10 Times WWE Treated Its Audience Like Children

7. Replays Replays Replays Replays Replays Replays Replays Replays Replays Replays Replays Replays

Liv Morgan Baby
WWE.com

The WWE product is simple to follow. We know the baddies are baddies because they say nasty things about the goodies. We know the goodies are goodies because they throw vegetables at the baddies with no prior justification.

Being only slightly less facetious about things, the standard WWE match template illustrates the alignments for us. The heels use unfair advantages to assume control, and the faces rely on their inner fortitude and the external support of the crowd to win it back in a manner that encourages this support. Traditional writing techniques are largely absent. There is no subtext to explore, no metaphors to debate. WWE doesn't show stories; it tells them. And then it repeats the beats. And again. And again.

Even though Michael Cole leaves no room for nuance in his calls ("Is RAW...Under Siege?!"), we must be reminded of events already explained, repeatedly, because...well. The only inference to be made is that WWE cannot trust us to process this information using independent thought. We are children, and thus need to be schooled.

And we often wonder why WWE doesn't listen to its audience.

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Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!