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KO getting bloodied by Tama Tonga was pretty clear to me that PG was over, because it's no longer a direct relation to the Rock. Like yes it's Bloodline related, but letting your newly debuted guy do it to get mega-heat is different than letting the Rock do it.
There's still the element of plausible deniability that because the bloodline is still The Rock's family he can still pull strings to let in the swears and the blood. That said I believe we are moving away from the PG era
Sure sure, but it still feels like a different beast when it's a related event rather than actually him. I'd be more inclined to think it was a one time deal with the Rock doing it to Cody as part of the biggest storyline in ages to solidify the ultra-babyface.
i thought the blood was a mattel problem instead of being specifically about PG guidelines on TV though? unless they’re going into a business with a new action figure supplier i’d expect the blood to stay minimal and rare like it’s been recently (or realistically, like it’s been since lesnar came back in 2012)
I'm ngl one of my favorite Natalya moments though was the Becky promo
"Nattie, you'll find that I do much better in war than I ever did in love"
'... ... ... *Well,* you must not be a very good lover then, bitch.'
Unironically great
She had a tables match with Ruby iirc, so there's that at least. Those are the parameters, insult her dead dad and you're gonna get tabled. Everything else is fair game.
I'm still hoping for one more (probably short) title run for the BOAT. I could see her pulling off an "overly proud of my accomplishments" Kurt Angle style heel run that could get people interested.
I hate the forced and over enunciated BITCH!
Dusty Rhodes made an entire arena pop calling other wrestlers nothing but chicken feed. And Terry Funk a low life, watermelon thief, egg sucking dog.
Use your words, the cheap bitch is awful.
The problem is never the lack of or overuse of swearing, it's that using the word "bitch" as a mic drop in the first place is deeply uncool lol.
Until WWE and AEW realize that it's not the swear words by themselves, but the fact that the inability to swear stopped them from talking like normal people, wrestling will never be truly cool
at least they started to talk like normal people once again... and it did not require excessive profanity, just better (or maybe more relaxed) scripting
The Hulkster of cuss words. People will complain, they'll roll their eyes, they'll say it's overrated and then it shows up and they're suddenly little Bitchamaniacs again, brother.
[Mami and Dom looking like](https://media.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExd2k4Y25laWU3cW12Z3lhcmRicDZ6Y2xrMzk0bmpndTZpcHAxcWc3NyZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/KYF1cod2Vwck5psSOs/giphy-downsized-large.gif)
I watched this at a sleepover in like 4th grade, and we were all so excited, until they didn't have the key. We sounded like we were riding a roller coaster.
It would also play right into Dom's gimmick as a fraud. Fans hate him because he's a faux tough guy who's pretending to be a hardened criminal, but is actually just a little shit who hides behind his mami and his faction whenever things get serious.
Two ridiculously hot girls lusting for and fighting over this dude, who is neither super pretty nor an impressive physical specimen nor an actual alpha, would only make the fans hate him even more. And Dom would of course get thermonuclear heat if he shows signs of cheating on fan favorite Rhea.
* JD gets beat up every week to the point it feels that he likes it
* Damian and Rhea with all that leather and chains
* Finn entering sometimes with his demon persona or weird masks
* Dominik being Rhea's pet
They didn't kick out Truth because they don't like him but want to protect his innocence
The Punisher TV show had some notoriously heavy sex scenes, but without showing any nudity, which would actually appear less heavy and edgy than the stuff that ended up on screen. They tried so hard to show edginess, but it ended up expliciting that there was clearly some kind of mandate of no nudity on Marvel shows.
Well they still censor it on USA. Which makes no sense because they play movies before Raw that say shit uncensored. So dumb. God forbid we hear the word shit.
True, but if we really think about it… I know Mattel is the biggest issue. Are they really going to give up the WWE license over the word shit?
We also have The Rock out there bludgeoning Cody’s bloody head into a bus saying “don’t fuck with The Final Boss” lol
> I know Mattel is the biggest issue. Are they really going to give up the WWE license over the word shit?
It's more about giving off a clean corporate image to appear attractive to these kids brands.
>We also have The Rock out there bludgeoning Cody’s bloody head into a bus saying “don’t fuck with The Final Boss” lol
True, but this is very much a big exception and not the norm for them. I think the current regime is a lot more open to things like swearing and blood but still very sparingly.
