Deoxyribonucleic A.C.I.D.
Kamehamehaaaaa!!
Over the past 3 months I was thinking about WWE's writing team. RVD's shots on twitter, didn't help my thoughts go away either.
My two major concers are:
1) Lack of consistency.
You know what I mean, Edge & Cena, Cena & Orton appearing as buddies very often, Anonymous GM storyline, Reigns not giving two shits about Rollins, many things that we're supposed to forget etc.
2) Lack of creativity.
We haven't seen anything original since forever. Everything original that happens on the show doesn't come from the creative, but from the wrestlers themselves, like Punk's promo in 2011 or the Bad News Barrett gimmick, which was Cody Rhodes' idea. Shield & Wyatts were the most original thing of the last 5 years. But their spark lasted for 5 months, then it was all up to the wrestlers to keep themselves alive, since the creative is capable of creating an impact, sometimes; but not able to sustain that impact and keep moving forward.
So, I decided to do a check-up on the current writers. According to Wikipedia and IMDb, we have:
1) Brian Gewirtz, Creative consultant. Who also was a WWE writer since 1999. A guy with 16 years of experience under his belt.
2) David Kapoor aka Ranjin Sigh, Head writer. Has been a writer since 2010.
3) Ed Koskey, RAW writer. Has been WWE writer since 2005 and also was writer of SmackDown! in 1999. Another guy with 10+ years of experience.
4) Stephen Guerrieri, Smackdown! writer. Has been a writer since 2012.
Now what Wikipedia fails to mention, is that all ideas pass through Vince McMahon, but that's another subject.
I'm also a huge TV series viewer. I was watching Breaking Bad and the build-up of the characters was simply amazing. The transition of Walter White from face to heel was even better and bigger than any wrestling heel turn ever. Game of Thrones, everybody wants the WWE Champ.. I mean take the throne. See what I'm doing? I'm taking TV events and compare them to wrestling storylines. You have Arrow, a crazy guy fighting to protect his city from evil. Doesn't that sound like the perfect antihero vs The Authority storyline?
These shows are successfull because of their plot. We all know that wrestling without storylines doesn't work. Also, wrestling alone doesn't sell, otherwise ROH would be #1 in the USA. WWE's wrestling for me, is fine and I can say it is improved compared to other years. People rarely complain about the wrestling. The plot is always the focal point of discussion.
What's my point? My point is this: Nobody can write storylines and keep them fresh, for 15 years, not in wrestling. Ideas are going to get rehashed over & over & over again 'till the ratings reach 0.5. Add the no-continuity factor in there and it becomes a mess.
My controversial question: Should they hire successfull TV series writers as creative consultants? Mix those up with former wrestlers. Get fresh ideas on the table and then have the wrestling writers, take those ideas and apply them to a wrestling ring. Major co-operation. Wrestlers & TV-writers work as creative consultants, wrestling writers then apply those ideas, in order to fit a wrestling ring. Build up characters, deliver pay-offs, create intriguing and unpredictable storylines.
What do you think?
My two major concers are:
1) Lack of consistency.
You know what I mean, Edge & Cena, Cena & Orton appearing as buddies very often, Anonymous GM storyline, Reigns not giving two shits about Rollins, many things that we're supposed to forget etc.
2) Lack of creativity.
We haven't seen anything original since forever. Everything original that happens on the show doesn't come from the creative, but from the wrestlers themselves, like Punk's promo in 2011 or the Bad News Barrett gimmick, which was Cody Rhodes' idea. Shield & Wyatts were the most original thing of the last 5 years. But their spark lasted for 5 months, then it was all up to the wrestlers to keep themselves alive, since the creative is capable of creating an impact, sometimes; but not able to sustain that impact and keep moving forward.
So, I decided to do a check-up on the current writers. According to Wikipedia and IMDb, we have:
1) Brian Gewirtz, Creative consultant. Who also was a WWE writer since 1999. A guy with 16 years of experience under his belt.
2) David Kapoor aka Ranjin Sigh, Head writer. Has been a writer since 2010.
3) Ed Koskey, RAW writer. Has been WWE writer since 2005 and also was writer of SmackDown! in 1999. Another guy with 10+ years of experience.
4) Stephen Guerrieri, Smackdown! writer. Has been a writer since 2012.
Now what Wikipedia fails to mention, is that all ideas pass through Vince McMahon, but that's another subject.
I'm also a huge TV series viewer. I was watching Breaking Bad and the build-up of the characters was simply amazing. The transition of Walter White from face to heel was even better and bigger than any wrestling heel turn ever. Game of Thrones, everybody wants the WWE Champ.. I mean take the throne. See what I'm doing? I'm taking TV events and compare them to wrestling storylines. You have Arrow, a crazy guy fighting to protect his city from evil. Doesn't that sound like the perfect antihero vs The Authority storyline?
These shows are successfull because of their plot. We all know that wrestling without storylines doesn't work. Also, wrestling alone doesn't sell, otherwise ROH would be #1 in the USA. WWE's wrestling for me, is fine and I can say it is improved compared to other years. People rarely complain about the wrestling. The plot is always the focal point of discussion.
What's my point? My point is this: Nobody can write storylines and keep them fresh, for 15 years, not in wrestling. Ideas are going to get rehashed over & over & over again 'till the ratings reach 0.5. Add the no-continuity factor in there and it becomes a mess.
My controversial question: Should they hire successfull TV series writers as creative consultants? Mix those up with former wrestlers. Get fresh ideas on the table and then have the wrestling writers, take those ideas and apply them to a wrestling ring. Major co-operation. Wrestlers & TV-writers work as creative consultants, wrestling writers then apply those ideas, in order to fit a wrestling ring. Build up characters, deliver pay-offs, create intriguing and unpredictable storylines.
What do you think?