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[[File:Wwelogo.svg|thumb|upright|[[WWE]]'s logo when they transitioned to [[TV-PG]] ratings in 2008]]
{{unreferenced|date=December 2020}}
⚫
The '''PG Era''' is a period of [[professional wrestling]] within [[WWE|World Wrestling Entertainment, inc.]] (WWE), which began on July 22, 2008 after its programming received a TV-PG rating from [[TV Parental Guidelines]]. WWE considers the era to have ended in 2013, but some sources describe everything since 2008 to be part of the PG Era because most of WWE's programming remains TV-PG. The era has received plenty of criticism due to its watered-down violence and kid-friendly characters.

⚫
The '''PG Era''' was a period of professional wrestling within the [[World Wrestling Entertainment]], (abbreviated to WWE) which spanned from approximately July 22, 2008 to December 31, 2013. The era received plenty of criticism due to its watered-down violence and kid-friendly characters.


==Background==
==Background==
[[File:CENATION2-T4.jpg|thumb|[[John Cena]] (seen here with child fans) was the face of the company in 2008, despite being unpopular with some fans]]
After the double murder-suicide which saw wrestler Chris Benoit murder his wife and son and later hanging himself, the WWE decided to move away from its edgier content by going to a more conservative approach. The 2008 SummerSlam pay-per-view was the first WWE pay-per-view to carry the TV-PG rating.<ref>{{Cite web|title=411MANIA|url=http://411mania.com/wrestling/kevins-random-reviews-wwe-summerslam-2008/|access-date=2020-12-13|website=Kevin’s Random Reviews: WWE SummerSlam 2008|language=en-US}}</ref> During that time, [[John Cena]] became the "Face of the WWE" as he was very popular with women and children alike. Other major stars during that period included [[Randy Orton]], [[Triple H]], [[Rey Mysterio]], the [[Undertaker]], [[Shawn Michaels]] and [[Edge (wrestler)]]. The era also saw new stars emerging including [[The Miz]], [[Kofi Kingston]], [[Sheamus]], [[CM Punk]] and [[Alberto Del Rio]]. The Women's Division went through a rough period after its two biggest stars [[Trish Stratus]] and [[Lita (wrestler)|Amy Dumas]] retired back in 2006 until the Women's Evolution hit several years later.
WWE promoter [[Vince McMahon]] states that the [[Attitude Era]] of the 1990s and early 2000s was the result of competition from [[World Championship Wrestling]] (WCW) and forced the company to "go for the jugular". Due to WCW's demise in 2001, McMahon says that they "don't have to" appeal to viewers in the same way and that during the "far more scripted" PG Era, WWE could "give the audience what they want in a far more sophisticated way".<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z0jkBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA196|title=WWE The Attitude Era|first=Jon|last=Robinson|date=May 12, 2015|publisher=Penguin|via=Google Books|page=196|isbn=9781465441386}}</ref> WWE says that the move to PG cut the "excess" of the Attitude Era and "ushered in a new era of refined and compelling storytelling".<ref name="Cena">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zbwxAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA210|title=WWE 50|first=Kevin|last=Sullivan|date=March 31, 2014|publisher=Penguin|isbn=9781465427762|via=Google Books}}</ref> [[John Cena]] was face of the company during this time, despite receiving a mixed reception from the audience.<ref name="Cena"/>

While WWE had been slowly moving towards a more family-friendly format before it, [[Vice News]] writes that this was accelerated after the [[Chris Benoit double murder and suicide]] in 2007.<ref name="vice">{{Cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/v7gyj4/the-horrific-crime-that-changed-wwe-forever|title=The Horrific Crime That Changed WWE Forever|publisher=[[Vice News]]|last=Williams|first=Ian|date=August 5, 2020|accessdate=December 31, 2020}}</ref> [[Bryan Alvarez]] and [[Lance Storm]] of ''[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter]]'' attribute the move to TV-PG as a result of WWE appealing to [[Sponsor (commercial)|sponsor]]s.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=r6Z0DwAAQBAJ&pg=PT136|title=100 Things WWE Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die|first1=Bryan|last1=Alvarez|first2=Lance|last2=Storm|date=July 16, 2019|publisher=Triumph Books|isbn=9781641252201|via=Google Books}}</ref> Then-WWE CEO [[Linda McMahon]] described the transition away from TV-14 as a "cradle to the grave" approach to appeal to younger viewers and encourage [[brand loyalty]].<ref name="PWT">{{cite web|url=http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/WWE_News_3/article_28495.shtml|title=WWE News: "From the cradle to the grave" - WWE describes strategy of hooking kids on TV product|work=[[Pro Wrestling Torch]]|date=December 10, 2008|access-date=December 25, 2020|last=Caldwell|first=James}}</ref>

