diff --git a/react/actions/show.js b/react/actions/show.js
index 51233448..a3847c6b 100644
--- a/react/actions/show.js
+++ b/react/actions/show.js
@@ -1,14 +1,14 @@
 import * as actions from 'constants/show_action_types';
 
 // basic request parsing
-export function updateRequestError (error) {
+export function onRequestError (error) {
   return {
     type: actions.REQUEST_UPDATE_ERROR,
     data: error,
   };
 }
 
-export function updateRequestWithChannelRequest (name, id) {
+export function onParsedChannelRequest (name, id) {
   const requestId = `cr#${name}#${id}`;
   return {
     type: actions.REQUEST_UPDATE_CHANNEL,
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ export function updateRequestWithChannelRequest (name, id) {
   };
 };
 
-export function updateRequestWithAssetRequest (name, id, channelName, channelId, extension) {
+export function onParsedAssetRequest (name, id, channelName, channelId, extension) {
   const requestId = `ar#${name}#${id}#${channelName}#${channelId}`;
   return {
     type: actions.REQUEST_UPDATE_ASSET,
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ export function updateRequestWithAssetRequest (name, id, channelName, channelId,
 
 // asset actions
 
-export function newAssetRequest (id, name, modifier) {
+export function onNewAssetRequest (id, name, modifier) {
   return {
     type: actions.ASSET_REQUEST_NEW,
     data: { id, name, modifier },
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ export function addAssetToAssetList (id, error, name, claimId, shortId, claimDat
 
 // channel actions
 
-export function newChannelRequest (id, name, channelId) {
+export function onNewChannelRequest (id, name, channelId) {
   return {
     type: actions.CHANNEL_REQUEST_NEW,
     data: {id, name, channelId},
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ export function addNewChannelToChannelList (id, name, shortId, longId, claimsDat
 
 //  update channel data
 
-export function updateChannelClaimsAsync (channelKey, name, longId, page) {
+export function onUpdateChannelClaims (channelKey, name, longId, page) {
   return {
     type: actions.CHANNEL_CLAIMS_UPDATE_ASYNC,
     data: {channelKey, name, longId, page},
diff --git a/react/containers/ChannelClaimsDisplay/index.js b/react/containers/ChannelClaimsDisplay/index.js
index 80c075dc..4a24968e 100644
--- a/react/containers/ChannelClaimsDisplay/index.js
+++ b/react/containers/ChannelClaimsDisplay/index.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { connect } from 'react-redux';
-import { updateChannelClaimsAsync } from 'actions/show';
+import { onUpdateChannelClaims } from 'actions/show';
 import View from './view';
 
 const mapStateToProps = ({ show }) => {
@@ -15,11 +15,9 @@ const mapStateToProps = ({ show }) => {
   };
 };
 
-const mapDispatchToProps = dispatch => {
+const mapDispatchToProps = () => {
   return {
-    onChannelPageUpdate: (channelKey, name, longId, page) => {
-      dispatch(updateChannelClaimsAsync(channelKey, name, longId, page));
-    },
+    onUpdateChannelClaims,
   };
 };
 
diff --git a/react/containers/ChannelClaimsDisplay/view.jsx b/react/containers/ChannelClaimsDisplay/view.jsx
index 285886fe..fd450268 100644
--- a/react/containers/ChannelClaimsDisplay/view.jsx
+++ b/react/containers/ChannelClaimsDisplay/view.jsx
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ class ChannelClaimsDisplay extends React.Component {
   }
   showNewPage (page) {
     const { channelKey, channel: { name, longId } } = this.props;
-    this.props.onChannelPageUpdate(channelKey, name, longId, page);
+    this.props.onUpdateChannelClaims(channelKey, name, longId, page);
   }
   render () {
     const { channel: { claimsData: { claims, currentPage, totalPages } } } = this.props;
diff --git a/react/containers/ShowAsset/index.js b/react/containers/ShowAsset/index.js
index 43b0ca14..c59f6470 100644
--- a/react/containers/ShowAsset/index.js
+++ b/react/containers/ShowAsset/index.js
@@ -1,10 +1,9 @@
 import { connect } from 'react-redux';
 import View from './view';
-import { newAssetRequest, showNewAsset } from 'actions/show';
+import { onNewAssetRequest } from 'actions/show';
 
