Monday Night Raw is rated PG, ensuring family-friendly programming. Considering the fact that it is the company's premiere show, that makes perfect sense. Cater to the kids, not to mention the parents that have all the money to buy merchandise and tickets. But SmackDown can, and probably should, be different. Whereas Raw is the more family-friendly product, SmackDown has the potential to be the edgier show that caters to the often ignored 18-35 demographic. The show does not have to descend into the vulgarity and sex that it did during the height of the Attitude Era, but it could easily take on a harder edge that would leave the comedy acts for Monday night. More importantly, such a change would open the show up to the very portion of the audience likely skipping the show Thursday nights. A more adult oriented show can mean something as simple as gimmicks, matches and segments less insulting to the intelligence than those that play out on Monday nights. A harder hitting, more unpredictable program would provide a true alternative to every other show produced by WWE.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
