Is The Attitude Era Of The WWE Overrated?

[Jets4Life]

Depends what era within the era you mean.

1998 up through about Summerslam is awesome.

1999 is an abomination of Russo-riffic nonsense.

2000 up to WM17 is mostly good again because stuff starts to make sense.

Russo did the majority of the storylines for WWF from 1997-99 before departing for WCW in the fall of 99. You did not like the Rock-Mankind/Austin-Rock feuds?

 

[Jets4Life]

One thing that is disappointing about the ruthless aggression era is the usage of Jericho. He was huge in 1999 and 2000 and really should have become the Champion earlier than he did. I liked him when he was the Undisputed Champion, but he wasn't booked to look particularly credible as Champion, and then after the feud with HHH he was basically just a mid-carder or tag team guy until his program with Cena soon before his departure in 2005 IIRC.

He should have been a top guy during the RA era, much like Angle, Guerrero, Benoit and friggen Bradshaw.

Jericho!

Haha...he was my favorite wrestler from 1998-2000. When I got back into wrestling for the first time in nearly a decade, I liked WCW simply because of name recognition. All my childhood I watched Hogan, Savage, Flair, Piper, etc. Jericho was the one wrestler that I thought was incredible, and what is ironic is he did all his own skits, as the WCW creative team was so disorganized, they used to just let him do what he wanted.

By 1999, they took Jericho off TV as punishment for not signing a new contract with WCW, as he had been warned by Guerrero and Benoit not do sign, as he would not be pushed. McMahon and WWF were extremely interested in Jericho, and flew him up to New York for secret meetings. By the time word leaked on the internet about these meetings, his contract was about to expire. I remember it was said that WCW went into panic mode, realizing the WWF was going to make Jericho as a main eventer, and offered him some ridiculous contract like $1,000,000/year, reduced travel time, creative control, and a major title run within the end of the first year.

It was too late. He signed with the WWF for about 1/2 that amount, and the rest is history. Best WWF debut ever - Chicago, August 9, 1999.

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

I think I remember watching Jericho's WWF debut whilst on vacation..I can't remember.

 

[ManofSteel55]

It did have quite a bit of stupid crap though. Such as:

- The Big Boss Man "cooking" Al Snow's dog

- The "Kennel From Hell" match

- Mae Young giving birth to a hand

- Vince being the "Higher Power"

Every era has stupid booking and storylines.

- Jinder Mahal as champion
- Wyatts vs New Day on location Hardy ripoff segment
- Ziggler/Lana/Rusev love triangle

 

[Engebretson]

The one thing I take away from the Attitude Era is that every week felt like "must watch". Your friends at school were watching it, it was being referenced heavily in pop culture and the weekly storytelling was very entertaining. If you try holding it up to the same standards we hold today, it looks overrated, but the star power was at the industry's peak. There was no need to bring in "vets" for nostalgia sake because the stars they had working the weekly shows were completely captivating.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

The one thing I take away from the Attitude Era is that every week felt like "must watch". Your friends at school were watching it, it was being referenced heavily in pop culture and the weekly storytelling was very entertaining. If you try holding it up to the same standards we hold today, it looks overrated, but the star power was at the industry's peak. There was no need to bring in "vets" for nostalgia sake because the stars they had working the weekly shows were completely captivating.

This is true, but the AE legitimately had two generational stars in one. Austin and Rock. That will never happen again. They had two of their three biggest stars of all time in one era. It was nuts. And even then, they still ended up with Hogan/Rock to do the dream match like Rock came back to do Rock/Cena (I agree it’s way overdone these days, there’s no debating that).

 

[joestevens29]

The one thing I take away from the Attitude Era is that every week felt like "must watch". Your friends at school were watching it, it was being referenced heavily in pop culture and the weekly storytelling was very entertaining. If you try holding it up to the same standards we hold today, it looks overrated, but the star power was at the industry's peak. There was no need to bring in "vets" for nostalgia sake because the stars they had working the weekly shows were completely captivating.

There was so much more of a story back in the day. Like you said, you needed to watch just to be apart of day to day talk.

Now the story lines are so weak. Yes these guys overall have more talent, but at the end of the day it's fake. At least when it was fake with an intriguing story line it caught people's attention. Now I just don't see the point in watching fake fighting with poorly scripted stories with even worse actors.

 

[JackSlater]

This is true, but the AE legitimately had two generational stars in one. Austin and Rock. That will never happen again. They had two of their three biggest stars of all time in one era. It was nuts. And even then, they still ended up with Hogan/Rock to do the dream match like Rock came back to do Rock/Cena (I agree it’s way overdone these days, there’s no debating that).