 const mapStateToProps = ({ show }) => {
   // select request info
-  const requestType = show.request.type;
   const requestId = show.request.id;
   const requestName = show.request.data.name;
   const requestModifier = show.request.data.modifier;
@@ -17,10 +16,8 @@ const mapStateToProps = ({ show }) => {
     const assetKey = `a#${previousRequest.name}#${previousRequest.claimId}`;  // note: just store this in the request
     asset = assetList[assetKey] || null;
   };
-  // console.log('previousRequest:', previousRequest, 'asset:', asset, 'asset list', assetList);
   // return props
   return {
-    requestType,
     requestId,
     requestName,
     requestModifier,
@@ -29,12 +26,9 @@ const mapStateToProps = ({ show }) => {
   };
 };
 
-const mapDispatchToProps = dispatch => {
+const mapDispatchToProps = () => {
   return {
-    // request
-    onNewRequest: (id, name, modifier) => {
-      dispatch(newAssetRequest(id, name, modifier));
-    },
+    onNewAssetRequest,
   };
 };
 
diff --git a/react/containers/ShowAsset/view.jsx b/react/containers/ShowAsset/view.jsx
index fad53ee1..ddc8a07f 100644
--- a/react/containers/ShowAsset/view.jsx
+++ b/react/containers/ShowAsset/view.jsx
@@ -3,36 +3,18 @@ import ErrorPage from 'components/ErrorPage';
 import ShowAssetLite from 'components/ShowAssetLite';
 import ShowAssetDetails from 'components/ShowAssetDetails';
 
-import { ASSET } from 'constants/show_request_types';
-
-function requestIsAnAssetRequest ({ requestType }) {
-  return requestType === ASSET;
-}
-
 class ShowAsset extends React.Component {
   componentDidMount () {
     const { asset, requestId, requestName, requestModifier } = this.props;
-    if (!asset) {  // case: the asset info does not exist
-      return this.props.onNewRequest(requestId, requestName, requestModifier);
+    if (!asset) {
+      return this.props.onNewAssetRequest(requestId, requestName, requestModifier);
     };
   }
-  componentWillReceiveProps (nextProps) {
-    if (requestIsAnAssetRequest(nextProps)) {
-      const { asset, requestId, requestName, requestModifier } = nextProps;
-      if (!asset) {  // case: the asset info does not exist
-        return this.props.onNewRequest(requestId, requestName, requestModifier);
-      };
-    }
-  }
   render () {
     const {asset, requestExtension} = this.props;
     if (asset) {
-      if (requestExtension) {
-        return <ShowAssetLite/>;
-      }
-      return <ShowAssetDetails/>;
-    }
-    ;
+      return requestExtension ? <ShowAssetLite/> : <ShowAssetDetails/>;
+    };
     return (
       <ErrorPage error={'loading asset data...'}/>
     );
diff --git a/react/containers/ShowChannel/index.js b/react/containers/ShowChannel/index.js
index ee06b0fc..0a9c83c7 100644
--- a/react/containers/ShowChannel/index.js
+++ b/react/containers/ShowChannel/index.js
@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
 import { connect } from 'react-redux';
-import { newChannelRequest } from 'actions/show';
+import { onNewChannelRequest } from 'actions/show';
 import View from './view';
 
 const mapStateToProps = ({ show }) => {
   // select request info
   const requestId = show.request.id;
-  const requestType = show.request.type;
   const requestChannelName = show.request.data.name;
   const requestChannelId = show.request.data.id;
   // select request
@@ -18,18 +17,15 @@ const mapStateToProps = ({ show }) => {
   }
   return {
     requestId,
-    requestType,
     requestChannelName,
     requestChannelId,
     channel,
   };
 };
 
-const mapDispatchToProps = dispatch => {
+const mapDispatchToProps = () => {
   return {
-    onNewChannelRequest (requestId, requestChannelName, requestChannelId) {
-      dispatch(newChannelRequest(requestId, requestChannelName, requestChannelId));
-    },
+    onNewChannelRequest,
   };
 };
 
diff --git a/react/containers/ShowChannel/view.jsx b/react/containers/ShowChannel/view.jsx
index 5ffb71ef..4545d1a3 100644
--- a/react/containers/ShowChannel/view.jsx
+++ b/react/containers/ShowChannel/view.jsx
@@ -3,12 +3,6 @@ import ErrorPage from 'components/ErrorPage';
 import NavBar from 'containers/NavBar';
 import ChannelClaimsDisplay from 'containers/ChannelClaimsDisplay';
 