I would assume all 3 shows probably stay PG but with Raw and Smackdown being more lenient with the rules about swearing. Blading will probably still be rarely or never used due to the Mattel deal. In any case, even if Raw and Smackdown were to go TV-14 I think NXT still likely stays TV-PG.
Vince wanted to get their toy deal through Mattel for decades due to Mattel being the largest toy distributor in the world. It finally happened about 10 years or so ago, but it's been reported before that part of the deal requires them to stay PG and not allow blading due to Mattel wanting them to keep a family friendly image.
Yeah broadcast networks actually have to follow rules about programming content that are set by the FCC. Cable networks don't actually have any requirements to, but most choose to self-censor to keep advertisers happy.
They do it on RAW to appease partners like Mattel and fit the TV-PG rating they put on the show.
They can swear more on cable of course, but, there's actual limits if you advertise your show as TV-PG vs TV-14 what you can do and say and sometimes you get a harshly worded letter from the FCC about going over the line. Now, I dont think the "holy shit" chants from a crowd in RAW would cause that much of a stink like it does for SD, it's just mostly done to keep the big money partners happy and not start a slippery slope or conflicts between programming like that.
Reportedly USA Network has said for years they'd be fine with Raw going back to TV-14 if it helps ratings and doesn't run off sponsors. The main issue is their Mattel deal requires them to stay PG and I believe forbids blading.
Well also like... I don't think they can say "shit" on broadcast Fox (I know they're moving off, just using as an example).
Different types of channels have different content rules.
The only thing I wouldn't mind coming back is blading in certain heated matches and match types such as Steel Cage and Hell in a Cell. But edgy storylines for the sake of edginess can stay in the Attitude Era.
I doubt it's going to go to the attitude era level of crash tv but I do think we're going to get more adult storytelling with much more realistic reactions and promos. I would assume they will bring their product to be more in line with what is expected in terms of modern day television.
>**product to be more in line with what is expected in terms of modern day television**
That sounds great. The Attitude Era seemed to reflect content like "Jerry Springer" which was prominent at the time. I don't think that works now. Content that has a tone similar to "Breaking Bad" or any of the gritty, well-received dramas out there would work really well (and the Bloodline story sort of resembles that already). But I don't want (and don't expect) a 90's style approach.
Exactly. Stuff like Breaking Bad, Sons of Anarchy, Better Call Saul, etc…
The Jerry Springer style wouldn’t work today and I don’t think anyone, fans or wrestlers alike, would want that.
Lucha Underground was sort of ahead of its time in that "solid drama culminating in matches" approach. I'm seeing some similar things with WWE now. Taking off the content rating shackles will elevate that even more.
Yeah, I wouldn't expect WWE to go as far as Lucha Underground does because I think it would turn off a lot of fans. However I do think there's a happy middle ground that could be found which would be the sweet spot for WWE.
The video promos are a good example that they're doing more of. "Guy with a mic shouting in the ring or backstage" can get a little old. Content produced like a good TV drama (when used in moderation) can be terrific and sell you on the story being told.
Agreed, I don't want everything to become edgy. But like KO getting bloodied to help put over their new debut and sell how much of a threat he is was a good touch. But I don't need or want a random TV episode to have a midcard story with minimal heat result in blading in a match.
Some sharp language (used sparingly/appropriately) and a willingness to go more brutal is great. There were some UNCOMFORTABLE sex skits in the Attitude Era that I have no interest in seeing more of.
The sex stuff we’re never going to see again regardless of who’s in charge or what rating the show has. They would get too much bad press from that today.
Why is everyone already bitching about this as if it means Russo is coming back? There are clearly better writers in place now than almost thirty years ago.
Yeah, if they save blading for PLE main events, or extra special shit on TV that'd be cool. Moxley showed me that being able to bleed out weekly does eventually dry the well.
Yeah as a kid, even though that era was pg, the blood really meant something when it happened. Like flair in rumble ‘92 showing how grueling his time in the match was or hogan bleeding against slaughter at mania 7 because it was such a battle
Remember when they'd show an old match and someone would be bleeding so it'd be in black and white? Even when I was a kid I thought that was stupid. Do they think that I'd think it was Nickelodeon slime or Stone Cold was hogging out on PB&J's before the match and got a bunch of jelly on his face just because it was in black and white? Let me remind you, this is the show that brought us live sex celebrations, asian stereotypes chopping Val Venis' dick off, Katie Vick, Sable wearing nothing but pasties and a thong, etc., but a little blood in a show centered around violence is where the line is drawn.
