10 Things Wrong With Every Episode Of WWE Raw
7. Stephanie McMahon
On last week's edition of RAW, heels Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho anointed themselves as national treasures, as part of their deluded blowhards schtick. In response, Stephanie McMahon rolled her eyes, her contempt almost tangible. "Well," she said, in that infuriatingly insincere tone. "I don't know about that."
This might not have been horrendously counterproductive, had she been a face authority figure dressing down a comedic midcard act. But she's a heel - and she dismissed her Universal Champion as near enough a joke. What message did that send? How were we meant to perceive Owens after the fact? Ric Flair, in his pomp, constantly cheated to win - but there was no doubt that he was great in spite of it. Owens, meanwhile, is simply fortuitous - and Stephanie's constant reminders of this fact don't do him any favours.
On the same episode, she dressed down babyface Bayley, citing her bafflement at the popularity she enjoys. Which would be fine, if she was a fully-fledged heel, positioning herself as an obstacle over which Bayley must overcome. But, in mid-2016, she damned heel Charlotte for relying on her father's interference. This is the same woman who has taken credit for the Diva's Revolution - and yet, she seems to loathe them, half the time.
Her motivations are inscrutable. Why does she hate everybody? If she hates everybody, why was she so bothered about Shane McMahon returning to the fray prior to WrestleMania 32? You'd think she'd be happy to rid herself of what, demonstrably, is a burden to her.