Following that awesome 1000th episode was always going to be a tall order, but this week's installment of SmackDown LIVE didn't even try. An appearance from Rey Mysterio aside, not a single thing of note occurred over the course of the two-hour show.
Now, the numbers are in, and the dismal viewership definitely reflects the quality of the show.
The blue brand did 2.087 million, which is way down from Smackdown 1000's 2.545 million and actually among the least-watched episodes of the show since the brand split.
SmackDowm LIVE had consistently been the better show in terms of in-ring action, but it's now finding it hard to compete with some of the exciting storylines that have emerged on Raw over the past few weeks.