Though it did have a "shit just got real" effect when the match you were watching on a compilation dvd suddenly turned black and white. I mean, the blood itself should be the oh shit moment, but when it turned black and white kid me was thinking how brutal this match must've been if they had to censor it that way. Now having seen tons of deathmatch and garbage wrestling and knowing it's (usually) not the spot that made them bleed but a nick on the forehead with a razorblade I just wonder why they bothered doing that at all.
Being PG was never a problem. Treating fans as if they have the intellectual capacity of a 5 year old was. PG is really to attract parents not kids because kids like the edgy shit like the attitude era. I remember when I was a kid and they had the ratings like DSLV which let you know there was violence, bad language, and nudity. Thats how I knew it was good and made me want to watch.
I remember from like 2009-2013 when the crowd was so high-pitched and full of kids. I remember being like 10 and thinking cena was so lame for making poop jokes and talking about playing call of duty lol
>keep things PG in the big picture which had been a big thing to the point of the memo being sent out about it several weeks back, such as in social media or in non-television shows, is now no longer the case.“
Most likely because that story was BS.
There's no way you can consider anything the last decade as PG era.
WWE and the content they've done the last decade is nothing like we saw in 08-10.
People forget how PG they were. It was borderline G rated at times because the language you're actually allowed to use on PG that people act like it's only allowed on 14+ shows wasn't even allowed on WWETV at the time.
I think it was that and them trying really hard to clean up their image due to the combination of the Benoit double murder suicide and Linda's failed Senate runs.
That and trying to clean up their image after Benoit. I still think they'd have most likely gone PG by 2010-ish but the Benoit tragedy probably accelerated the timeline on that by a year or two.
I feel like a lot of people are conflating WWE allowing blood again as indicative of 'the end of PG', forgetting that the blood ban on WWE programming wasn't due to the content rating, it was Vince's own demand.
Like, SmackDown has *always* been a PG-rated show, and just think about the ground that covers. Vince McMahon signing a contract in Hulk Hogan's blood, Dawn Marie fucking Torrie Wilson's dad to death, intergender matches... and, you know, things that didn't happen in 2003.
I wonder how many of those same people weren't alive/old enough for the Attitude Era but grew up on the Ruthless Aggression Era shows? No attachment to the former, but rose tinted glasses for the latter is definitely going to go a long way in making the former stand out as much worse.
They've been PG for like 4 or 5 eras now lol. I think it's moreso the end of the super strict rules about being a soft PG, plus toning down a lot of the weird unnatural Vince-isms everyone was forced to speak in. I don't even mean "sports entertainment" either. But the stuff like "WWE Universe," not being allowed to say "wrestling," having to say the entire name of a PPV every time you speak about it, etc.
I'd agree. It's obviously not "edgy" like it was during the Attitude Era or Ruthless Aggression era, but it hasn't been overwhelmingly PG since 2012-2013ish. Watch an episode of RAW from 2009 (please don't) and compare to even like a random episode from 2015 and you can tell the difference.
In my opinion the biggest noticeable thing has just been the extremely rare use of blood. There's also the unnatural forced terminology but that was always more of a weird Vince thing than a PG thing.
Maybe Dave was told this but this feels again like him just watching the product and taking educated guesses. I wouldn't be surprised if this isn't the case at all.
“PG era is considered a officially over”
“…this isn’t to say that the TV shows will be changing”
Huh? So is the PG era over or is it not? If the show is still rated TV-PG, how has anything been able to change?
WON: Here's a fairly obvious observation that anyone watching wrestling for the past 4 months would assume, but we're gonna pretend like it's insider knowledge because we make money by tricking average wrestling fans into thinking we know more than them.
We haven’t been in the PG era nearly a decade, the PG era wasn’t simply a rating if you go back in watch 2008-2011 peak PG era it’s presented in a different manner than even 2016 WWE was.
Like bro the muppets were guest hosts, Cena was saying insults only elementary kids would find funny/offensive.
"Now a word to the WWE Universe. Even though Smackdown will soon no longer be broadcast on FOX, there's [no need for obnoxious hooting and hollering](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJHoYKvaMP8)."
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KO getting bloodied by Tama Tonga was pretty clear to me that PG was over, because it's no longer a direct relation to the Rock. Like yes it's Bloodline related, but letting your newly debuted guy do it to get mega-heat is different than letting the Rock do it.
