The ratings from this past week’s Raw and Impact proved once again that nostalgia acts do move ratings. The powers that be in WWE and TNA probably shouldn’t get too excited, however, because history says that nostalgia acts usually spike the ratings initially, but they also run out of steam pretty quickly if they are overexposed.

Raw, which was built around the DX reunion of Triple H and Shawn Michaels and the return to television of “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, drew a 3.8 rating. The show’s ratings in October ranged from 2.8 to 3.5, according to pwtorch.com.

Impact, which featured the return of Scott Hall, drew a 1.1 rating. That's a slight increase from the previous week's 1.0, but it translated to 1.5 million viewers, the show’s largest audience to date, pwtorch.com reported.

Getting more eyeballs on the product is certainly never a bad thing. The key, though, is to not make a nostalgia act the focus week after week. WWE learned that back in 2002 with the return of Hulk Hogan. The company interpreted the huge reactions Hogan was getting at first to mean that the fans wanted him to be champion again, but WWE found out that wasn’t the case at all.

TNA apparently sees value in Hall beyond a one-week ratings increase, as the company reportedly is negotiating with him for more appearances. Based on Hall’s troubled past, however, relying on him for a major story line would be a huge risk. And, as history indicates, the initial curiosity about him probably won’t translate into long-term business anyway.