7 Ups & 2 Downs From Last Night's WWE SmackDown (Aug 14)
5. Setting The Table
Repetitive show-opening promos are a company-wide problem, but a more appropriate microcosm of SmackDown as a whole you will not find.
These things are usually written and performed well, and whether they're used to set up a match for later in the evening, further a feud, or a combination of both, they rarely come off poorly. Still, they're as repetitive as it gets. You're usually okay to skip them safe in the knowledge that you haven't missed anything important, as each key moment will be repeated several times throughout the rest of the evening anyway.
Last night's opener fit this description to a tee. Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, and Carmella bantered back and forth ahead of their SummerSlam Triple Threat. The champion's goal was wedging a knife between her challengers, while Charlotte wanted to prove her loyalty to Becky. This led to Paige booking the babyface duo against her former Absolution allies Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville, making this an effective piece-mover.
A little variety would be nice, but c'est la vie...