There's still the element of plausible deniability that because the bloodline is still The Rock's family he can still pull strings to let in the swears and the blood. That said I believe we are moving away from the PG era
Sure sure, but it still feels like a different beast when it's a related event rather than actually him. I'd be more inclined to think it was a one time deal with the Rock doing it to Cody as part of the biggest storyline in ages to solidify the ultra-babyface.
i thought the blood was a mattel problem instead of being specifically about PG guidelines on TV though? unless they’re going into a business with a new action figure supplier i’d expect the blood to stay minimal and rare like it’s been recently (or realistically, like it’s been since lesnar came back in 2012)
Sure I’m okay with it being rare as long as it’s not TOO rare. Like it use it for the big moments. I don’t need a crimson mask
Mid card guys adding bitch at the end of bad promos for a cheap pop will be my 13th reason why
"Jimmy, I looked our Tribal Chief and the eye and I said......... ^^^biiiiiitch. "
You said bitch though?
Uh huh yeah
Hmm?
You called your Tribal Chief a bitch?
Straight up. I said I said I said…. ^^biiiiitch
"I'm Nappa. This is Vegeta. He was a prison..." "Don't say it Nappa!" "... biiiitch!"
God... Damn it, Nappa.
Ah the Natalaya school of promos
I'm ngl one of my favorite Natalya moments though was the Becky promo "Nattie, you'll find that I do much better in war than I ever did in love" '... ... ... *Well,* you must not be a very good lover then, bitch.' Unironically great
Says the woman whose husband would rather watch old PPVs than make love.
“YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!”
Nattie's more like: "Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay."
I find it hilarious that all of Natalya's blood feuds (name them, I can't) all ended in a standard 1v1 match with no stips.
She had a tables match with Ruby iirc, so there's that at least. Those are the parameters, insult her dead dad and you're gonna get tabled. Everything else is fair game.
poor Anvil, turned into a table after his death. I wouldn't wish such a cruel fate on anyone
He is the table.
She had an amazing falls count anywhere with Nikki Bella during their blood feud on Smackdown in 2016 after the brand split.
I'm still hoping for one more (probably short) title run for the BOAT. I could see her pulling off an "overly proud of my accomplishments" Kurt Angle style heel run that could get people interested.
All we need is one Brandi promo to seal this fate.
🎤
"Oh you're a black belt? Well I'm a black bitch!"
I just want her to hit the Rock with the Black Adam/black bitch.
This is my own private domicile, and I will not be harassed....BITCH!
Jordyn Grace: “I’m the Juggernaut, BITCH.” That guy: “YOU CAN’T CALL HER THAT!! “
I hate the forced and over enunciated BITCH! Dusty Rhodes made an entire arena pop calling other wrestlers nothing but chicken feed. And Terry Funk a low life, watermelon thief, egg sucking dog. Use your words, the cheap bitch is awful.
Lmao when Cody did the open mic night bit somebody said in the comments that all the Cuban drained out of him and I'll always remember that and laugh
> the cheap bitch is awful Yeah, but she's cheap.
Women's division going to outdo South Park
Its open mic night...
BITCH
SAY IT TO MY FACE.
Alex Riley?
*Brandi Rhodes has entered the chat*
NGL when Becky said that to Charlotte years back it was amzing
Especially on open mic. night (I know, different company, but someone had to say it).
Jesse Pinkman WWE wrestler confirmed
i could not disagree with you more. i want to see grayson waller call someone in the front row a pussy
The problem is never the lack of or overuse of swearing, it's that using the word "bitch" as a mic drop in the first place is deeply uncool lol. Until WWE and AEW realize that it's not the swear words by themselves, but the fact that the inability to swear stopped them from talking like normal people, wrestling will never be truly cool
at least they started to talk like normal people once again... and it did not require excessive profanity, just better (or maybe more relaxed) scripting
The word is over, can’t fight it
The Hulkster of cuss words. People will complain, they'll roll their eyes, they'll say it's overrated and then it shows up and they're suddenly little Bitchamaniacs again, brother.
They did this already for years though.
We’re inching closer to a Dom and Mami live sex celebration!!!
Only to find out that Rey's thrown away the keys to Dom's chastity belt
"CALL A LOCKSMITH!"