The [[SummerSlam (2008)|2008 SummerSlam]] pay-per-view was the first WWE pay-per-view to carry the TV-PG rating.<ref>{{Cite web|title=411MANIA|url=http://411mania.com/wrestling/kevins-random-reviews-wwe-summerslam-2008/|access-date=2020-12-13|website=Kevin’s Random Reviews: WWE SummerSlam 2008|language=en-US}}</ref>

Within WWE's given time frame of the PG Era (2008-2014)<ref name="auto"/>, the only show that did receive adult-oriented ratings as opposed to TV-PG Ratings was [[Extreme Rules (2012)]]. The show received universal positive acclaim<ref name="263B">{{cite press release|url=http://corporate.wwe.com/documents/PressRelease-Q22012-FINAL_000.pdf |title=WWE Reports 2012 Second Quarter Results |publisher=[[WWE]] |date=August 2, 2012 |access-date=August 5, 2012 |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6LDlPgnUn?url=http://corporate.wwe.com/documents/PressRelease-Q22012-FINAL_000.pdf |archive-date=November 18, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=FINAL PPV RESULTS: Best/Worst WWE & TNA PPVs in 2012, plus the common thread of what makes a great PPV|url=http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/PPV_Reports_5/article_67449.shtml|work=Pro Wrestling Torch|access-date=24 December 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Ocal|first=Arda|title=A perfect storm produces a terrific WWE Extreme Rules PPV|url=http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2012-04-30/sports/bal-ring-posts-recap-a-perfect-storm-produces-a-terrific-wwe-extreme-rules-ppv-20120429_1_cm-punk-john-cena-cody-rhodes|publisher=[[The Baltimore Sun]]|access-date=1 May 2012|date=30 April 2012}}</ref><ref name=DVDReviewAbout>{{cite web|url=http://prowrestling.about.com/od/2012-Wwe-Ppv-Dvd-Reviews/fr/WWE-Extreme-Rules-2012-DVD-Review.htm|title=WWE Extreme Rules 2012 DVD Review|last=Cohen|first=Eric|publisher=About.com|access-date=18 December 2013}}</ref> ''DVD Talk'' gave a "Recommended" rating to the DVD, stating that the release was "right on target with other recent WWE DVDs (for better or worse), from the decent technical presentation to the lack of bonus features".<ref>{{cite web|last=Miller III|first=Randy|title=WWE: Extreme Rules 2012|url=http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/55977/wwe-extreme-rules-2012/?___rd=1|publisher=DVDtalk|access-date=18 December 2013}}</ref>, with the main event match between [[John Cena]] and the returning [[Brock Lesnar]], which featured excessive bleeding for the first time in this era being particularly praised.<ref name="IWD">{{cite web|title=WWE Extreme Rules '12|url=http://www.profightdb.com/cards/wwe/extreme-rules-3912-15595.html|work=The Internet Wrestling Database|access-date=7 January 2013}}</ref>

