5 Things AEW MUST Do In 2021 (And 5 They Must Avoid)

DO...

5. Find A More Consistent Tone

Orange Cassidy Chris Jericho
AEW

The level of creative freedom afforded to AEW's expressive talent roster is one of the company's greatest strengths, and shouldn't be tempered to the point of autocracy, though the jarring tonal shifts that make so many B-level Marvel movies difficult to take seriously are often prevalent on Dynamite.

Comedy is one of the most subjective artforms, even more so in wrestling. When an AEW card veers from a tough, gritty Eddie Kingston promo to unfiltered wackiness, it feels like an entirely different show. Mimosa Mayhem and Jon Moxley vs. MJF existing on the same card made AEW feel like a boxful of pieces that don't fit together, rather than a complete puzzle.

If professional wrestling is to be a variety show - a buffet - a consistent tone must still run through everything. AEW is getting better at honing this and they get slack for being a young promotion, but it should still be addressed in 2021. Cody Rhodes' sport-like leanings most fit alongside something like the Miro and Kip Sabian vs. Best Friends storyline. That may be more effective at capturing a wider audience than the unkempt patchwork quilt Dynamite resembles at its most inconsistent.

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Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. 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.