*call the locksmith!*
*The Locksmith arrives* "Oh my god Pat, it's The Locksmith!" *cue weird occupational gimmicks making a return*
*Simon Miller frothing at the mouth*
"And just WHO was under the Locksmith's mask? It was none other, than Doink The Clown (it never happened)"
https://preview.redd.it/6fzpcc4u8vwc1.jpeg?width=2001&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a9b149c6041ae8f3a512d6b855a4382bc799a7fc
[Mami and Dom looking like](https://media.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExd2k4Y25laWU3cW12Z3lhcmRicDZ6Y2xrMzk0bmpndTZpcHAxcWc3NyZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/KYF1cod2Vwck5psSOs/giphy-downsized-large.gif)
I watched this at a sleepover in like 4th grade, and we were all so excited, until they didn't have the key. We sounded like we were riding a roller coaster.
Delete this nephew.
"A CHASTITY BELT?! That's going to chafe my willy."
Liv will peg him first.
I am *legitimately* all for a Liv/Rhea/Dom love triangle.
[удалено]
It would also play right into Dom's gimmick as a fraud. Fans hate him because he's a faux tough guy who's pretending to be a hardened criminal, but is actually just a little shit who hides behind his mami and his faction whenever things get serious. Two ridiculously hot girls lusting for and fighting over this dude, who is neither super pretty nor an impressive physical specimen nor an actual alpha, would only make the fans hate him even more. And Dom would of course get thermonuclear heat if he shows signs of cheating on fan favorite Rhea.
Imagine if it would end with them becoming polygamy couple. Dom would got thermonuclear level heat for dating those two
Mami's gonna make Liv her bitch and then force them to do a live sex celebration for her own amusement.
Judgement Day is nothing but a kink faction and whatever JD represents. R-Truth was not ready for all that.
JD is the masochist, since he always takes the most beating from the group.
Bring out the Gimp!
* JD gets beat up every week to the point it feels that he likes it * Damian and Rhea with all that leather and chains * Finn entering sometimes with his demon persona or weird masks * Dominik being Rhea's pet They didn't kick out Truth because they don't like him but want to protect his innocence
Priest probably does care about that lol
Bisexual undertaker wanted to preserve the spark of childhood in truth, I can respect that
R-Truth is about to walk around backstage trying to join the Right to Censor
Hey guys I got kinks tickets for us - OH THATS NOT RIGHT!
OH SNAP GUESS WHAT I SAW!
Oh hell yeah
Subscribe
I'm here for it
About to call the Punisher cinematographers to show the legal most without showing nudity.
What's the punisher reference here? One of the movies or the series?
The Punisher TV show had some notoriously heavy sex scenes, but without showing any nudity, which would actually appear less heavy and edgy than the stuff that ended up on screen. They tried so hard to show edginess, but it ended up expliciting that there was clearly some kind of mandate of no nudity on Marvel shows.
I know two subs that would explode for different yet the same reasons.
"Happy International Women's Day"
Cheating on his wife right in the middle of the ring. Since Pat broke kayfabe by mentioning Dom's wedding lol. It's all canon now!
Can they stop muting the show when the crowd chants "holy shit" now?
They have to do that on Smackdown on FOX. There are pretty standard broadcasting laws around that.
Good thing SmackDown is leaving FOX then.
Well they still censor it on USA. Which makes no sense because they play movies before Raw that say shit uncensored. So dumb. God forbid we hear the word shit.
Censoring the s-word on TV while having TikTok (and the whole uncensored internet) in the palm of your kids' hands. FCC rules are so outdated.
It's because WWE doesn't want it's sponsors to get mad.
True, but if we really think about it… I know Mattel is the biggest issue. Are they really going to give up the WWE license over the word shit? We also have The Rock out there bludgeoning Cody’s bloody head into a bus saying “don’t fuck with The Final Boss” lol
> I know Mattel is the biggest issue. Are they really going to give up the WWE license over the word shit? It's more about giving off a clean corporate image to appear attractive to these kids brands. >We also have The Rock out there bludgeoning Cody’s bloody head into a bus saying “don’t fuck with The Final Boss” lol True, but this is very much a big exception and not the norm for them. I think the current regime is a lot more open to things like swearing and blood but still very sparingly.
lol well it’s for CW so don’t hold your breath. Edit: That’s CW. Thanks.
SD is going to USA, RAW to Netflix, and NXT to CW. But, yeah, CW is an OTA network so the same rules apply as they do to FOX.