==Changes in content==
[[File:Chairshot.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Chair shot]]s to the head were banned in the PG Era]]
As WWE adapted a more family-friendly style, previous staples in their programming were altered or dropped. Use of expletives were prohibited.<ref name="RTV"/> An example of this was when John Cena renamed his finishing maneuver from "FU" to "Attitude Adjustment" or the PPV event [[WWE One Night Stand]] changing the name to [[WWE Extreme Rules]] to avoid the [[one night stand|sexual connotations]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://prowrestling.net/artman/publish/WWE/article1004487.shtml|title=John Cena says it was his call to change his finishing move name, predicts that three wrestlers will be WWE stars|website=Pro Wrestling Dot Net|last=Powell|first=Jason|date=February 5, 2009|accessdate=December 31, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://superluchas.com/porque-wwe-cambia-el-nombre-del-ppv-one-night-stand-a-night-of-extreme/|title=¿Por qué WWE cambia el nombre del PPV "One Night Stand" a "Night of Extreme"?|website=[[Súper Luchas]]|date=February 26, 2009|accessdate=December 31, 2020|last=Ocampo|first=Jorge|language=Spanish}}</ref> [[Women in WWE|Female wrestlers]] had previously performed in [[Bra and panties match]]es and several of them had posed nude in ''[[Playboy]]'' but these were dropped in 2008.<ref name="campaign"/> Excessive violence was also toned down.<ref name="RTV"/> [[Chair shot]]s to the head became increasingly rare after Benoit's death,<ref name="vice"/> and were completely banned in 2010.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/bs-mtblog-2010-03-wwe_takes_a_stand_on_chair_shots_to_the_head-story.html|title=WWE takes a stand on chair shots to the head|first=Kevin|last=Eck|work=[[The Baltimore Sun]]|date=March 27, 2010|accessdate=December 31, 2020}}</ref> In 2011 following their match at [[WrestleMania 27]], wrestlers The Undertaker and Triple H were fined for chair shots to the head, despite the match being well received by the fans.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Triple H, The Undertaker Fined for Chair Shot at WrestleMania XXVII|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/bs-mtblog-2011-04-triple_h_the_undertaker_fined_for_chair_shot_at_wrestlemania-story.html|work=Baltimore Sun|date=2011-04-06|accessdate=2021-01-01|first=Kevin|last=Eck}}</ref>

Amid declining ratings and the launch of rival promotion [[All Elite Wrestling]] in 2019, it was reported that WWE wanted to move on from the PG Era.<ref name="meltzer">{{Cite web|url=https://en.superluchas.com/dave-meltzer-confirma-que-wwe-quiere-dejar-atras-la-era-pg/|title=Dave Meltzer confirms that WWE wants to leave the PG era behind|website=[[Súper Luchas]]|last=Indi|first=Rafael|date=July 23, 2019|accessdate=December 31, 2020}}</ref> Vince McMahon acknowledged that the promotion would be "a bit edgier, but remain in the PG environment". He said the promotion had "graduated from ... gory crap" and was a "a more sophisticated product".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2019/07/25/vince-mcmahon-wwe-future-plans-ratings-attendance-attitude-era/|title=Vince McMahon On WWE's Future: 'Not Going To Go Back To That Gory Crap'|date=July 25, 2019|accessdate=December 31, 2020|publisher=[[WCBS-TV]]}}</ref>

==Major storylines and stars==
{{seealso|The Reality Era|The New Era (WWE)}}
WWE considers the PG Era to have ended in 2013, in favor of [[The Reality Era]],<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.wwe.com/polls/what-is-your-favorite-wwe-era|title=What is your favorite WWE Era?|publisher=[[WWE]]}}</ref> although the exact duration of the era is disputed.<ref name="comicbook">{{Cite web|url=https://comicbook.com/wwe/news/wwe-pg-era-10-great-matches-to-watch-coronavirus-quarantine-john-cena-cm-punk-brock-lesnar/|title=10 Great WWE PG Era Matches to Watch During the Coronavirus Quarantine|date=April 14, 2020|accessdate=December 31, 2020|last=Casey|first=Connor|website=Comicbook.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://blogs.denverpost.com/nerd/?p=4168|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160321220926/http://blogs.denverpost.com/nerd/2015/05/10/goodbye-pg-era-wwe-now-entrenched-in-the-reality-era/4168/|title=Goodbye, PG Era, WWE now entrenched in the Reality Era|date=May 10, 2015|accessdate=December 31, 2020|archivedate=March 21, 2016|work=[[The Denver Post]]|last=Nguyen|first=Joe}}</ref> Many sources continue to describe WWE as still being in the PG Era because most of their content is still rated TV-PG.<ref name="bleacher">{{cite web|title=10 Years into the 'PG Era,' Did WWE Make the Right Call?|work=[[Bleacher Report]]|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2786951-10-years-into-the-pg-era-did-wwe-make-the-right-call|last=Mueller|first=Chris|date=July 20, 2018|accessdate=December 31, 2020}}</ref><ref name="meltzer"/> For the purposes of this article, only events between 2008-2013 will be covered in the section. The Reality Era covers 2013-2016 and [[The New Era (WWE)|The New Era]] covers 2016-present.

