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 gentle 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 which will rely in your fandom. Both means, the inaugural Netflix RAW was a hit by all accounts, however can it proceed to stay 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 increasingly with skilled sports activities.
The place prior to now, you possibly can watch your favourite staff play on a neighborhood station or a cable community like ESPN, you’ll be able to nonetheless try this, however no less than a couple of instances in the course of the season, you’ll should 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 skills to the most important streaming service of all.
Netflix has been stepping into the stay sporting occasion enviornment, with the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul struggle being the most important one which involves thoughts.
When you determined to look forward to that one, like myself, it was a tricky night time. Not solely was the struggle 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.
When you’ve ever attended a WWE occasion, then that they run a decent ship. And the primary RAW of the brand new yr was no exception.
The present flowed properly from begin to end, even should you actually began to really feel the three-hour run time in direction of the tip.
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. When you ask a random individual on the road if they might identify three skilled wrestlers, then likelihood is The Rock might be in there, and Triple H will get some love as nicely.
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.
Effectively, The Rock does no matter he needs, however should you tuned into this primary episode pondering you’ll see him each week prefer it’s 1999, you can be disillusioned.
They handled this primary episode prefer it was the most important day of the yr, 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 nicely and good, particularly contemplating this episode deviated from the norm, nevertheless it’s essential to recollect they have been pulling out all of the stops for this one, and it doubtless received’t be like this each week.
A median 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.
Other than the nostalgia of years previous with cameos by The Rock, Triple H, The Undertaker, and John Cena, there was additionally a curious resolution to carry Hulk Hogan on board, which resulted in a convincing refrain of boos that sounded LOUD in my front room.
Interesting to the previous wasn’t a nasty thought, however Hulk Hogan won’t ever be somebody you need to be the face of something now.
The precise wrestling in the course of the night ranged from enjoyable to forgettable, nevertheless it was additionally a stable showcase of what this model of the WWE has to supply, albeit with a tiny pattern measurement.
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 technique to put two of essentially the most distinguished girls 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 sluggish.
However ending the night time with Seth Rollins and CM Punk introduced vitality again into the group 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 reveals and watch the merchandise weekly, you probably discovered one thing to take pleasure in.
So, was it a hit? Within the broader sense, it was. It received individuals speaking, and that’s precisely what an occasion like that ought to do.
However the place do they go from right here?
Effectively, for starters, they most likely shouldn’t attempt to replicate this specific episode anytime quickly as a result of they received’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 nicely to spend some further time introducing all of the gamers in varied storylines, maybe with further video packages detailing who they’re and their present feud.
They usually’d do nicely to truly put some respectable matches on the cardboard.
Now, I don’t assume they’re actively attempting not to do this.
However they’ve such a possibility to develop the WWE with this worldwide platform, and so they’ll have to do this off the backs of the present wrestlers, not The Rock and John Cena of yesteryear.
Put your high babyfaces and heels on full show throughout episode two, and permit them the possibility to win over the brand new viewers tuning in.
In lots of respects, the corporate has by no means been hotter, and so they now have an opportunity to showcase what their product is all about to individuals all around the world.
WWE RAW on Netflix is right here to remain.
Whereas it began off sizzling, it’s essential to maintain it that means by permitting viewers to get a peek into what it has to supply exterior of the throwbacks, superstar appearances, and flashy set items.
This might 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 executed sufficient to get individuals keen on what they’ve to supply.
What did you guys take into consideration the primary RAW of the brand new yr?
Was it overstuffed?
Or stuffed excellent?
Tell us within the feedback!
You may watch WWE RAW on Netflix on Mondays at 8/7c.
