for a long period of time.

 

[Theo Mays]

You hit the nail on the nose Doc. The WWE is keeping things simple and that is what is best. There is no confusion of "why are they doing this" or "what sense does this make" going down. And the question they do raise are the ones that you want raised. Things like "what will Nexus do next" or "who is the GM and what does he want for Raw" are the questions who want the fans to ponder over.

Only problem I have with the booking is I want to see the Nexus guys actually compete instead of constantly creating carnage. I mean there is nothing wrong with that, but soon it will get old and could ruin the potential of how great this could be. I fully expect come Summerslam we will have some sort of Nexus vs. WWE match. Either way wrestling is exciting right now and it doesn't look like it will be slowing down anytime soon.

 

[.]

Lately, I've been noticing a real trend in RAW and its booking. Basically, that it's become extremely intelligent.

Definantly. Shortly before & after the Viewers choice edition of RAW, WWE has been gven us much better RAWs. Sure we get some matches that are short but then we get other matches well worth the time it has been given e.g Bourne/ Jericho on RAW two weeks ago. Their booking is just great for many things one for example is Evan Bourne's push. They had him open and close RAW on one night. He then entered a brief feud with Chris Jericho with a great Pay Per View match that told a great in-ring story. Now they have him in the Money In The Bank match in which he looks to be a winning favourite. He has pinned various world champions including Chris Jericho, Sheamus & Edge(House shows if they count). Another great example of booking has been on NeXuS. They attacked John Cena. Why? They wanted contracts which they got but the continue to attack people as they were treated like animals in NXT and now they are taking it out on the WWE. The beatdowns are usually the same but simple yet effective!

They have been answering questions while raising others.

They raised alot of questions at first when the Uso's attacked The Hart Dynasty. The Uso's introduced themselves. They regularly make appearances attacking The Hart Dynasty and become recognisible to alot of the WWE universe in a great old school tag team feud rejuvinating the tag team division giving us tag team fans hope. The Nexus angle has already been explained by me. The mystery GM raises alot of questions to us. Who is it? Is it someone new or someone from the past of the WWE? Could it be "The Man behind the curtain" Michael Cole? Could it be a longshot we would love to see such as JBL, Paul Heyman or The Rock? Questions they have raised is regarding the Kozlov/Santino situation. Are they going to be an actaul tag team or is this just a way to have them as buddies for the sitcom they are considering making. At least now we are seeing consistency on WWE television.

Instead of giving us feuds or matches for free, they're making us WANT to see them.

Yes! Has there been anymore matches between Cena and Sheamus? No. But they have had confrontations which have made Sheamus's promo cutting abilities SO much better. They never really had a feud to begin with and now they seem to be having a good one instead os Sheamus just kicking the shit out of Cena week-in week-out. The Miz and Randy Orton seemed to have a great confrontation last week that maybe could lead us to a feud in the possible future if one wins the Money In The Bank briefcase and wins the title. The Harts/Uso's feud is just going so damn well and i hope this time instead of just announcing a match on the night they announce live on a show and promote further by a possible confrontation between the two teams instead of them just beating the shit out of each other. Maybe add a gimmick to it? Like put Natayla and Tamina in the match and whichever team wins gets the titles. This is giving us alot of hope for the tag team division as we are getting teams that are working well together such as The Dudebusters & The Gatecrashers seem to work well together as a team with each and every week they are in action.

Now, I want to ask you...Is it just me? Has RAW's booking been simpler and more intelligent lately than it has in recent years? Or is this just a wrinkle in time?

Yes it has gotten much better. Look back at when people like ZZ Top & Seth Green were guest hosts and Hornswoggle was getting action in the ring beating Chavo Guerrero. This was when we got a useless feud between established main eventers that never seemed to end(Orton/HHH & Cena/Orton) and there seemed to be desire to push the younger talent. Now we are giving feuds that are developing instead of one thing one week and another thing another week. We are getting an interesting grouping of young blood the NeXuS, A push on Evan Bourne, the guy probably most deserving of a push in the WWE right now. Sore we have lost Daniel Bryan but he will be back with all the backing he is getting from people such as John Cena and Jim Ross and with a petition of over 26,000 signatures.(Matt Hardy was einstated after a petition of 15,000 signatures was made with similar chants occuring on WWE television and house shows.) With each week WWE RAW just keeps getting better.

 

[619Edge619]

Yes, the recent booking has made me tune in every week. Since I am fifteen and I live in the UK I can't stay up till 2 am(well I do sometimes) to watch RAW, but every tuesday morning I wake up, open my laptop and watch videos from last nights RAW.

After the first Nexus attack I missed 30 minutes of school just to read what other WZ posters thought about it. I'v been following RAW for 2 years now and have tuned in to every episode, starting from CM Punk's first cash-in. And I haven't been this excited about something on TV for a while.

The booking has become simpler but there are still some issues with it. Why did no one come out to help Ricky Steamboat this week? He is a hall of famer you know. It would not help the Nexus but it would have made more sense. If they explain it next week, it will be fine.

*Woops, I'v just been informed that it was told on RAW that other talent can't attack Nexus, since I haven't seen the whole show(because the replay is on at thursdays) I didn't know that.*

 

[J-Dogg]

WWE has been on an absolute roll with their booking, storylines and character development and product overall lately, The Nexus and that storyline have been so well done that its improved the development, of angles/storylines and characters of nearly everything on RAW.

We have The Harts and The Uso's feuding, the build up has been great only tag team matches and then a Natayla and Tamina match, we have had ambushes, all that is simple stuff their and its been made very entertaining to watch and follow. Next we have Cena's development with dealing with Nexus and now going against Sheamus, now both guys are doing great in their feud and its awesome to see Cena pulling out good jokes again even in PG era.

Now look at Evan Bourne, he's feuding with Chris Jericho, now they put on clinics in their matches, and that has been done well and even Y2J put his career on the line, that made me guess. Because Jericho is rumoured to leave because of the game show hosting, but he won that match.

We've found answers behind various storylines because WWE has stuck to being simple, entertaining with their RAW product, then we get given questions then a week later they get answered so we are kept guessing.

 

[Tha Wolfpac]

Hey Yo!

I agree with what most of everyone has said. The booking is simple and it comes off extremely entertaining and easy to follow for the casual fans and the loyal fans, the Nexus storyline specifically is straightforward and effective in the sense that week in week out we are updated with their intentions and their keeping relevant without doing anything over the top.

Their keeping this stroyline under a tight lid, and there is no obvious ending to this angle it can play out in any way, so it alwyas has this sense of mystery and intrigue which is very entertaining and keeps people interested, i know i am.

So WWE well done.