by Greg Parks, Torch Columnist

If WWE really wanted to freshen up their product and change the way its perceived by the mainstream audience, they'd go one step further than simply bringing in celebrities as guest hosts. Why not bring in guest writers or directors?

I couldn't help but notice that, in the past, one of my favorite shows "The Office" has been directed by the likes of Joss Whedon, Jason Reitman and Harold Ramis. Even "CSI" had a two-part episode written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. Clearly, big names are not averse to working in TV. What's stopping WWE from reaching out to the Hollywood elite to create some buzz for their product? Can you imagine an episode of Raw written by David E. Kelley, Aaron Sorkin, or "Lost" duo Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse?

Obviously, there are issues. Aside from the stigma attached to pro wrestling (still), the writers/directors would have to familiarize themselves with the product and characters, which could take some time. Plus, there are some "rules" in pro wrestling TV that are different from a standard sitcom or drama. Of course, one of the main issues is the control-freaks like Vince and Stephanie McMahon would have the writing out of their hands; for that night, WWE wouldn't be sanitized for our protection. But as a fan, I think that's a good thing.

Here's what I'd do: Bring the writers or directors aboard to write the show, but have the matches booked ahead of time. Tell the writers they have to write around the matches and however long they go. Advise them of any big feuds you want them to address, but let them craft how it is forwarded. Say for instance you want the tension between Randy Orton and Legacy to grow. It'd be up to that writer to decide how to build it. Then give them about 10 minutes of free time at some point in the show to incorporate other characters, maybe mid-carders who don't usually get a shot, or just leave it open-ended so the creativity of the writer can shine. For a director, they can have responsibility for shooting all the backstage segments and in-ring interviews, but leave the actual wrestling directing to Kevin Dunn and company. That's something you can't really learn overnight.

And if the McMahons feel that the Hollywood names wouldn't "get" their product, why not have some of the superstars on the roster write an episode? Someone like a Chris Jericho, or a C.M. Punk, guys who are really known as students of the business. It happens in Hollywood, and I'll go back to the "Office" example, where star Steve Carell has written two episodes of the series. I think there's a fear that the wrestler would only make himself or his friends look good; but that's why you'd have to use your judgment when selecting who to write an episode. Perhaps the wrestlers would even come to realize the difficulty in doing the writing, and would then be less apt to complain about the normal writing team. The key here, and it would be the same for guest writer/directors, would be that Stephanie and Vince wouldn't be able to change any of the content, only adjust things (if necessary) to make them work in the pro wrestling world of TV.

Giving different people a chance to helm Raw would give it a fresh feel and wouldn't make all the promos and backstage segments feel like they were written by the same people every week. Plus, it wouldn't hurt in the credibility department with the mainstream media, and it could help the WWE Films Division as well.

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