"Ladies and gentlemen, the reason I've gathered you all here today is to watch TV. As for any other thoughts, I don't have them at the moment," Kyle said, sitting casually in his chair.
Just watching TV?!
As soon as he said this, everyone present, whether it was Donna, the President of Jinshuguang TV Group, or the executives of WB and UPN TV stations, all disbelieved him.
Having worked with their boss for so long, how could they not know his temperament?
It was nothing more than a warning, to make them take things seriously!
Producing original TV dramas is an important sign of whether a TV station can advance further!
Ms. Donna added, "Everyone, since the boss has spoken, let's just watch TV tonight and enjoy the broadcast of 'Prison Break'."
Everyone nodded in unison.
For the first season of the TV series "Prison Break," the group had invested nearly 15 million US dollars, with an average production cost of 700,000 US dollars per episode.
This expenditure, in the current American television landscape, was indeed not low, even ranking among the top five.
After all, even the famous HBO (Home Box Office) had only just begun its era of high-cost, high-quality boutique TV dramas.
High-budget TV dramas were not as common back then as they would become later.
At 8 PM, with many families eagerly awaiting, "Prison Break" began airing on time.
"Wow!"
Toffer, a 17-year-old boy from a Utah family, exclaimed excitedly, "Is the opening this explosive?"
Indeed it was!
The male lead started by leaving a tattoo parlor, then entered a bank with a gun, and sought to be actively arrested.
The opening was very captivating.
Toffer's dad, holding a plate of French fries, also sat down enthusiastically: "Prison Break? Is this the TV series that WB Network has been promoting for two months? From the visuals, it looks really good."
Toffer's mom also chimed in, "The editing rhythm is also very fast.
It's completely unlike the TV series we've watched in the past; it's just like watching a Hollywood blockbuster."
"Exactly, I think so too," Toffer nodded.
In a short time, the Toffer family of three was completely captivated by "Prison Break."
High-budget, fast-edited TV series were definitely a rarity in America in 1998.
Extremely captivating!
...Washington State.
Diana Vinsky, a middle school teacher and a seasoned TV series enthusiast, was a prime example of someone who had watched countless shows.
Today, she was captivated by "Prison Break"!
"Wow, this is really good. How can a TV station like WB Network, which is primarily focused on variety and entertainment shows, produce such a high-quality TV series?!"
Teacher Diana murmured.
"Diana, why are you still watching that damn TV series? Don't you know today is the Wizards vs. Bulls game? Give me that damn remote control now~!"
Diana's husband, fat George, was like an angry bull at this moment.
However, Diana ignored him.
"Hey, hey, hey, please don't ignore my existence, Teacher Diana!" Fat George shouted.
At this moment, Diana also got angry.
"Watch the game? Go to hell!"
"Will you die if you miss one or two games?"
"What about me watching TV? I usually don't argue with you, do you think I'm afraid of you?!"
"You guy, you don't even know how good 'Prison Break' is, yet you dare to yell and shout here, bullying a woman like me. Are you even a man?!"
Teacher Diana, usually gentle with people, roared in anger like a heavy machine gun firing bullets, completely stunning George.
George: "..."
At this moment, fat George no longer had his usual arrogant demeanor; he was as obedient as a baby, curled up on the sofa.
What could he do?
He was also very desperate!
He could only choose to watch "Prison Break" with his wife, Teacher Diana.
"A crappy TV show, could it really be more exciting than a game?" George cursed under his breath.
Of course, he didn't dare to speak loudly, afraid of being scolded!
However... when the first half of "Prison Break" Season 1 was broadcast, George was completely captivated by the TV screen.
"Wow, he actually wants to break out of prison!"
"Oh my goodness, this is truly a crazy idea, no, this is a genius idea!"
"He tattooed the map on his body, that's so cool!"
George's chattering behavior was exactly like a fan watching a game.
"Prison Break" had such charm!
Its brilliance might not compare to later shows like "House of Cards," its storytelling appeal might not match "Game of Thrones," and its visual explosiveness might not rival "The Walking Dead" and other TV series, but its overall watchability was absolutely first-rate, even super first-rate, among American dramas.
Even in 2020, watching this American drama still held considerable watchability!
Not to mention in 1998!
It was absolutely a "game-changer" performance!
...Los Angeles.
"My God, I never expected that besides their incredibly awesome variety shows, WB TV station is also equally excellent in producing TV dramas!" exclaimed lawyer Sanding excitedly.
San Francisco.
"The TV series 'Prison Break' definitely spared no expense; the level of detail in its visuals surpasses even many Hollywood films," shouted truck driver Sam.
New York.
"Damn WB TV station!"
"Such a brilliant TV series, and they only air one episode a week. This is going to kill my anticipation!"
"Oh my goodness, it's rare to come across such a great TV series!"
William, the oil painter known as "Red Snake," was very displeased at the moment.
Families in major American cities such as Philadelphia, Boston, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Atlanta, Denver, and more, were all full of praise and interest for the TV series "Prison Break."
This was not an exaggeration at all!
In fact, in the original timeline, "Prison Break" attracted countless viewers as soon as it aired. The first season averaged 24 million live viewers per episode, and the live viewership for the first season finale reached an astonishing 39 million.
An absolute flagship series!
Yes, it was a phenomenal TV series that would kill anyone who stood in its way, even a Buddha!
"Boss, the viewership for the first episode has been tallied," Ms. Donna said, taking a report from a staff member.
Of course, this current report was a rough estimate; the professional data would need to be calculated by a specialized company, and those results would only be known the next morning. But even so, the rough statistics were quite accurate, and the error wouldn't be too far off.
14 million viewers!
Hiss!
As soon as her voice fell, all the executives present gasped.
However, in less than a few seconds, the entire venue was covered in cheers!
Rondo Willardbar, President of WB Network: "Hahaha, it seems I am quite lucky. 'Prison Break's' premiere performance, in terms of today's viewership, is definitely among the top three."
For a moment, the executives of WB Network were also extremely excited.
After all, this represented their achievement!
The executives of UPN Network, standing by, were extremely envious.
Kurt Sipplins, the new President of UPN Network, also congratulated the WB Network team, but cursed incessantly in his heart.
"What's there to be proud of? 'Prison Break' was supposed to be broadcast on our UPN Network, but you guys snatched it away."
That's right.
According to Kyle's original plan, the two American dramas "Prison Break" and "The Walking Dead" were supposed to be broadcast on UPN Network, but at Ms. Donna's suggestion, they were changed to be broadcast on WB Network.
"Quiet down, everyone!"
Kyle said with a smile, "'Prison Break's' performance is good, but don't forget, tonight is the broadcast of episode 9 of 'Friends Season 5.' The title of the day's top viewership probably won't be ours. But for second place, we absolutely won't back down."