-import { CHANNEL } from 'constants/show_request_types';
-
-function requestIsAChannelRequest ({ requestType }) {
-  return requestType === CHANNEL;
-}
-
 class ShowChannel extends React.Component {
   componentDidMount () {
     const { channel, requestId, requestChannelName, requestChannelId } = this.props;
@@ -16,14 +10,6 @@ class ShowChannel extends React.Component {
       return this.props.onNewChannelRequest(requestId, requestChannelName, requestChannelId);
     }
   }
-  componentWillReceiveProps (nextProps) {
-    if (requestIsAChannelRequest(nextProps)) {
-      const { channel, requestId, requestChannelName, requestChannelId } = nextProps;
-      if (!channel) {
-        return this.props.onNewChannelRequest(requestId, requestChannelName, requestChannelId);
-      }
-    }
-  }
   render () {
     const { channel } = this.props;
     if (channel) {
@@ -33,9 +19,9 @@ class ShowChannel extends React.Component {
           <NavBar/>
           <div className="row row--tall row--padded">
             <div className="column column--10">
-              <h2>channel name: {name ? name : 'loading...'}</h2>
-              <p className={'fine-print'}>full channel id: {longId ? longId : 'loading...'}</p>
-              <p className={'fine-print'}>short channel id: {shortId ? shortId : 'loading...'}</p>
+              <h2>channel name: {name || 'loading...'}</h2>
+              <p className={'fine-print'}>full channel id: {longId || 'loading...'}</p>
+              <p className={'fine-print'}>short channel id: {shortId || 'loading...'}</p>
             </div>
             <div className="column column--10">
               <ChannelClaimsDisplay />
diff --git a/react/containers/ShowPage/index.js b/react/containers/ShowPage/index.js
index 405b8244..6bdfd64f 100644
--- a/react/containers/ShowPage/index.js
+++ b/react/containers/ShowPage/index.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { connect } from 'react-redux';
-import { updateRequestError, updateRequestWithChannelRequest, updateRequestWithAssetRequest } from 'actions/show';
+import { onRequestError, onParsedChannelRequest, onParsedAssetRequest } from 'actions/show';
 import View from './view';
 
 const mapStateToProps = ({ show }) => {
@@ -9,17 +9,11 @@ const mapStateToProps = ({ show }) => {
   };
 };
 
-const mapDispatchToProps = dispatch => {
+const mapDispatchToProps = () => {
   return {
-    onRequestError: (error) => {
-      dispatch(updateRequestError(error));
-    },
-    onChannelRequest: (name, id) => {
-      dispatch(updateRequestWithChannelRequest(name, id));
-    },
-    onAssetRequest: (name, id, channelName, channelId, extension) => {
-      dispatch(updateRequestWithAssetRequest(name, id, channelName, channelId, extension));
-    },
+    onRequestError,
+    onParsedChannelRequest,
+    onParsedAssetRequest,
   };
 };
 
diff --git a/react/containers/ShowPage/view.jsx b/react/containers/ShowPage/view.jsx
index bbfb7502..e379113a 100644
--- a/react/containers/ShowPage/view.jsx
+++ b/react/containers/ShowPage/view.jsx
@@ -42,9 +42,9 @@ class ShowPage extends React.Component {
     }
     // update the store
     if (isChannel) {
-      return this.props.onAssetRequest(claimName, null, channelName, channelClaimId, extension);
+      return this.props.onParsedAssetRequest(claimName, null, channelName, channelClaimId, extension);
     } else {
-      return this.props.onAssetRequest(claimName, claimId, null, null, extension);
+      return this.props.onParsedAssetRequest(claimName, claimId, null, null, extension);
     }
   }
   parseAndUpdateClaimOnly (claim) {
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ class ShowPage extends React.Component {
     }
     // return early if this request is for a channel
     if (isChannel) {
-      return this.props.onChannelRequest(channelName, channelClaimId);
+      return this.props.onParsedChannelRequest(channelName, channelClaimId);
     }
     // if not for a channel, parse the claim request
     let claimName, extension;  // if I am destructuring below, do I still need to declare these here?
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ class ShowPage extends React.Component {
     } catch (error) {
       return this.props.onRequestError(error.message);
     }
-    this.props.onAssetRequest(claimName, null, null, null, extension);
+    this.props.onParsedAssetRequest(claimName, null, null, null, extension);
   }
   render () {
     const { error, requestType } = this.props;
diff --git a/react/sagas/show_asset.js b/react/sagas/show_asset.js
index c8a34a88..c1174f50 100644
--- a/react/sagas/show_asset.js
+++ b/react/sagas/show_asset.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { call, put, takeLatest } from 'redux-saga/effects';
 import * as actions from 'constants/show_action_types';
-import { addRequestToAssetRequests, updateRequestError, addAssetToAssetList } from 'actions/show';
+import { addRequestToAssetRequests, onRequestError, addAssetToAssetList } from 'actions/show';
 import { getLongClaimId, getShortId, getClaimData } from 'api/assetApi';
 