While John Cena was the biggest star in the company at that time, other major stars during that period included [[Randy Orton]], [[Triple H]], [[Rey Mysterio]],<ref name="telegram"/> [[The Undertaker]], [[Big Show|The Big Show]], [[Shawn Michaels]] and [[Edge (wrestler)|Edge]]. The era also saw new stars emerging including [[CM Punk]], [[The Miz]], [[Kofi Kingston]], [[Sheamus]], and [[Alberto Del Rio]]. Women wrestlers then known as divas included the likes of [[Mickie James]], [[Maria Kanellis|Maria]], [[Melina Perez|Melina]], [[Eve Torres]], [[Beth Phoenix]] and [[Kelly Kelly]]. [[Jeri-Show]] was one of the most dominant tag teams during this period, having hed the unified [[WWE Tag Team Championship]] and the [[World Tag Team Championship]] titles for most of 2009 and popularly feuding against [[D-Generation X]] from 2009-2010.<ref>https://www.baltimoresun.com/bs-mtblog-2009-08-qa_with_chris_jericho_2-story.html</ref><ref>https://www.wrestleview.com/uncategorized/3053-tlc-ppv-results-12-13-09/</ref>

During the PG Era, [[Jeff Hardy]] won the [[WWE Championship]] for the first time at [[Armageddon (2008)|Armageddon 2008]].<ref name="comicbook"/> His subsequent 2009 feud with [[CM Punk]] was described as "shockingly real" given the PG Era, as Punk referenced Hardy's real-life drug addiction. Their rivalry culminated in a match at [[SummerSlam (2009)|SummerSlam]], which Punk won, and Hardy subsequently left the promotion.<ref name="punk">https://www.cbr.com/straight-edge-messiah-a-look-back-at-wwes-most-underrated-character/</ref> CM Punk became a "megastar" in the summer of 2011 during his feud with Cena,<ref name="punk"/> the pinnacle of which saw him defeat Cena for the WWE Championship at [[Money in the Bank (2011)|Money in the Bank]] and [[SummerSlam (2011)|SummerSlam]] respectively in two well-recieved matches.<ref name="comicbook"/><ref>https://prowrestling.net/artman/publish/WWE/article10032941.shtml</ref> At [[Night of Champions (2011)|Night of Champions]] in 2011, [[Mark Henry]] famous for his powerlifting career but with limited success in his wrestling career upto that point, finally won the [[World Heavyweight Championship]], his first world title "to be recognized by the WWE as a world championship" for the first time in his then 15 years career, defeating Randy Orton.<ref>https://www.wwe.com/shows/nightofchampions/2011/randy-orton-mark-henry</ref><ref>https://bleacherreport.com/articles/846044-wwe-night-of-champions-2011-its-mark-henrys-time</ref>

==Reception==
[[File:Linda McMahon Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic.jpg|thumb|upright|The transition to family-friendly programming was widely discussed during [[Linda McMahon]]'s [[Linda McMahon 2010 United States Senate campaign|2010 Senate campaign]]]]
The move to TV-PG programming has been singled out as WWE's most controversial decision amongst wrestling fans,<ref name="bleacher"/> and is considered the least popular era in WWE history.<ref name="RTV">{{cite web|url=https://www.republicworld.com/sports-news/other-sports/wwe-everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-history-of-the-sport.html|title=WWE: Everything You Need To Know About The History Of The Sport|publisher=[[Republic TV]]|date=September 23, 2019|access-date=December 25, 2020|last=Khollam|first=Amir}}</ref> The transition to TV-PG caused some fans to support WWE's competitors,<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wZUVsfKzLBsC&pg=PA143|title=Global Sport Marketing: Contemporary Issues and Practice|first1=Michel|last1=Desbordes|first2=André|last2=Richelieu|date=December 31, 2012|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9780415507202|via=Google Books}}</ref> with ''[[Pro Wrestling Torch]]'' writer James Caldwell commenting that WWE's programming looked like ''[[Barney & Friends]]'' or ''[[Blue's Clues]]'' when compared to their nearest competitor's at the time, [[Total Nonstop Action Wrestling]].<ref name="PWT"/> [[Dave Bautista]] attributed his 2010 departure to the PG Era, and said that wrestling was "in a bad moment" during that time.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://en.superluchas.com/me-fui-de-la-wwe-porque-sentia-que-no-encajaba-con-su-era-pg-batista/|title="I left WWE because I felt it didn't fit with his PG Era.": Batista|website=[[Súper Luchas]]|date=June 16, 2011|accessdate=December 31, 2020|last=Beltran|first=William}}</ref>

