We are officially one week into the WWE’s latest brand split between Raw and Smackdown (Live [With Regis And Kelly]). We’ve had commissioners appointed; we’ve had those commissioners appoint GMs; we’ve even had a live draft that divided up the roster.
While it might still be too early to determine which show is in the lead (eh, no it’s not, Raw blew Smackdown out of the water this week), the one thing we can talk about is what’s new. To paraphrase David Bowie, let’s turn and face the strange of all the production changes on Raw and Smackdown.
First off, on top of new logos and graphics, both shows have brand new theme songs. Raw is using now Shinedown’s “Enemies,” continuing in that show’s proud tradition of butt-rock, whereas Smackdown went with an original composition by in-house music team CFO$ called “Take It Back.” Both video openings do an excellent job of showcasing virtually every member of each show’s roster, making everyone feel important.
Staging-wise, Raw has moved its announce desk to the top of the entrance ramp again, something they hadn’t done since the mid-2000s, whereas Smackdown’s announce team has remained at ringside. Raw also has a new, arched entrance which is certainly eye-catching. These changes do the show a ton of favors in feeling fresh and different. (Smackdown, on the other hand, doesn’t look that much different, though they do throw a wink to their past in the opening video package with a CGI fist briefly appearing.)
Both brands appear to be treating their shows more like sporting contests, with their sideline reporters interviewing the athletes immediately following a victory or loss.
While we all know this isn’t “real,” per se, it’s changes like this that help legitimize what you’re watching and not make you feel like you’re wasting precious hours of your life watching a show for stupid people and babies. Furthermore, Smackdown made the best use of its two-hour runtime and did not have a single “Raw Rebound” segment, further distinguishing the two brands.
While some changes from the previous brand split in the mid-2000s did not return (all referees are wearing the same uniform, for example), it’s cool to see the ring ropes either all red or all blue, helping differentiate just what product you’re watching. What’s really been most impressive, though, is the use of new camera angles. From the long boom shots on both shows that were just downright gorgeous to the seemingly decreased camera shake whenever a big move connects, it appears that the production crews for both shows are smoothing things out and doing their best to make certain moments a bit more cinematic.
Now it’s only been one week of both shows running head-to-head, so we won’t really get a firm idea of the new personality of each program for a few months. But as it stands, Raw and Smackdown definitely feel different, and it’s not just because of the rosters.
