A Wrestling Edit From PWtorch.com

In the Attitude Era, WWE ran a short-lived ad campaign reaching out to a mainstream audience that asked potential WWE fans, "Get it?" Those of us who are wrestling fans always "got it." We get that pro wrestling is scripted entertainment. We may find it ironic when a friend tells us he can't watch wrestling because of how "fake" it is, right after telling us how much he loves "Lost." What WWE does have in common with shows like "Lost," "24," and "Star Trek" is that they all are all scripted shows with a rabid core fan base. Viewers suspend their disbelief in order to enjoy the show, and a smart production crew does everything they can to help the viewer in suspending the disbelief. WWE, however, often fails in this on the most basic basic levels. Most scripted television shows that exist in a specific reality-as WWE does-have what is called a show "Bible." This is essentially a book of rules authored by the creator of the show, that help to establish the realities of the world their characters live in. It is used as a guide for future writers on the show. The original "Star Trek" Bible, for example, stated that characters on the bridge of the Enterprise should never argue with one another.

Once this rule was established on the show, it could be used to the writer's advantage to create drama. While the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise never argued with one another, occasionally they may encounter another ship with a bridge crew in chaos. The writer can use this contrast to show us how noble our heroes are, and how the folly of a less evolved crew doomed them to failure.An occasional bending of the rule can also be used to make compelling television. Once the viewer is convinced that Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock will never, ever disagree on the bridge, it only takes one slightly insubordinate remark from Spock to shock the viewer and create a major plot point. This concept directly translates to and is utilized in pro wrestling.Ronnie Garvin used to throw forward chops to an opponent's chest. Watching him as a kid, I asked why. "Because it's illegal to throw a punch," my Dad answered. Ronnie Garvin was following the no punching rule. When "Hands of Stone" Ronnie Garvin threw a punch, it meant something. He'd knock his opponent out with one, and I believed it.All too often, WWE breaks its own rules or fails to establish any when they are necessary. When this happens, it can frustrate or turn away a fan base. Sorry non-trekkers, just one more "Star Trek" example here. Early in Star Trek history, it was established that Khan Singh (Kirk's villainous enemy played by Richardo Montabln), was a leader of an army on Earth in the 1990s. Later, on Star Trek Voyager, the crew traveled back in time to Earth of the 1990s and guess what? Khan Singh wasn't there. And there was no war! Trekkers who had invested in the story of Khan were incensed. After a series of ignorant writing decisions like this, the fan base began to disappear. This lack of respect for the viewers contributed to the decline of "Star Trek" - it is currently without a TV show for the first time in 20 years. WWE refuses to establish or follow some basic rules in their world. They simply refuse to decide whether the wrestlers can see the camera backstage or not. It is a continuity error that borders on outright stupidity. While the wrestlers are in the arena, we know that THEY know they are on TV. Yet once they are backstage, that seem to not know it anymore. Why? How? WWE doesn't bother to answer.The tragic irony is that if WWE would just decide that the wrestlers live in our world, where when a camera is in front of them, they know it, this rule could be used to WWE's advantage. Recently, WWE ran an angle where Edge and Lita broke into John Cena's father's house and slapped his Dad around. A camera (and presumably a cameraman) was there, and the viewer has no idea why. But what if the rule of being aware of the cameras was followed. The same angle may have developed like this.

I. Jim Ross opens Raw by announcing that Edge and Lita were arrested this morning in the home of John Cena's father. Upon their arrest, WWE sent a lawyer and Raw cameraman to the jail.

II. The jail footage plays. The cameraman is shooting from outside the jail. We see John Cena pull up and enter the jail. Ross reports that Cena bailed out Edge and Lita. Cena exits the jail and waits outside.

III. Edge and Lita exit the jail, Cena jumps and attacks Edge. Cops pour out of the jail, Cena is arrested. IV. Back in the arena, Ross explains that the WWE attorney was only able to find out that there was some type of physical assault in the home. John Cena is not yet at the arena.

IV. Edge and Lita hit the ring, and show the footage of what happened in the Cena home. It is shot by Lita on a camcorder.

V. Cena shows up, free from jail, and attacks.Better, right? In this scenario, you get the exact same angle WWE ran, but with more suspense, more drama, and a stronger payoff to the viewer who is eager to invest in the reality of the WWE world.

While the lack of rules and reality with WWE cameras is a problem, it's nothing compared to the mess that is the WWE brand split. WWE is still scratching their heads over why the brand split hasn't worked out as well as they had hoped, while at the same time they have never established the most basic rules about it. The viewer cannot commit to something that they do not understand. Here are some elementary questions that haven't been answered...Why are there two WWE brands? What exactly is the role of a WWE G.M.? What powers does a G.M. have? Can the McMahons trump these powers? Who is the true champion of WWE? Why is there no match or tournament once a year between the champions of the two divisions to determine the superior WWE champ, as is the case in in MLB, the NFL, and NBA? If no such match is ever going to happen, then why are the champs called the World Champ and WWE Champ, instead of the Raw and Smackdown Champs? Is there a annual WWE draft? If so, when? How does it work? If ECW is a separate promotion, why do WWE and ECW wrestlers bounce back and forth from show to show? Who allows them to do this? Are they paid for those appearances? If so, by who? Are WWE wrestlers paid at all? Who makes more money, ECW, Raw, or Smackdown stars? Do some WWE wrestlers prefer being on Smackdown to Raw? Why? How does if affect their lives and matches?Here is a very small example of how WWE could create drama by answering just one of these questions. Roughly a year and a half ago, John Cena was drafted from Smackdown to Raw. Immediately upon arriving, Cena did a promo declaring nothing but how excited he was to be there.

But this division change would not be all-positive for the character of John Cena. Cena had spent years working his way up the Smackdown ranks to finally become the top dog. Now he's in a new division of hungry challengers that he has never faced and doesn't know if he can beat. There are great stories to be told in this saga of the new champ having to re-establish dominance in a new brand, and WWE blew it all off in one senseless promo. There is a good reason WWE creative doesn't establish more rules in their world. They're lazy. It takes more time and effort to figure out how Edge would break into Mr. Cena's house in reality then it takes to just toss a camera in the room and never address how it got there. It requires more long term planning, and less booking on the fly. It requires them to behave like any other successful scripted television show. Unfortunately, WWE's shortsightedness costs them fantastic storyline opportunities and a more committed, larger fan base. -PWTorch.com

An article that I whole heartedly agree on, wrestling promotions should focus more on plausible storylines rather than selling far-fetched ones. The WWE has great potential at the moment and I will be sickened if they blow it -again! Match ups that could usher in a new era of wrestling would involve younger stars, legends passing the torch to newcomers (Hulk Hogan to Randy Orton) etc. I can sit here the whole day thinking of ideas but I think this editorial spoke for itself!

Cheers!