Storylines during the PG Era have also been criticized. ''Inside Pulse'' wrote that characters were written better during the Attitude Era and each show was presented as being more important.<ref>https://insidepulse.com/2015/08/11/forever-heel-different-spin-on-wwf-attitude-era-wwe-pg-era-comparison-analysis.</ref> Responding to Vince McMahon's claims that modern shows are more "sophisticated", ''Sentinel Daily'' writer Dale E. Aragon said that "Someone should tell that to the audience."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sentineldaily.com/vince-mcmahon-blood-and-guts-in-wrestling-cody-rhodes-responds/219740/|title=Vince McMahon Talks "Blood and Guts" In Wrestling, Cody Rhodes Responds|first=Dale E.|last=Aragon|date=August 15, 2019}}</ref> Former WWF writer [[Vince Russo]] questioned whether McMahon watches the shows and compared a segment from them to ''[[Sesame Street]]''.<ref>https://twitter.com/thevincerusso/status/1154757142638813184?lang=en</ref>

Although noting that the move was unpopular with some fans, ''[[Bleacher Report]]'' opined that it was the right thing to do given changing times, writing: "The world is more [[politically correct]], parents are more cautious about what their kids are watching and advertisers are less willing to back controversial brands."<ref name="bleacher"/> Shortly after the transition, ''[[Miami Herald]]'' writer Jim Varsallone said that the changes in programming were too subtle for casual fans notice and that he did not get complaints from fans.<ref name="telegram">{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegram.com/article/20091014/NEWS/910140404|title=WWE now stressing family-style wrestling|first=David|last=Bauder|date=October 14, 2009|accessdate=December 31, 2020|website=[[Telegram & Gazette]]}}</ref> [[WWE Hall of Fame]]r [[Ted DiBiase]] supported the move to TV PG because he is a [[Christianity|Christian]] [[Pastor]] and did not enjoy the raunchier programming.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://en.superluchas.com/ted-dibiase-vi-potencial-steve-austin/|title=Ted DiBiase: "I saw the potential of Steve Austin"|first=Ezequiel|last=Bergonzi|website=[[Súper Luchas]]|accessdate=December 31, 2020}}</ref>


The transition to TV-PG became a subject of controversy during Linda McMahon's [[Linda McMahon 2010 United States Senate campaign|2010 Senate campaign]]. US Senator [[Chris Dodd]] accused McMahon of trying to distance herself from professional wrestling,<ref name="campaign">{{cite web |url=http://articles.courant.com/2009-11-18/news/09111812259617_1_vince-mcmahon-linda-mcmahon-wrestling |title=Former Wrestler Takes On Mcmahon |date=November 18, 2009 |last=Keating|first=Christopher|work=[[Hartford Courant]]|access-date=December 24, 2020}}</ref> while [[Superstar Billy Graham]] said that the move to kid-friendly programming was done so that she would be a more appealing candidate.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/superstar-billy-graham-made-it-big-in-wrestling-now-the-steroids-that-got-him-there-may-be-killing-him-6448014 |title=Superstar Billy Graham Made It Big in Wrestling – Now the Steroids That Got Him There May Be Killing Him |date=March 31, 2011 |last=Pratt |first=Gregory |work=[[Phoenix New Times]] |access-date=December 24, 2020}}</ref> WWE denied these claims, stating that the 2008 transition to TV-PG occurred "long before McMahon announced her candidacy".<ref name="campaign"/>
== See also ==
* [[WWE]]
* [[History of WWE]]


== References ==
== References ==

Revision as of 14:57, 5 January 2021

WWE's logo when they transitioned to TV-PG ratings in 2008

The PG Era is a period of professional wrestling within World Wrestling Entertainment, inc. (WWE), which began on July 22, 2008 after its programming received a TV-PG rating from TV Parental Guidelines. WWE considers the era to have ended in 2013, but some sources describe everything since 2008 to be part of the PG Era because most of WWE's programming remains TV-PG. The era has received plenty of criticism due to its watered-down violence and kid-friendly characters.