There is more to it than just having a massive top two stars, both because the undercard was massively over and because the era itself allowed for the existence of those two massive stars. Austin had an extended run in WCW and was given decent exposure, but people weren't clamoring for Stunning Steve. Austin needed the Attitude Era to get over that way, just like the Attitude Era needed Austin to get as popular as it did. Talent alone wasn't making him a massive star - he needed to be presented properly. Rock is a bit of a different case as his charisma really does seem generational (to use the hockey sense of the word) so that was probably just a beneficial fluke for WWF. Even then though, who's to say that in today's era we wouldn't just see Rocky Miavia shoved down our throats for years while he gives us nothing but scripted promos?

The Attitude Era gave a lot of freedom to the wrestlers and that was key. Guys like Austin and Foley were already known wrestlers before they ever set foot in WWF, but they became far bigger once they came to WWF and were presented the right way. No way Stone Cold Steve Austin gets massively over today getting slapped around my Stephanie McMahon and swigging waters. No way Foley gets massively over doing a crazy but tame routine like Ambrose. No way Rock gets as massive as he was and is if he is kept as cheesy face Rocky Miavia despite fan opinion. I am more confident in Rock becoming massive in today's environment than I am in anyone else, but that's mostly due to freakish charisma.

 

[bruins309]

Russo did the majority of the storylines for WWF from 1997-99 before departing for WCW in the fall of 99. You did not like the Rock-Mankind/Austin-Rock feuds?

Everything below the main event level in 1999 til Russo leaves is an atrocity. Like the stupid swerve for IC and Hardcore titles at WM15, which was a terrible show. It's totally unwatchable unless Austin, Rock, or Mankind is involved.

Russo is like a rich kid who did fine living off the interest of his trust fund but once cut loose he was totally exposed as a fraud.

 

[BruinDust]

In 1998/99 I literally had 20 people in my basement watching RAW when Stone Cold was it his peak. We were seniors in high school and it was half men and half women in the room.

Everyone was loving it

I don't even watch it anymore but that was an insane time to be a wrestling fan and I think it's gone down hill since that time period

It really was Pop Culture at the time. I was a Senior same time as you, and everyone just about was watching RAW is War on Monday nights. Even coming out of 98 into 99 and 2000, local bars would be packed for Sunday PPVs. Stone Cold Steve Austin is one of the great TV characters of all-time, forget about wrestling characters.

Then add in a great antagonist in Vince McMahon, top notch supporting cast (Rock, Foley, DX, Undertaker, Kane), magic on the mic in Ross and Lawler, tighter presentation, interweaving storylines, etc. and it made for must-see TV every week.

Slowly it just dwindled. I think my last PPV at a Bar was Invasion in 2001.

Once they split the brands in 2002, that was the end of that era for me.

 

[iamjs]

Even then though, who's to say that in today's era we wouldn't just see Rocky Miavia shoved down our throats for years while he gives us nothing but scripted promos?

The Attitude Era gave a lot of freedom to the wrestlers and that was key. Guys like Austin and Foley were already known wrestlers before they ever set foot in WWF, but they became far bigger once they came to WWF and were presented the right way. No way Stone Cold Steve Austin gets massively over today getting slapped around my Stephanie McMahon and swigging waters. No way Foley gets massively over doing a crazy but tame routine like Ambrose. No way Rock gets as massive as he was and is if he is kept as cheesy face Rocky Miavia despite fan opinion. I am more confident in Rock becoming massive in today's environment than I am in anyone else, but that's mostly due to freakish charisma.

and I think that's the majority of the problem with WWE: take the leash off the wrestlers when it comes to promos. Or if they don't feel confident, keep the newer wrestlers on a leash but let your experienced veterans have a little more creativity by giving them a few key points and letting them fly on their own.

 

[Datsyukian Deke]

In my opinion, just listen to the pop of the crowds during that time frame week in and week out, and it'll tell you everything you need to know about the Attitude Era, and how hard it's been to recreate it.

The overall talent of the entire roster during that time is just crazy to think about, from the top guys, to the multiple tag teams, even the hardcore division had its share of guys who could put on a good match and keep you engaged throughout. For me the highlights were obviously Vince & Austin, D-X for just about anything, and later the WWF vs WCW/ECW invasion.

But as was said earlier, each week felt like it was a must watch event, which was nice. While yes, Russo was a joke throughout most of the stunts he created, the rest of it was quality wrestling to watch for that time, indeed.

 

[Hammettf2b]

the quality of the wrestling didn't/doesn't matter to me that much to me. I enjoyed it for the show/story/characters which is why I enjoyed the Attitude Era so much.