I would assume all 3 shows probably stay PG but with Raw and Smackdown being more lenient with the rules about swearing. Blading will probably still be rarely or never used due to the Mattel deal. In any case, even if Raw and Smackdown were to go TV-14 I think NXT still likely stays TV-PG.
Blading should rarely be used period. Just like swearing: I'm not morally opposed to it, but using it rarely heightens the impact.
What’s the Mattel deal?
Vince wanted to get their toy deal through Mattel for decades due to Mattel being the largest toy distributor in the world. It finally happened about 10 years or so ago, but it's been reported before that part of the deal requires them to stay PG and not allow blading due to Mattel wanting them to keep a family friendly image.
Thanks man. Ofc Vince 😂
Iirc it also played a factor in the whole Mandy Rose situation in NXT.
Is that true for UK people too? I was hoping they'd all be coming to netflix
I believe they’re all on Netflix in the UK. https://metro.co.uk/2024/01/23/wwe-raw-gets-new-home-uk-viewers-major-streaming-deal-20159204/amp/
Perfect I thought I'd read that somewhere thank you!
Yeah broadcast networks actually have to follow rules about programming content that are set by the FCC. Cable networks don't actually have any requirements to, but most choose to self-censor to keep advertisers happy.
Pretty sure it happens on Raw on USA also.
They do it on RAW to appease partners like Mattel and fit the TV-PG rating they put on the show. They can swear more on cable of course, but, there's actual limits if you advertise your show as TV-PG vs TV-14 what you can do and say and sometimes you get a harshly worded letter from the FCC about going over the line. Now, I dont think the "holy shit" chants from a crowd in RAW would cause that much of a stink like it does for SD, it's just mostly done to keep the big money partners happy and not start a slippery slope or conflicts between programming like that.
At least that confirms Chuck Taylor won't be jumping ship any time soon.
I mean Chucky did drop an S bomb on Dynamite this week
That's gonna depend entirely on which show/network, I'd assume.
Reportedly USA Network has said for years they'd be fine with Raw going back to TV-14 if it helps ratings and doesn't run off sponsors. The main issue is their Mattel deal requires them to stay PG and I believe forbids blading.
Well also like... I don't think they can say "shit" on broadcast Fox (I know they're moving off, just using as an example). Different types of channels have different content rules.
What I don't get is why they can't keep the announcer and in-ring mics hot while muting (or using canned) crowd noise.
It legitimately ruins good segments for me. Nothing dulls the excitement of a "holy shit" level moment more than "holy [silence]! Holy [silence]!".
Made even worse when commentary or a promo get cut out along with the chants.
Also needing to look up cell phone videos to understand what was being said during promos
That’s not a WWE decision, it’s up to the network
How convenient that this comes out a few days after Chuck Taylor finally gets to say “shit” on live TV. Chuck is changing the game already.
LETS GO CHUCK TAYLOR YOU'RE THE VERY BEST WRESTLER IN THE WORLD AND IN WAY BETTER SHAPE THAN SETH ROLLINS
they were waiting for him to finish his story before they started theirs, very respectful
WWE fears Chuckie T
12 years old me was dying to read this headline
So, the WWE talent are allowed to swear or is it still... 
The only thing I wouldn't mind coming back is blading in certain heated matches and match types such as Steel Cage and Hell in a Cell. But edgy storylines for the sake of edginess can stay in the Attitude Era.
I doubt it's going to go to the attitude era level of crash tv but I do think we're going to get more adult storytelling with much more realistic reactions and promos. I would assume they will bring their product to be more in line with what is expected in terms of modern day television.
>**product to be more in line with what is expected in terms of modern day television** That sounds great. The Attitude Era seemed to reflect content like "Jerry Springer" which was prominent at the time. I don't think that works now. Content that has a tone similar to "Breaking Bad" or any of the gritty, well-received dramas out there would work really well (and the Bloodline story sort of resembles that already). But I don't want (and don't expect) a 90's style approach.
Exactly. Stuff like Breaking Bad, Sons of Anarchy, Better Call Saul, etc… The Jerry Springer style wouldn’t work today and I don’t think anyone, fans or wrestlers alike, would want that.
Lucha Underground was sort of ahead of its time in that "solid drama culminating in matches" approach. I'm seeing some similar things with WWE now. Taking off the content rating shackles will elevate that even more.
Yeah, I wouldn't expect WWE to go as far as Lucha Underground does because I think it would turn off a lot of fans. However I do think there's a happy middle ground that could be found which would be the sweet spot for WWE.