Background

John Cena (seen here with child fans) was the face of the company in 2008, despite being unpopular with some fans

WWE promoter Vince McMahon states that the Attitude Era of the 1990s and early 2000s was the result of competition from World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and forced the company to "go for the jugular". Due to WCW's demise in 2001, McMahon says that they "don't have to" appeal to viewers in the same way and that during the "far more scripted" PG Era, WWE could "give the audience what they want in a far more sophisticated way".[1] WWE says that the move to PG cut the "excess" of the Attitude Era and "ushered in a new era of refined and compelling storytelling".[2] John Cena was face of the company during this time, despite receiving a mixed reception from the audience.[2]

While WWE had been slowly moving towards a more family-friendly format before it, Vice News writes that this was accelerated after the Chris Benoit double murder and suicide in 2007.[3] Bryan Alvarez and Lance Storm of Wrestling Observer Newsletter attribute the move to TV-PG as a result of WWE appealing to sponsors.[4] Then-WWE CEO Linda McMahon described the transition away from TV-14 as a "cradle to the grave" approach to appeal to younger viewers and encourage brand loyalty.[5]

The 2008 SummerSlam pay-per-view was the first WWE pay-per-view to carry the TV-PG rating.[6]

Within WWE's given time frame of the PG Era (2008-2014)[7], the only show that did receive adult-oriented ratings as opposed to TV-PG Ratings was Extreme Rules (2012). The show received universal positive acclaim[8][9][10][11] DVD Talk gave a "Recommended" rating to the DVD, stating that the release was "right on target with other recent WWE DVDs (for better or worse), from the decent technical presentation to the lack of bonus features".[12], with the main event match between John Cena and the returning Brock Lesnar, which featured excessive bleeding for the first time in this era being particularly praised.[13]

Changes in content

Chair shots to the head were banned in the PG Era

As WWE adapted a more family-friendly style, previous staples in their programming were altered or dropped. Use of expletives were prohibited.[14] An example of this was when John Cena renamed his finishing maneuver from "FU" to "Attitude Adjustment" or the PPV event WWE One Night Stand changing the name to WWE Extreme Rules to avoid the sexual connotations.[15][16] Female wrestlers had previously performed in Bra and panties matches and several of them had posed nude in Playboy but these were dropped in 2008.[17] Excessive violence was also toned down.[14] Chair shots to the head became increasingly rare after Benoit's death,[3] and were completely banned in 2010.[18] In 2011 following their match at WrestleMania 27, wrestlers The Undertaker and Triple H were fined for chair shots to the head, despite the match being well received by the fans.[19]

Amid declining ratings and the launch of rival promotion All Elite Wrestling in 2019, it was reported that WWE wanted to move on from the PG Era.[20] Vince McMahon acknowledged that the promotion would be "a bit edgier, but remain in the PG environment". He said the promotion had "graduated from ... gory crap" and was a "a more sophisticated product".[21]

Major storylines and stars

See also: The Reality Era and The New Era (WWE)

WWE considers the PG Era to have ended in 2013, in favor of The Reality Era,[7] although the exact duration of the era is disputed.[22][23] Many sources continue to describe WWE as still being in the PG Era because most of their content is still rated TV-PG.[24][20] For the purposes of this article, only events between 2008-2013 will be covered in the section. The Reality Era covers 2013-2016 and The New Era covers 2016-present.

