WWE made its long-awaited transition to Netflix, and it was three hours of soapy wrestling goodness if that’s one thing you’re into.
Whereas it was mild on the precise wrestling, it was heavy on the nostalgia and even heavier on the enjoyable. It determined to forgo the everyday RAW product and ship one thing extra on par with a lower-level pay-per-view occasion than a weekly program.
The way you felt about that will rely in your fandom. Both method, the inaugural Netflix RAW was successful by all accounts, however can it proceed to dwell as much as the hype?
WWE RAW was a staple on the USA community for a very long time, however with audiences altering viewing habits, it was solely a matter of time earlier than wrestling began to department out past broadcast and community tv.
You’re seeing it an increasing number of with skilled sports activities.
The place previously, you might watch your favourite workforce play on a neighborhood station or a cable community like ESPN, you may nonetheless try this, however no less than a couple of occasions in the course of the season, you’ll need to have a streaming app to observe one of many video games.
That’s simply how the tide is popping now, so it wasn’t a shock when information hit that the WWE can be taking their abilities to the largest streaming service of all.
Netflix has been moving into the dwell sporting occasion enviornment, with the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul combat being the largest one which involves thoughts.
If you happen to determined to look ahead to that one, like myself, you understand it was a tricky evening. Not solely was the combat lackluster, however there have been many buffering points all through the night, making it a really disagreeable viewing expertise.
The excellent news for WWE was there have been no widespread complaints in regards to the buffering, and the present went off and not using a hitch.
If you happen to’ve ever attended a WWE occasion, then you understand that they run a good ship. And the primary RAW of the brand new 12 months was no exception.
The present flowed properly from begin to end, even in case you actually began to really feel the three-hour run time in direction of the top.
The present was smart to kick issues off with Triple H, the Chief Content material Officer, after which The Rock, who got here out to primarily be a voice for the corporate and thank the beloved Netflix for permitting their program to grace its prestigious app.
Each wrestlers are well-known within the historical past of the corporate. If you happen to ask a random particular person on the road if they might identify three skilled wrestlers, then chances are high The Rock will probably be in there, and Triple H will get some love as effectively.
However the factor is, Triple H’s wrestling days are lengthy behind him, and he solely comes out these days to make an official announcement or on a present with many eyeballs. And The Rock.
Nicely, The Rock does no matter he desires, however in case you tuned into this primary episode pondering you’ll see him each week prefer it’s 1999, you can be upset.
They handled this primary episode prefer it was the largest day of the 12 months, a way of getting informal viewers who possibly don’t take a look at the product each week and those that do to purchase into this new iteration of RAW.
That’s all effectively and good, particularly contemplating this episode deviated from the norm, but it surely’s vital to recollect they have been pulling out all of the stops for this one, and it seemingly gained’t be like this each week.
A mean RAW episode can have no less than 5, if not a couple of extra matches, and this one had 4. 4 wrestling matches on a three-hour wrestling present isn’t precisely sustainable.
Apart from the nostalgia of years previous with cameos by The Rock, Triple H, The Undertaker, and John Cena, there was additionally a curious determination to deliver Hulk Hogan on board, which resulted in a convincing refrain of boos that sounded LOUD in my lounge.
Interesting to the previous wasn’t a foul concept, however Hulk Hogan won’t ever be somebody you wish to be the face of something now.
The precise wrestling in the course of the night ranged from enjoyable to forgettable, but it surely was additionally a strong showcase of what this model of the WWE has to supply, albeit with a tiny pattern dimension.
Roman Reigns versus Solo Sikoa was a gathering of two powerhouses inside an influential and longstanding wrestling household.
On the identical time, Rhea Ripley versus Liv Morgan was a strategy to put two of probably the most outstanding ladies wrestlers entrance and middle with a championship on the road.
Issues dipped a bit when Jey Uso and Drew McIntyre took middle stage, if solely as a result of the stakes have been low and the wrestling was gradual.
However ending the evening with Seth Rollins and CM Punk introduced power again into the gang and the present.
They handled the night prefer it was an occasion.
Whether or not or not you have been watching WWE for the primary time, have seen it in passing through the years, or spend your hard-earned cash to attend exhibits and watch the merchandise weekly, you almost certainly discovered one thing to take pleasure in.
So, was it successful? Within the broader sense, it was. It acquired folks speaking, and that’s precisely what an occasion like that ought to do.
However the place do they go from right here?
Nicely, for starters, they most likely shouldn’t attempt to replicate this explicit episode anytime quickly as a result of they gained’t be capable to, although it could be jarring for brand spanking new viewers who tune in subsequent week to see one thing utterly totally different from the spectacle that was this primary hour.
However they’d do effectively to spend some further time introducing all of the gamers in numerous storylines, maybe with further video packages detailing who they’re and their present feud.
And so they’d do effectively to truly put some first rate matches on the cardboard.
Now, I don’t suppose they’re actively attempting not to try this.
However they’ve such a chance to develop the WWE with this worldwide platform, they usually’ll have to try this off the backs of the present wrestlers, not The Rock and John Cena of yesteryear.
Put your prime babyfaces and heels on full show throughout episode two, and permit them the prospect to win over the brand new viewers tuning in.
In lots of respects, the corporate has by no means been hotter, they usually now have an opportunity to showcase what their product is all about to folks all around the world.
WWE RAW on Netflix is right here to remain.
Whereas it began off sizzling, it’s vital to maintain it that method by permitting viewers to get a peek into what it has to supply exterior of the throwbacks, superstar appearances, and flashy set items.
This will probably be removed from the final time audiences will get a large-scale WWE manufacturing, however within the interim, it’s time to lean into what’s made them so profitable proper now and belief that they’ve performed sufficient to get folks keen on what they’ve to supply.
What did you guys take into consideration the primary RAW of the brand new 12 months?
Was it overstuffed?
Or stuffed excellent?
Tell us within the feedback!
You’ll be able to watch WWE RAW on Netflix on Mondays at 8/7c.
