WWE flagship series “Raw” is supposed to air from 8-11 p.m. ET Mondays on USA Network, but anyone who has ever tried to set their DVR for it will tell you the wrestling show usually runs long. Not anymore.
Going forward, “Raw” will cut off at 11 o’clock sharp, a WWE spokesman tells TheWrap. That hard out starts on Monday.
Fightful.com first reported the news that the “Raw” overrun party was over. Their source indicated that this was a USA call and not a WWE one.
“Raw” regularly ran quite a few minutes — sometimes as many as 15 — heavy. USA likely enjoyed having a boosted quarter-hour of TV ratings just after primetime, and the flexibility was favorable for WWE wrestlers.
Though the old way could sure get late for fans, the final match of the evening, the main event, is usually the best one — or at least it’s the most important contest from a storyline perspective.
While it is never easy for live sports to stick to TV time, a scripted one like pro wrestling is much easier to control than the *real* deal. And heck, WWE’s “SmackDown Live” manages to make it work every Tuesday, when that show religiously fades to black at 10 p.m. ET.
“Modern Family” repeats currently bookend “Raw.” “SmackDown” now leads in to “Real Country.”
Over the summer, “SmackDown Live” episodes helped launch new reality show “Miz & Mrs.”