While John Cena was the biggest star in the company at that time, other major stars during that period included Randy Orton, Triple H, Rey Mysterio,[25] The Undertaker, The Big Show, Shawn Michaels and Edge. The era also saw new stars emerging including CM Punk, The Miz, Kofi Kingston, Sheamus, and Alberto Del Rio. Women wrestlers then known as divas included the likes of Mickie James, Maria, Melina, Eve Torres, Beth Phoenix and Kelly Kelly. Jeri-Show was one of the most dominant tag teams during this period, having hed the unified WWE Tag Team Championship and the World Tag Team Championship titles for most of 2009 and popularly feuding against D-Generation X from 2009-2010.[26][27]

During the PG Era, Jeff Hardy won the WWE Championship for the first time at Armageddon 2008.[22] His subsequent 2009 feud with CM Punk was described as "shockingly real" given the PG Era, as Punk referenced Hardy's real-life drug addiction. Their rivalry culminated in a match at SummerSlam, which Punk won, and Hardy subsequently left the promotion.[28] CM Punk became a "megastar" in the summer of 2011 during his feud with Cena,[28] the pinnacle of which saw him defeat Cena for the WWE Championship at Money in the Bank and SummerSlam respectively in two well-recieved matches.[22][29] At Night of Champions in 2011, Mark Henry famous for his powerlifting career but with limited success in his wrestling career upto that point, finally won the World Heavyweight Championship, his first world title "to be recognized by the WWE as a world championship" for the first time in his then 15 years career, defeating Randy Orton.[30][31]

Reception

The transition to family-friendly programming was widely discussed during Linda McMahon's 2010 Senate campaign

The move to TV-PG programming has been singled out as WWE's most controversial decision amongst wrestling fans,[24] and is considered the least popular era in WWE history.[14] The transition to TV-PG caused some fans to support WWE's competitors,[32] with Pro Wrestling Torch writer James Caldwell commenting that WWE's programming looked like Barney & Friends or Blue's Clues when compared to their nearest competitor's at the time, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.[5] Dave Bautista attributed his 2010 departure to the PG Era, and said that wrestling was "in a bad moment" during that time.[33]

Storylines during the PG Era have also been criticized. Inside Pulse wrote that characters were written better during the Attitude Era and each show was presented as being more important.[34] Responding to Vince McMahon's claims that modern shows are more "sophisticated", Sentinel Daily writer Dale E. Aragon said that "Someone should tell that to the audience."[35] Former WWF writer Vince Russo questioned whether McMahon watches the shows and compared a segment from them to Sesame Street.[36]

Although noting that the move was unpopular with some fans, Bleacher Report opined that it was the right thing to do given changing times, writing: "The world is more politically correct, parents are more cautious about what their kids are watching and advertisers are less willing to back controversial brands."[24] Shortly after the transition, Miami Herald writer Jim Varsallone said that the changes in programming were too subtle for casual fans notice and that he did not get complaints from fans.[25] WWE Hall of Famer Ted DiBiase supported the move to TV PG because he is a Christian Pastor and did not enjoy the raunchier programming.[37]

The transition to TV-PG became a subject of controversy during Linda McMahon's 2010 Senate campaign. US Senator Chris Dodd accused McMahon of trying to distance herself from professional wrestling,[17] while Superstar Billy Graham said that the move to kid-friendly programming was done so that she would be a more appealing candidate.[38] WWE denied these claims, stating that the 2008 transition to TV-PG occurred "long before McMahon announced her candidacy".[17]

