0 of 5
What is overproduction?
Is it a good thing? A bad thing? Proof that WWE has a lot invested in a given talent? Proof that the talent in question has little to offer outside of bells and whistles? A gift? A curse? A crutch?
All of the above?
WWE's affinity for spectacle and emphasis on sports entertainment is what separates it from the competition. No matter how many parodies, promos and potshots come from Cody Rhodes and The Young Bucks, it's not hard to tell the difference between the independent wrestling scene and the big leagues, with or without pyrotechnics.
But from elaborate entrances to entertaining backstage segments, WWE could be doing a disservice to otherwise talented stars who are unfairly defined by what goes on outside of the ring.
1 of 5
When you think of Bobby Roode in WWE, you think of the word "glorious" and nothing else.
Roode has an incredible entrance. In fact, it's so incredible WWE is booking him as a babyface despite everything about the character screaming heel.
His elaborate entrance has been a point of contention of Dolph Ziggler's disillusioned character, and although Ziggler is playing a character, his frustration with "style over substance" carries weight.
Roode's pay-per-view debut against Ziggler was one to forget, and while many have been quick to point the finger at The Showoff—who is effectively drawing heat from overzealous adults the way few heels can—Roode has been miscast as a babyface who is only cheered because of his cool entrance.
What else are you supposed to love about this man outside of his music? Every aspect of Bobby Roode, from his paint-by-the-numbers in-ring work to his stoic demeanor during promos is tailor-made for a villain.
Nifty entrance aside, WWE needs a course correction with this character before people stop caring.
2 of 5
Finn Balor competed on the independent and international circuit for years, so the base of apologists he's developed over that time frame makes it difficult to find any honest criticism of what has become a stale character.
Balor's in-ring work is excellent. Nobody will question that. But the mixture of body paint, music and lights have carried him. Otherwise, Finn Balor is like Sting if he decided to be Steve Borden 80 percent of the time.
Feuding with fellow overproduced Superstar Bray Watt, their rivalry has become a battle of who has the better curb appeal.
Balor may want to consider becoming The Demon full time since it fits into WWE's portrayal of a character whose main appeal features pomp and circumstance.
3 of 5
Bray Wyatt represents an extreme example of someone who has been overproduced into oblivion.
Everything about Wyatt, from his promos to his entrance, screams overproduction. Even his matches have a history of pouring it on too thick, such as the ring effects during his match against Randy Orton at WrestleMania 33, not to mention the abomination that was the House of Horrors.
Wyatt's latest incarnation will be Sister Abigail, as the embattled heel is all but guaranteed to show up at WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs in drag as a deceased sister/spirit/abomination.
Not that there's anything wrong with that.
Wyatt's entrance is visually stunning (sound familiar?), as fans flash their smartphones while he saunters to the ring.
But to put things bluntly, everything else about him right now flat-out sucks.
4 of 5
Shinsuke Nakamura was a monster in NXT as one of the promotion's greatest world champions. Since then, he's done little to live up to the hours of video packages and violin-strumming that are keeping him afloat as anything resembling an attraction.
"The Rising Sun," Nakamura's entrance music, is often accompanied by strobe light and sometimes the stylings of violinist Lee England Jr.
But after his patented "yeaoh!" battle cry, Nakamura has been a shell of the New Japan Pro Wrestling legend WWE thought it signed.
Coming out on the losing end of a feud to Jinder Mahal, WWE has a lot of rehabbing to do with Nakamura, but six months into a run that has yet to connect, the 37-year-old star might have little to offer in the ring on a consistent basis.
5 of 5
Breezango is awesome.
So much so, The New Day and The Usos took the time to acknowledge just how cool they were during their promo to open the most recent edition of SmackDown Live.
But in an industry where the best talents will be remembered for what they do in the ring, Breezango is getting a little too comfortable with attaching their reputation to the very entertaining Fashion Files segments.
Breezango's hilarious parodies of Twin Peaks and Miami Vice have endeared them to wrestling hipsters worldwide, but with no payoff in sight and limited wrestling matches and wins to justify their TV time, this act seems to have a shelf life.
I'll continue to support all things Breezango, as Tyler Breeze and Fandango have proved to be one of the few WWE pairings who can consistently put forth legitimate comedy.
But the more they are featured in backstage segments, the less fans will care about what this otherwise athletic tag team can do in the ring.
Alfred Konuwa is a Featured Columnist and on-air host for Bleacher Report and Forbes. Like him on Facebook.
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