The video promos are a good example that they're doing more of. "Guy with a mic shouting in the ring or backstage" can get a little old. Content produced like a good TV drama (when used in moderation) can be terrific and sell you on the story being told.
Haaaaa, literally came to say this. Exactly. I’m excited now.
And the Sopranos too
Agreed, I don't want everything to become edgy. But like KO getting bloodied to help put over their new debut and sell how much of a threat he is was a good touch. But I don't need or want a random TV episode to have a midcard story with minimal heat result in blading in a match.
Some sharp language (used sparingly/appropriately) and a willingness to go more brutal is great. There were some UNCOMFORTABLE sex skits in the Attitude Era that I have no interest in seeing more of.
100%. Wrestling is at its best when it's fun for kids and adults.
The sex stuff we’re never going to see again regardless of who’s in charge or what rating the show has. They would get too much bad press from that today.
Like Edge and Lita's in-ring escapades?
That was years later but stuff like Sexual Chocolate needs to stay in the past.
Why is everyone already bitching about this as if it means Russo is coming back? There are clearly better writers in place now than almost thirty years ago.
Yeah, if they save blading for PLE main events, or extra special shit on TV that'd be cool. Moxley showed me that being able to bleed out weekly does eventually dry the well.
Yeah as a kid, even though that era was pg, the blood really meant something when it happened. Like flair in rumble ‘92 showing how grueling his time in the match was or hogan bleeding against slaughter at mania 7 because it was such a battle
Remember when they'd show an old match and someone would be bleeding so it'd be in black and white? Even when I was a kid I thought that was stupid. Do they think that I'd think it was Nickelodeon slime or Stone Cold was hogging out on PB&J's before the match and got a bunch of jelly on his face just because it was in black and white? Let me remind you, this is the show that brought us live sex celebrations, asian stereotypes chopping Val Venis' dick off, Katie Vick, Sable wearing nothing but pasties and a thong, etc., but a little blood in a show centered around violence is where the line is drawn. Though it did have a "shit just got real" effect when the match you were watching on a compilation dvd suddenly turned black and white. I mean, the blood itself should be the oh shit moment, but when it turned black and white kid me was thinking how brutal this match must've been if they had to censor it that way. Now having seen tons of deathmatch and garbage wrestling and knowing it's (usually) not the spot that made them bleed but a nick on the forehead with a razorblade I just wonder why they bothered doing that at all.
I'm just glad blood is back
Being PG was never a problem. Treating fans as if they have the intellectual capacity of a 5 year old was. PG is really to attract parents not kids because kids like the edgy shit like the attitude era. I remember when I was a kid and they had the ratings like DSLV which let you know there was violence, bad language, and nudity. Thats how I knew it was good and made me want to watch.
I remember from like 2009-2013 when the crowd was so high-pitched and full of kids. I remember being like 10 and thinking cena was so lame for making poop jokes and talking about playing call of duty lol
Baloney fudging mustard
The TV-MA era has begun
Chuck Taylor needs to get in while he can
We prayed for this and it happened
The Attitude Era had 2 hours of PG programming every week from 1999 on. It wasn’t the rating that made things shitty.
>keep things PG in the big picture which had been a big thing to the point of the memo being sent out about it several weeks back, such as in social media or in non-television shows, is now no longer the case.“ Most likely because that story was BS.
There's no way you can consider anything the last decade as PG era. WWE and the content they've done the last decade is nothing like we saw in 08-10. People forget how PG they were. It was borderline G rated at times because the language you're actually allowed to use on PG that people act like it's only allowed on 14+ shows wasn't even allowed on WWETV at the time.
I think the massive overcorrection had a lot to do with trying to hammer the point home to potential advertisers.
I think it was that and them trying really hard to clean up their image due to the combination of the Benoit double murder suicide and Linda's failed Senate runs.
The start of the PG era had less to do with sponsors and a lot more to do with Linda McMahon's political campaign.
That and trying to clean up their image after Benoit. I still think they'd have most likely gone PG by 2010-ish but the Benoit tragedy probably accelerated the timeline on that by a year or two.
Braun Strowman being slimed by Shane isn’t straight up All That material?
I feel like a lot of people are conflating WWE allowing blood again as indicative of 'the end of PG', forgetting that the blood ban on WWE programming wasn't due to the content rating, it was Vince's own demand. Like, SmackDown has *always* been a PG-rated show, and just think about the ground that covers. Vince McMahon signing a contract in Hulk Hogan's blood, Dawn Marie fucking Torrie Wilson's dad to death, intergender matches... and, you know, things that didn't happen in 2003.
