Season Analysis

Raw

Season 18 Analysis

Season Woke Score

out of 10

Season Overview

After 12 years, Bret "Hit Man" Hart returns to Raw in 2010 to put his issues with Mr. McMahon and Shawn Michaels to rest, compete in the ring, and serve as Raw General Manager. Plus, the Nexus rises and more.

Season Review

Season 18 of Raw, which ran from late 2009 to late 2010, is a product of its time, pre-dating the pervasive presence of the modern "woke mind virus" in mainstream media. The season is dominated by personal and corporate power struggles, such as the feud between the returning Bret Hart and Mr. McMahon, and the debut of the anti-establishment group The Nexus. Narratives rely on simplistic, clear-cut morality, personal ambition, and traditional wrestling tropes (hero vs. villain, rookie vs. veteran, authority vs. rebel). The focus remains overwhelmingly on the male main event scene, with female characters, while present, occupying a marginalized and often objectified role typical of the "Divas Era." There is virtually no evidence of intersectional theory, civilizational critique, gender ideology, or anti-theism being actively written into the central storylines. The content aligns with a traditional, if hyper-masculine and sexually charged, entertainment format rather than a political or ideological lecture.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics2/10

The plot operates on a strict kayfabe meritocracy where characters are defined by in-ring skill, loyalty, and personal history with authority, not by race or immutable characteristics. Feuds center on personal grudges and championship pursuits, with no detectable attempt to lecture on systemic oppression or vilify "whiteness."

Oikophobia1/10

The central conflict is a personal and corporate drama between the 'tyrant' Mr. McMahon and his adversaries, not a deconstruction or hostility toward Western civilization. Institutions like the company itself are framed as a source of corruption for the 'heel' characters, but the overall framework is one of simple good versus evil fighting for control.

Feminism4/10

The women's 'Divas' division of this era emphasized physical appearance and sexualized presentation, including matches with objectifying stipulations. This portrayal lacks the modern "Girl Boss" archetype of instantly perfect, dominant female leads, but simultaneously fails to offer a complementary or celebrated vision of healthy gender dynamics, landing it low-to-mid on the score scale due to sexual objectification.

LGBTQ+1/10

The core televised narrative remains strictly heteronormative and focused on the male-dominated wrestling hierarchy. Alternative sexualities or gender ideology are absent from the on-screen storylines, and no efforts are made to deconstruct the nuclear family structure through the wrestling narratives.

Anti-Theism1/10

The moral framework is based on objective good (face) and evil (heel) characters, consistent with traditional morality plays. Faith or traditional religion (specifically Christianity) is not actively attacked or demonized, and morality is not presented as subjective "power dynamics."