References

  1. ^ Robinson, Jon (May 12, 2015). WWE The Attitude Era. Penguin. p. 196. ISBN 9781465441386 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ a b Sullivan, Kevin (March 31, 2014). WWE 50. Penguin. ISBN 9781465427762 – via Google Books.
  3. ^ a b Williams, Ian (August 5, 2020). "The Horrific Crime That Changed WWE Forever". Vice News. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  4. ^ Alvarez, Bryan; Storm, Lance (July 16, 2019). 100 Things WWE Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die. Triumph Books. ISBN 9781641252201 – via Google Books.
  5. ^ a b Caldwell, James (December 10, 2008). "WWE News: "From the cradle to the grave" - WWE describes strategy of hooking kids on TV product". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved December 25, 2020.
  6. ^ "411MANIA". Kevin’s Random Reviews: WWE SummerSlam 2008. Retrieved 2020-12-13.
  7. ^ a b "What is your favorite WWE Era?". WWE.
  8. ^ "WWE Reports 2012 Second Quarter Results" (PDF) (Press release). WWE. August 2, 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 18, 2013. Retrieved August 5, 2012.
  9. ^ "FINAL PPV RESULTS: Best/Worst WWE & TNA PPVs in 2012, plus the common thread of what makes a great PPV". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
  10. ^ Ocal, Arda (30 April 2012). "A perfect storm produces a terrific WWE Extreme Rules PPV". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 1 May 2012.
  11. ^ Cohen, Eric. "WWE Extreme Rules 2012 DVD Review". About.com. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
  12. ^ Miller III, Randy. "WWE: Extreme Rules 2012". DVDtalk. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
  13. ^ "WWE Extreme Rules '12". The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved 7 January 2013.
  14. ^ a b c Khollam, Amir (September 23, 2019). "WWE: Everything You Need To Know About The History Of The Sport". Republic TV. Retrieved December 25, 2020.
  15. ^ Powell, Jason (February 5, 2009). "John Cena says it was his call to change his finishing move name, predicts that three wrestlers will be WWE stars". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  16. ^ Ocampo, Jorge (February 26, 2009). "¿Por qué WWE cambia el nombre del PPV "One Night Stand" a "Night of Extreme"?". Súper Luchas (in Spanish). Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  17. ^ a b c Keating, Christopher (November 18, 2009). "Former Wrestler Takes On Mcmahon". Hartford Courant. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
  18. ^ Eck, Kevin (March 27, 2010). "WWE takes a stand on chair shots to the head". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  19. ^ Eck, Kevin (2011-04-06). "Triple H, The Undertaker Fined for Chair Shot at WrestleMania XXVII". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2021-01-01.
  20. ^ a b Indi, Rafael (July 23, 2019). "Dave Meltzer confirms that WWE wants to leave the PG era behind". Súper Luchas. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  21. ^ "Vince McMahon On WWE's Future: 'Not Going To Go Back To That Gory Crap'". WCBS-TV. July 25, 2019. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  22. ^ a b c Casey, Connor (April 14, 2020). "10 Great WWE PG Era Matches to Watch During the Coronavirus Quarantine". Comicbook.com. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  23. ^ Nguyen, Joe (May 10, 2015). "Goodbye, PG Era, WWE now entrenched in the Reality Era". The Denver Post. Archived from the original on March 21, 2016. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  24. ^ a b c Mueller, Chris (July 20, 2018). "10 Years into the 'PG Era,' Did WWE Make the Right Call?". Bleacher Report. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  25. ^ a b Bauder, David (October 14, 2009). "WWE now stressing family-style wrestling". Telegram & Gazette. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  26. ^ https://www.baltimoresun.com/bs-mtblog-2009-08-qa_with_chris_jericho_2-story.html
  27. ^ https://www.wrestleview.com/uncategorized/3053-tlc-ppv-results-12-13-09/
  28. ^ a b https://www.cbr.com/straight-edge-messiah-a-look-back-at-wwes-most-underrated-character/
  29. ^ https://prowrestling.net/artman/publish/WWE/article10032941.shtml
  30. ^ https://www.wwe.com/shows/nightofchampions/2011/randy-orton-mark-henry
  31. ^ https://bleacherreport.com/articles/846044-wwe-night-of-champions-2011-its-mark-henrys-time
  32. ^ Desbordes, Michel; Richelieu, André (December 31, 2012). Global Sport Marketing: Contemporary Issues and Practice. Routledge. ISBN 9780415507202 – via Google Books.
  33. ^ Beltran, William (June 16, 2011). ""I left WWE because I felt it didn't fit with his PG Era.": Batista". Súper Luchas. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  34. ^ https://insidepulse.com/2015/08/11/forever-heel-different-spin-on-wwf-attitude-era-wwe-pg-era-comparison-analysis.
  35. ^ Aragon, Dale E. (August 15, 2019). "Vince McMahon Talks "Blood and Guts" In Wrestling, Cody Rhodes Responds".
  36. ^ https://twitter.com/thevincerusso/status/1154757142638813184?lang=en
  37. ^ Bergonzi, Ezequiel. "Ted DiBiase: "I saw the potential of Steve Austin"". Súper Luchas. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  38. ^ Pratt, Gregory (March 31, 2011). "Superstar Billy Graham Made It Big in Wrestling – Now the Steroids That Got Him There May Be Killing Him". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved December 24, 2020.

External links

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