10 Reasons Why WWE Needs To Fundamentally Change Everything About The TV Product

10. Commentary

Michael Cole is only part of the problem. The exposition that pours out of his mouth is dictated to by Vince McMahon - but his trademark insincerity does so much to ruin the product.

Take Jeff Hardy Vs. Sheamus from this week's RAW. Hardy started the match with a barrage of hammer blows out of the gate. Sheamus had turned heel on him in a brutal post-match attack at Payback, just minutes after getting his tooth knocked out by his opponent's Brogue Kick. He was out to settle a score.

Cole initially sold his babyface fire, but soon settled into his default mode. Hardy vaulted spectacularly over the top rope before Sheamus captured him in an impressive feat of strength. Cole reacted to this by listlessly recapping the story of their feud. When Sheamus drilled Hardy into the barricade, Cole let out a halfhearted "Oh!" The message was clear: none of this matters, it's not urgent. It is just a prelude to something else. No wonder fewer people are tuning in every week.

When the action picked up, Cole did little but run through his gamut of cliches. "And that was vintage Hardy!" he said, evidently bored, when Jeff nailed Sheamus with a double leg drop.

The Cole business is so appalling because WWE is incredibly easy to follow. We're not reading Infinite Jest here; we're watching black and white heroes do battle with black and white villains. McMahon-as-Cole insults both the intelligence of the audience and the story being told when the hybrid explains everything away ad nauseam.