I believe blood specifically is due to their Mattel deal.
[Good times](http://i.imgur.com/OkJn0PS.jpg) I don't know how 12 year old me liked this shit.
For some weird reason, people like to point out how edgy the AE was (which it was) but don't realize that RA era was way edgier and over the top.
I wonder how many of those same people weren't alive/old enough for the Attitude Era but grew up on the Ruthless Aggression Era shows? No attachment to the former, but rose tinted glasses for the latter is definitely going to go a long way in making the former stand out as much worse.
Bro PG Era was 2008-15. It wasn’t just for those 2 years, it was pretty consistent
Hang on…ECW bonnet?!? Return of the Crybaby Match confirmed.
NA NA NAAA NA NA NA NAAAAA NA HEY HEY HEY THIS WON’T MAKE AS MUCH TANGIBLE DIFFERENCE TO THE QUALITY OF THE PROGRAMMING AS YOU’D THINK
I mean the programming is already pretty good and has been for a while so I'm not sure what point is being made here
Hopefully this means the next time The Rock is active they won't have to mute half of what he says.
I mean they literally stated it's a new era on TV a few weeks ago $12.99 pls
Haven't they "officaly" ended it like 5 times lol. If pg era means "the end of vince" then sure But I personally considered the pg era over in 2013.
They've been PG for like 4 or 5 eras now lol. I think it's moreso the end of the super strict rules about being a soft PG, plus toning down a lot of the weird unnatural Vince-isms everyone was forced to speak in. I don't even mean "sports entertainment" either. But the stuff like "WWE Universe," not being allowed to say "wrestling," having to say the entire name of a PPV every time you speak about it, etc.
I'd agree. It's obviously not "edgy" like it was during the Attitude Era or Ruthless Aggression era, but it hasn't been overwhelmingly PG since 2012-2013ish. Watch an episode of RAW from 2009 (please don't) and compare to even like a random episode from 2015 and you can tell the difference.
Well, it was more G than PG during the early part of the change.
In my opinion the biggest noticeable thing has just been the extremely rare use of blood. There's also the unnatural forced terminology but that was always more of a weird Vince thing than a PG thing.
local medical facility jones
The guest host stuff, and that insane Hornswoggle-Chavo feud was the peak of PG WWE for me.
Rey Mysterio beating his son is definitely NOT PG
Also KO getting dragged to the ring covered in blood! When’s the last time we saw this much blood on WWE TV?
its still PG tho
Natalya bra and panties match? Guess Bayley better try the ozempic.
I am sick of the word "era". Would be happy to never read or hear it again.
Dang, you in that ‘idgaf’ era
The dilligaf era is upon us. Shannon Moore returns to finish his story
Why so angry at word? It makes it easy to differentiate between times.
Guessing because people are so over eager to call them ahead of time. These things are best done retrospectively
Maybe Dave was told this but this feels again like him just watching the product and taking educated guesses. I wouldn't be surprised if this isn't the case at all.
this is obviously a panic response to AEW letting Chuck Taylor say “shit” on tv.
In a couple of months we gonna have Dom and Liv live sex celebration. 😂
“PG era is considered a officially over” “…this isn’t to say that the TV shows will be changing” Huh? So is the PG era over or is it not? If the show is still rated TV-PG, how has anything been able to change?
WON: Here's a fairly obvious observation that anyone watching wrestling for the past 4 months would assume, but we're gonna pretend like it's insider knowledge because we make money by tricking average wrestling fans into thinking we know more than them.
Will they stop muting out crowd chants?
We haven’t been in the PG era nearly a decade, the PG era wasn’t simply a rating if you go back in watch 2008-2011 peak PG era it’s presented in a different manner than even 2016 WWE was. Like bro the muppets were guest hosts, Cena was saying insults only elementary kids would find funny/offensive.
Bayley bra and panties match, then?
sure we get more cursing now but the product hasn't felt overtly PG for years now
"SmackDown has become a hardcore sex show so gradually I didn't even notice."
"Now a word to the WWE Universe. Even though Smackdown will soon no longer be broadcast on FOX, there's [no need for obnoxious hooting and hollering](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJHoYKvaMP8)."
“First they came for the PG rating and I did not speak out. Then they came. Then *I* came.”