15 Things Modern WWE Fans Will Never Understand

2. Programming Wasn't Boring

In 2012, WWE Raw switched formats to become a three-hour show. Fans were skeptical - previous three-hour episodes of Raw seemed padded and stretched out, and even two-hour long episodes could be a chore. Three years later, live crowds and fans watching at home can attest to the fact that getting through an episode of Raw is almost as difficult as booking it - to say nothing of Smackdown. During the Attitude Era, Raw wasn't always good - there was no shortage of stupidity and the in-ring action left a lot to be desired. Still - whether it was because the writers were more qualified, the company was motivated by the competition of WCW, or there was some other factor playing a role - the show was never boring. Wrestlers who would never be WWE Champion - Road Dogg Jesse James, for instance - were allowed to develop characters and be entertaining on their own terms, and if all else failed, a segment with Steve Austin or The Rock was never far away. The same could be said for Smackdown, which was portrayed as on par with Raw. WWE ran two A-level shows every week and managed to keep things compelling, at the very least - and there are few things worse for a TV show to be than boring.