4 Ups & 9 Downs From WWE Raw (2 Aug)

1. The Not-So-Sweetening

In many ways, the ThunderDome was everything Vince McMahon had ever dreamed of. He finally had complete control over his audience's reactions to things. No longer would he have to worry about those pesky fans rejecting his bad ideas by booing out of turn or chanting something he didn't want to hear: a button on Kevin Dunn's production desk could fix everything.

That WWE is still sweetening its crowd reactions now, after fans have returned, isn't surprising. It is, however, a complete contravention of everything wrestling is supposed to be.

Professional wrestling's point is to generate a natural, organic, and real response from the people in the building. What WWE is doing here is a complete subversion of the artform. They are attempting to control narratives that should be dictated by their consumer base, creating shows that are so profoundly fake and artificial, widening the disconnect between the writers and the paying customer in the process.

WWE's sweetening was most apparent during the opening segment. Booed heavily when MVP first read his name, Goldberg emerged to deafening chants and cheers, despite the cameras only picking up a handful of enthusiastic fans in each shot. The company wants you to believe that the Allstate did a complete U-turn on the guy without him doing anything to earn it.

Don't let them con you.