4 Ups & 3 Downs From AEW Dark (Jan 21)

Downs...

3. Where's The Hype?

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AEW

As well as delivering pre-taped original content, AEW Dark used to succeed as a hype vehicle for Dynamite. Tony Schiavone and Dasha Gonzalez would spend time going over the following night's matches, updating viewers on the key stories, and contextualising everything important, drumming up theoretical excitement for the flagship.

They've stopped doing that now, and it's weird. Really, really weird.

Why pass up the opportunity of free advertisement? Granted, the number of people watching Dark is smaller than Dynamite, but one has to imagine that some viewers may have watched these well-produced hype segments and felt compelled to tune in on Wednesday. AEW must disagree.

It'll be interesting to see if these are brought back should Dark become the second show AEW are soon to broadcast on TNT. For now, their absence is noted.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.