10 Ways WWE Storytelling Has Declined Since 2000
4. Cool Heels
There are countless problems with WWE’s face/heel alignment scale these days, and while the company’s issues with creating genuinely likeable protagonists stands out the most, their heels can be just as problematic.
WWE’s supposed ‘bad guys’ often draw the promotion’s loudest face pops. Kevin Owens is too sharp and quick-witted for people to loathe, despite the despicable things he has done to guys like Sami Zayns. Brock Lesnar? Too badass to boo. Braun Strowman? Much the same.
Nobody can stop the fans from cheering and booing whoever they want, but WWE have made their villains too likeable. When Owens and Chris Jericho were bantering back and forth on Raw, they were easily the most charming act in the company, so of course people wanted to root for them. At this stage, you can count the number of bad guys who draw legitimate disdain on one hand, and that’s a huge problem.
WWE’s heels are generally portrayed as smarter, sharper, and more skilled than their opponents. There used to be a time when they’d have to resort to dirty, underhand tactics to topple their foes, but this is no longer the case. They’re the coolest guys in the room now, and it’s often impossible to jeer them.