 function* newAssetRequest (action) {
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ function* newAssetRequest (action) {
     ({data: longId} = yield call(getLongClaimId, name, modifier));
   } catch (error) {
     console.log('error:', error);
-    return yield put(updateRequestError(error.message));
+    return yield put(onRequestError(error.message));
   }
   // put action to add request to asset request list
   yield put(addRequestToAssetRequests(id, null, name, longId));
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ function* newAssetRequest (action) {
   try {
     ({data: shortId} = yield call(getShortId, name, longId));
   } catch (error) {
-    return yield put(updateRequestError(error.message));
+    return yield put(onRequestError(error.message));
   }
   // get asset claim data
   console.log(`getting asset claim data ${name} ${longId}`);
@@ -30,13 +30,13 @@ function* newAssetRequest (action) {
   try {
     ({data: claimData} = yield call(getClaimData, name, longId));
   } catch (error) {
-    return yield put(updateRequestError(error.message));
+    return yield put(onRequestError(error.message));
   }
   // put action to add asset to asset list
   const assetKey = `a#${name}#${longId}`;
   yield put(addAssetToAssetList(assetKey, null, name, longId, shortId, claimData));
   // clear any errors in request error
-  yield put(updateRequestError(null));
+  yield put(onRequestError(null));
 };
 
 export function* watchNewAssetRequest () {
diff --git a/react/sagas/show_channel.js b/react/sagas/show_channel.js
index b6eaa1ac..40aeddeb 100644
--- a/react/sagas/show_channel.js
+++ b/react/sagas/show_channel.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { call, put, takeLatest } from 'redux-saga/effects';
 import * as actions from 'constants/show_action_types';
-import { addNewChannelToChannelList, addRequestToChannelRequests, updateRequestError, updateChannelClaims } from 'actions/show';
+import { addNewChannelToChannelList, addRequestToChannelRequests, onRequestError, updateChannelClaims } from 'actions/show';
 import { getChannelClaims, getChannelData } from 'api/channelApi';
 
 function* getNewChannelAndUpdateChannelList (action) {
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ function* getNewChannelAndUpdateChannelList (action) {
   try {
     ({ data: {longChannelClaimId: longId, shortChannelClaimId: shortId} } = yield call(getChannelData, name, channelId));
   } catch (error) {
-    return yield put(updateRequestError(error.message));
+    return yield put(onRequestError(error.message));
   }
   // store the request in the channel requests list
   yield put(addRequestToChannelRequests(id, null, name, longId, shortId));
@@ -21,13 +21,13 @@ function* getNewChannelAndUpdateChannelList (action) {
   try {
     ({ data: claimsData } = yield call(getChannelClaims, name, longId, 1));
   } catch (error) {
-    return yield put(updateRequestError(error.message));
+    return yield put(onRequestError(error.message));
   }
   // store the channel data in the channel list
   const channelKey = `c#${name}#${longId}`;
   yield put(addNewChannelToChannelList(channelKey, name, shortId, longId, claimsData));
   // clear any request errors
-  yield put(updateRequestError(null));
+  yield put(onRequestError(null));
 }
 
 export function* watchNewChannelRequest () {
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ function* getNewClaimsAndUpdateChannel (action) {
   try {
     ({ data: claimsData } = yield call(getChannelClaims, name, longId, page));
   } catch (error) {
-    return yield put(updateRequestError(error.message));
+    return yield put(onRequestError(error.message));
   }
   yield put(updateChannelClaims(channelKey, claimsData));
 }