 

[Engebretson]

Everything below the main event level in 1999 til Russo leaves is an atrocity. Like the stupid swerve for IC and Hardcore titles at WM15, which was a terrible show. It's totally unwatchable unless Austin, Rock, or Mankind is involved.

Russo is like a rich kid who did fine living off the interest of his trust fund but once cut loose he was totally exposed as a fraud.

I remember liking RussoMania when it happened but it surely does not age well at all. It's like the worst themes of the Attitude Era all crammed into one show and the only thing that is passable is the main event highlighted by the Rock/Austin/Vince rivalry.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

No, no it is not, back then it was can't miss TV, now, who cares about missing RAW or Smackdown

 

[Loosie]

As others have said it hasn't aged well. It was must watch TV at the time. 98 (specifically WM 14 with Mike Tyson) was probably the height of mainstream popularity. 2000-01 was the wrestling quality peak, with the WM 17 being the highest point.

The big thing about that era (and even the 80s as well) is that EVERYONE was over. And if you didn't get over you didn't last long (see Beaver Cleavage).

Everyone had something that made you care about them. Crash Holly had his 24/7 Hardcore bit. D-Lo in the early part of it was synonymous with the European Title. The Brood and the Hardys had their feud. Sure there was some bad stuff like the 'Choppy choppy your pee pee' (although it still involved a stroyline between Val, Taka and Keientai and included Taka's heel turn), you had Lawlers incessant 'Puppies' The women's division was horrendous. Full of mud/jello wrestling, evening gown matches.

 

[Loosie]

I remember liking RussoMania when it happened but it surely does not age well at all. It's like the worst themes of the Attitude Era all crammed into one show and the only thing that is passable is the main event highlighted by the Rock/Austin/Vince rivalry.

A lot of 98 had some rather bland undercards and cookie cutter main events (fight in the ring for a bit, eventually brawl out into the crowd for 10-15 minutes, take it back to the ring for the finish which was clean 50-ish% of the time). Still watchable, and of course at the time you wanted to see what happened.

 

[Falco Lombardi]

Every era has stupid booking and storylines.

- Jinder Mahal as champion
- Wyatts vs New Day on location Hardy ripoff segment
- Ziggler/Lana/Rusev love triangle

Could have sworn we agreed as a society to just pretend that never happen.

 

[67 others]

The one thing I take away from the Attitude Era is that every week felt like "must watch". Your friends at school were watching it, it was being referenced heavily in pop culture and the weekly storytelling was very entertaining. If you try holding it up to the same standards we hold today, it looks overrated, but the star power was at the industry's peak. There was no need to bring in "vets" for nostalgia sake because the stars they had working the weekly shows were completely captivating.

It legit got more and more"What will they do next"

I remember liking both monday shows(And yes, Jericho was WCW at one point)

But I remember some legit crap my pants laugh out loud moments that came out of nowhere too.
This one in particular

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

It legit got more and more"What will they do next"

I remember liking both monday shows(And yes, Jericho was WCW at one point)

But I remember some legit crap my pants laugh out loud moments that came out of nowhere too.
This one in particular

"What does the brother look like??? An aardvark??"

 

[Engebretson]

Interestingly enough, 20 years ago was the first time I remember being really excited for a SummerSlam PPV. I was out camping with my family and the main lodge at the campground had Sunday Night Heat on before the PPV and there were a ton of people sitting around watching Heat as the lead-in to the PPV. That's crazy to think about now, but shows how mainstream WWF was in the Attitude Era.

 

[scrubadam]

It legit got more and more"What will they do next"

I remember liking both monday shows(And yes, Jericho was WCW at one point)

But I remember some legit crap my pants laugh out loud moments that came out of nowhere too.
This one in particular

This would not fly today. Blackface? This would cause a storm on social media today.

 

[Scott Stevens]

This would not fly today. Blackface? This would cause a storm on social media today.

Video not safe for work, at least one F bomb.

 

[Alex Jones]

This is true. Back then, risque entertainment really was trendy.

Things like South Park and Jerry Springer were huge.

The idea of rebeilling against the system or status quo was popular at the time as well. You have movies like Office Space and The Matrix from the same time period.

I think that this was a huge part of the success of the attitude era, it tapped into the national zeitgeist so well. Eminem/The Matrix/South Park/WWE/Marilyn Manson all trended the same way.

This era was in many ways the height of the Christian conservative movement and everybody in the world had a pearl clutching parent/boss/teacher that was born in the 40's/50's and lost their mind at the idea that it could ever become acceptable for people to use profanity, drink alcohol, tell dick jokes, or discuss sex in any kind of public fashion. So much of the entertainment of the era was built around telling that generation to suck it, and the attitude era fit this gloriously.

 

[93gilmour93]

The attitude era was the best time to be a wrestling fan ainec