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In the pandemic era of wrestling, the episodic format on both WWE RAW and SmackDown has considerably changed to ensure that the interest towards the overall product remains the same without a live audience.
WWE fans can't help but compare the two shows in terms of quality. Here, we will be looking at why the Blue brand might be better in several aspects when compared to Monday Night RAW.
Of course, some people may prefer the Red brand over SmackDown, and they are always welcome to comment on their opinions below. With that in mind, here are five things WWE SmackDown does better than RAW.
#5: WWE SmackDown has fewer filler segments than RAW
WWE fans have always said that watching a SmackDown episode feels less of a chore than tuning in for three hours of Monday Night RAW.
Like any other long-running show, WWE SmackDown has been through many ups and downs. But in recent times, it feels like SmackDown's creative team has been using the two-hour runtime to their favor every week.
The Blue brand has achieved this by showcasing main storylines which are then addressed on a frequent basis throughout a single episode. RAW has done the same in recent memory too. However, SmackDown is a two-hour show, so there is little to no room for filler content as a result of this booking technique.
Some of the least important aspects of SmackDown, like King Corbin's ransom, affect the creative direction of other stars on the same brand.
Otis' current arc on SmackDown is an entertaining part of the show on a smaller scale. Mr Money in the Bank has been featured in several multi-man tag team matches. Simultaneously, there is a mini-storyline where The Miz and John Morrison attempt to steal his MITB contract every week. Even though all of this sounds a bit silly, it comes across as more entertaining than WWE's traditional way of putting filler matches together.
Whereas on RAW, writers tend to book multi-man matches together in the most standard and uninteresting ways possible.
#4: SmackDown's current creative direction is more focused than that of WWE RAW
Most storylines on SmackDown exist for a reason. Even though the show hasn't been perfect throughout 2020, WWE fans have an important incentive to watch SmackDown over RAW.
There are several long-term arcs on the Blue brand right now, especially when top WWE superstars like Roman Reigns and Bray Wyatt are concerned. Even Bayley's slow-burn storyline with Sasha Banks reached its next phase recently, and it won't be long until we see both of them fighting over the SmackDown Women's Championship.
On WWE RAW, Asuka hasn't found the perfect storyline for her title reign after feuding with Sasha Banks. While The Golden Role Models had a reason to break up on SmackDown, the same cannot be said as to why The IIconics have split apart on Monday Night RAW.
The biggest example of an unfocused creative direction is that of RETRIBUTION, which just so happens to be a RAW-specific faction as of this moment.
This doesn't mean that SmackDown features perfect creative storytelling, but the Blue brand triumphs over RAW in this particular comparison.
#3: SmackDown ends up being the most newsworthy WWE show every week
WWE RAW can be a good show in terms of quality every now and then, but putting on a newsworthy episode isn't always directly proportional to the show's quality.
Back when SmackDown first moved to FOX, the Blue brand's creative team didn't exactly book their storylines in the best possible way. But with the help of a larger network's affiliation in addition to featuring big names like The Rock, the very first episode of SmackDown on FOX drew 3.9 million viewers back in October 2019.
However, in the latter months of 2020 — especially after WrestleMania 36 — SmackDown's creative staff have found their groove. With a big acquisition like AJ Styles, even the wrestling on the Blue brand has been good each week.
So with some big names, a definite creative direction, and a decent quality of wrestling, WWE SmackDown ends up being the most newsworthy show in or out of WWE.
Again, this doesn't necessarily equate to the show's quality since NXT and AEW Dynamite are far ahead in that respect every Wednesday. But in terms of overall fan interest, there is no more engaging show in pro wrestling than WWE SmackDown.
#2: SmackDown pushes WWE's creative boundaries and experiments with content more often than RAW
One other reason why SmackDown's stories draw more attention is directly related to the fact that show can explore some bizarre creative turns when the WWE audience least expects it.
Nobody thought that The Fiend Bray Wyatt would go after Alexa Bliss in a feud with Braun Strowman, but it happened. On paper, this experimental move could have been disastrous from a PR perspective, but the creative team managed to make it seem more plausible in the recent few weeks.
RAW also features some exciting and shocking moments, but those instances — like Randy Orton brutally attacking legends — all fit within the confines of WWE's normal creative boundaries.
Being experimental doesn't always result in success, as evident by Sheamus and Jeff Hardy's long-running feud that featured urine samples and addiction themes to a point where the viewers felt uncomfortable. The same goes for a "karaoke night" segment that was hosted on the Blue brand recently.
Both of these examples sound so bizarre that they manage to draw attention anyways, irrespective of the quality. In the longer run, some of those experimental ideas pay off in a massive way, just like Roman Reigns' unexpected creative direction on WWE SmackDown.
#1: SmackDown features more interesting WWE characters than RAW at the moment
Drew McIntyre is a great WWE Champion. Bobby Lashley has been booked in a dominant way recently which is why he can be a tough U.S. Champion to beat. Asuka was the best pick as the RAW Women's Champion after Becky Lynch went on maternity leave.
Seth Rollins and The Mysterio Family's feud has stretched across several months, though it is entertaining even to this day. WWE RAW consists of several important names as mentioned thus far, but no one has manipulated the creative narrative of WWE as effectively as Bray Wyatt. It just so happens that he is on SmackDown as of this moment.
Even Roman Reigns' alliance with Paul Heyman has revealed an edginess to the Universal Champion's character like never before. The Golden Role Models singlehandedly carried the Blue brand's integrity on their shoulders for a while after WrestleMania 36, and they managed to become one of the most entertaining parts about SmackDown as a result.
Alexa Bliss is in the process of reinventing herself in interesting ways after being "changed" by The Fiend. WWE has teased the arrival of a mystery woman on SmackDown recently. Then there are always stars like The Miz, Lacey Evans, King Corbin, and Otis, who are just great at portraying their gimmicks in the best way possible.
SmackDown on FOX certainly doesn't lack in the character's department right now.
