User Submitted: Jason's Guide To Ending Filler Content (Patreon)

Filler Content and Creative Intelligence.

Part 1

Jason's Guide to saving the WWE midcard and ending filler content forever.

So the question is why is WWE so frustrating to watch and we do watch, every single week at least five hours of tv, nine if like me you watch 205 live, NXT and as well as NXT UK.  Just because we do watch each and every week doesn't mean we don't want certain aspects to improve or in some cases just stop being offensively bad.  Personally I want to be rewarded for my avid viewing and loyalty.  Reward me for watching every second of the shows each week with logical story telling without holes or stop things being dropped without explanation, close those loops no matter how small.  A couple of the bigger factors or issues within WWE main roster programming revolve around things or phrases that are repeated nearly as much as their nicknames. An issue which springs to mind straight away is when Stephanie likes to repeatedly tell us at least once each time we see her that 'WWE are so successful because we listen to our fans.'   Why is this a bad thing you may ask?  Well its an issue because its objectively untrue almost bordering on offensively untrue.  The second common complaint is the length of Raw its a huge talking point and has been since the inception of the third hour.  I'm going to explain why seen as they are stuck with this third hour for now they most definitely could and should use it as an opportunity to enhance and embrace dynamic storytelling and character development.  If you have the time and the platforms then use them to make people care about your product and all your people. So what can they do about it? How can they do what their tag line says and actually listen to the loyal fans of their product, whilst making three hours of compelling TV every Monday night? 

Well its not a short term thing that can be fixed in a week in my eyes however changes to work towards this goal can appear immediately.

This is going to be my take on 'fixing' some major issues and flaws with WWE television.  The first part will revolve more around using their time in a more efficient way, building their characters and increasing the emotional attachment the audience has to their uber talented roster.  This will include the dreaded filler content, logic gaps, storytelling, insulting of audience intelligence plus utilizing the biggest and most talented roster of contracted talent they have ever had.

THE MYTH OF FILLER CONTENT

Why do I describe filler content as a myth I hear you say.  Well its because, word is that its comedy relief or time killing.  We receive at least 30-45 minutes of mind numbing or meaningless filler every episode of Raw.  This can be meaningless backstage segments which add little and often are unfunny comedy skits that either are terrible or harm characters more than help them.  Of course there are a few exceptions with R-Truth and the fashion files springing to mind.  However all too often they are useless segments.  The other form of filler is thrown together matches which have no stakes or fire.  They have also developed a habit over the last 18 months of giving away potential killer matches or feuds on free TV with no build or heat whilst lacking the potential fire that a full blown feud between the competitors could provide.  A recent example of this was Andrade Cien Almas vs Rey Mysterio.

The most infuriating part of filler content to me and I'm positive lots of others are its completely needless.  Now that's not to say they shouldn't feature comedy, things like R-Truth, Dance breaks and Carmella can be a great way to lighten the mood as was Fashion Files and i had hoped would be the case for Woken Matt.  However I feel like this comedy type segments should not be featured too heavily.  WWE has the greatest roster of talent under contract that they have ever had.  The array of talent, the vast differences and qualities of said talent is far and wide.  The variety and ability some of the male and female performers under WWE contract possess is astounding.  So with that in mind there is no excuse for meaningless filler because that time can used to build any character.  Why waste 2-3 minutes on a pointless segment when you can improve your audience connection with any number of talent.  They have three hours every Monday and two on a Tuesday to build main event, upper card, mid card, tag teams and females.  Not just build feuds but tell us what each persons motivations are, what makes them tick and what makes them who they are.  When the Wyatt Family arrived they did some outstanding vignettes from the compound and the backwoods.  Portraying Bray as not just the leader of Harper and Rowan but a leader of many others.  He seemed like such a big deal from a few vignettes and he had much more mystic from these 1-2 minute videos than he did pretending to have magic powers or being Undertaker lite.  Instead of giving us meaningless comedy give me vignettes and segments which explain why The Revival are fists and no flips, why did Titus Worldwide split? Why is Rey Mysterio back? Why did Sasha and Bailey make up? What are their goals? Explain to the viewer why the talent are behaving the way they are.  Make the fans understand a characters anger or frustration.  Whatever and whoever it may be, even if they aren't in a feud at that moment build their characters up each week so when they are attacked or attack somebody we care and we can understand their motives.  That way they have quietly built a relationship with the viewer without being in a feud or having matches.  t interesting and sometimes complex storylines or vignettes which keep them guessing.  We are not stupid so don't treat us like we are.  You don't need to tell us the same thing 65 times in one epsiode of Raw.  The viewing public generally like interesting TV whether its wrestling, a sitcom or their favorite TV series.  Leaving the viewer wanting more, being excited and curious for the next episode, the instant the show has finished is what hooks people in whether it be new or loyal viewers, casual or hardcore viewers alike.  A show featuring multiple storylines which sometimes intertwine but can also be their own stand alone story within the over arching series or show are often the types of shows that become hits.  Its ok to assume the viewer gets it and if it seems from social media or other metrics that a particular storyline or point is being missed or lost by your audience utilize social media, Youtube or the network providing extra 1-2 minute vignettes enhancing said storyline or if somehow its a particularly complex storyline have Graves or Cathy do a report on Youtube or the network looking into the feud or storyline.  One of my favorite vignettes of recent times was when an announcer actually went to the Wyatt compound to interview Bray.  It was early on just after the Wyatt Family debut It was creepy, disturbing and cool.  Give me more of this.  The more storylines, character development and meaningful segments and vignettes the better.  Make the TV must watch again.  Make the characters must watch and give them depth.

Now that's not to say that everything has to be linked or intertwined but with wrestling it is a lot easier to achieve these intertwining stories with tropes like General Managers, Authority figures, titles and stables as well as all the other storylines or spots we have seen numerous times by numerous wrestling companies over the years. Some of the best storyline pay offs in the last 30 yrs I have watched wrestling have been from long term storylines with a start, middle and end with plenty of twists along the way.  I really feel WWE needs to rediscover the art of long term plans and storytelling.  What id give for a few genuine plot twists and reveals in WWE with characters that I've been conditioned to feel attached to and that they matter no matter where they may be on the card.  All too often we are told things don't matter just look at the two hour Survivor Series pre-show.  Your viewer watched for two whole hours before being told that doesn't matter or count.  What a way to insult your fans!

On a side note relating to the actual ring work particularly on Tv my one wish for WWE going forward is too change it up a bit, don't be so formulaic, not every match on your tv has to be the same general lay out with different stars and after few minutes wrestler A does a dive over the top to the outside, we see a replay with unnecessary zoom followed by an ad break #StopTheZoom.  Lets try new things, make Monday Night Raw unpredictable again.  The reason only the hardcore fans are left is WWE has conditioned its audience to know most of the segments don't matter, most of the roster don't matter and you don't have to watch last weeks episode to follow this weeks storylines.  That is one of the biggest fundamental changes needed in my opinion.

Next time ill delve into some ideas I have to build certain characters back up and make them important whether they are lower card, a tag team or a main eventer.  Join me for my plan to save, resurrect and rescue the lost souls of WWE.

Please follow me on twitter @si1927 tell me what you think, who you want me book and any other subjects you want to address relating to booking, presentation and WWE TV.

Most of all follow Fightful on Social media and Youtube and check out Fightful select, you may even see my face on a pod or two over there.  

Until then people.