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AEW - 2019


Dolfan in NYC

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I think all of this talk is really gonna depend on what kind of television they get. If they get on a relatively small network with not a lot to expectations, they’ll be able to stick to to their vision.

If they get on a TNT, you better believe there will be adjustments. Hell, TNT themsleves may provide the television to personnel to work with them. 

The entire idea of getting on Turner is so fascinating to me. Some of those same executives from 20 years ago have to still be there. 

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13 hours ago, Thibs said:

 

The entire idea of getting on Turner is so fascinating to me. Some of those same executives from 20 years ago have to still be there. 

Those same executives, if they still work there, need to get off there fucking high horses about wrestling. Those two fucking networks were built off the backs of professional wrestling, not Nascar, not The New Adventures of Robin Hood, and not The fucking Lazarus Man. It was built off the backs of Flair, Dusty, Sullivan, Boogie Woogie, Bugsy McGraw, Bobby Walker, Johnny Attitude, and re-runs of Brisco County Jr.

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I know "hollywood" writers take a lot of heat for the WWE but there are many creative writers and I'm sure there are a bunch that worked there. I've heard enough interviews to know be sure that the only job the writers have is to write what Vince wants. And then he changes his mind a week later.

I've had that boss. He tells me to come up with a plan and then he looks it over and says "well, why don;t we put this over there and these guys over here and change that to this". And then I'm just sitting there stewing wondering why the guy wouldn't just do it himself, but I like money so I'll just shut up.

That's really not a recipe for creative success at all.

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2 hours ago, joseph2112 said:

I know "hollywood" writers take a lot of heat for the WWE but there are many creative writers and I'm sure there are a bunch that worked there. I've heard enough interviews to know be sure that the only job the writers have is to write what Vince wants. And then he changes his mind a week later.

I've had that boss. He tells me to come up with a plan and then he looks it over and says "well, why don;t we put this over there and these guys over here and change that to this". And then I'm just sitting there stewing wondering why the guy wouldn't just do it himself, but I like money so I'll just shut up.

That's really not a recipe for creative success at all.

There’s nothing wrong with writers. “WriterZ is BADDD” is a tired internet talking point.

Writers contributed to wrestling becoming as popular as it is. You need the right one that understands both wrestling and TV. 

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I disagree. If you assume that the majority of current fans started watching during one of the two boom periods and then (unlike the majority) didn't stop as the boom died, both the 80s Hulkamania era and the 90s Monday Night Wars/ Attitude Era started before the Hollywood writer infestation. And the things that really got over in those eras, whether it be your Prayers and Vitamins, your 3:16s, your If Ya Smell.... or your Too Sweets and Suck its, all of that was created by Wrestlers getting on the mic and talking.

The writers era started because WWE suddenly had four or five hours of TV to book a week, and they realised that asking one Wrestler (or Ex Wrestler) to book it all themselves would probably wind up looking a lot like Nitro and Thunder. Storylines going nowhere, suddenly getting dropped or not making sense.

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It slowed down a bit. Even when they weren't brand extended and the same crew did Raw and SD, they were never Nitro/Thunder levels of nonsensibility.

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26 minutes ago, AxB said:

I disagree. If you assume that the majority of current fans started watching during one of the two boom periods and then (unlike the majority) didn't stop as the boom died, both the 80s Hulkamania era and the 90s Monday Night Wars/ Attitude Era started before the Hollywood writer infestation. And the things that really got over in those eras, whether it be your Prayers and Vitamins, your 3:16s, your If Ya Smell.... or your Too Sweets and Suck its, all of that was created by Wrestlers getting on the mic and talking.

The writers era started because WWE suddenly had four or five hours of TV to book a week, and they realised that asking one Wrestler (or Ex Wrestler) to book it all themselves would probably wind up looking a lot like Nitro and Thunder. Storylines going nowhere, suddenly getting dropped or not making sense.

Ed Ferrara was the original Hollywood writer. Russo, while not a Hollywood writer, was still more of a “writer” than a booker. 

So there were writers during the AE but they also understood wresting and I think that made the difference. 

Ferrara in particular was great at incorporating Hollywood storytelling into wrestling in a way that made sense. He played a big part in that Rock Survivor Series 1998 heel turn and everything that went with it. Which was one of the best written wrestling storylines of all time. 

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Some bits from a Bucks interview that make me a little more optimistic in the TV front.

Quote

Nick Jackson on reaching people outside of The Elite’s internet audience: “I still like getting back to the old-school elements of what worked in pro wrestling years ago. I feel like one thing we will focus on more than anyone is not to insult the audience’s intelligence, and we want to do long-term storytelling, which is very rare these days. And Matt likes to say it like this, a lot of people are into binge-watching Netflix series, and they like the storytelling element. So, why can’t we put that into the wrestling world and make it work? So, we’re going to look into things like that.

Matt: “[Eventually] we have to get on TV, on a network that supports us. That’s how you get eyeballs on your show. Everybody still watches television, I don’t care what anybody says. It’s very important. Also, you’ll hear wrestling fans [complain about storylines]. Sometimes there’s plot holes… I want to do bits on the show that carry over week, to week, to week, and I want to pay off every single thing. I want to tie up every loose end. I want to really pay off the viewer. I want them to watch and then to feel rewarded by the end of the storyline.”

Matt Jackson on the timetable for getting AEW on TV and their TV deal plans: “It’s really one of these things that it’s an ongoing thing, and I can’t really comment much more on it. But we’re excited, and we’re expecting something big.”

Nick Jackson on the possibilities: “I can say this, we’re looking into all possibilities of trying to get it somewhere. If we don’t get a TV deal, why can’t we be the first wrestling promotion to successively do something streaming or something like that? We’re looking at all the outlets that are given to us. So, we’re excited about the possibilities of things that we could get. So, it should be something good.”

Nick’s thoughts on Kenny Omega joining AEW: “Oh man, we hope. Right now it’s still up in the air. I’ll tell you this, just like Matt and I, he has offers from literally every major company in the world. So, he’s got something to think about.”

 

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It would be an interesting experiment if a wrestling company was to give free rein to a playwright like a David Mamet or a Martin McDonagh for 6-12 months and see how someone used to crafting a show juggling large numbers of characters would get on.

Though with McDonagh, you'd probably still end up with a midget having a wank in a trashcan.

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21 minutes ago, Swiftian said:

It would be an interesting experiment if a wrestling company was to give free rein to a playwright like a David Mamet or a Martin McDonagh for 6-12 months and see how someone used to crafting a show juggling large numbers of characters would get on.

Though with McDonagh, you'd probably still end up with a midget having a wank in a trashcan.

As funny as that is imagining that's your avatar saying that makes it even better.

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