Chapter 134 – The Agency is Very Protective of Its Talent

Chapter 134 - The Agency is Very Protective of Its Talent

As Si Cuichuan's first episode reached its conclusion, the real-time viewership climbed to 1.97, almost breaking the 2 mark from an initial 0.7, without any dips in between. It was already remarkable, but there was more to come.

Even after the show transitioned into commercials, the viewership for Si Cuichuan remained high at 1.9. As the ad breaks continued, the ratings slowly increased!

Seeing this performance on forums, people were convinced that Si Cuichuan was set for a huge success. Even with the impact of the holiday season, it couldn't hinder its momentum.

"I'm convinced, the audience can't bear to leave and are waiting for the next episode's preview."

"The audience's loyalty is incredible; this bodes well for the ratings surge after the holiday break."

"The advertisers must be laughing all the way to the bank."

"My company's boss ordered the PR department to create an advertising plan for Si Cuichuan in the middle of the night! They've allocated an S-grade budget – the response is truly swift."

"The drama series is sponsored by Little Blue Ocean Face Mask. Rumor has it they spent only six million – what a steal! Any future sponsors will have to start at least ten million."

By the time the preview for Si Cuichuan finished, the peak viewership soared to 2.1! The average viewership was 1.62! It held a 39% share of the prime time slot from 10 to 11 PM! This meant that during that hour, 39 out of every 100 TV viewers were watching Si Cuichuan!

This is like giving birth to a freak of nature!

"I think Nine O'Clock's capabilities have been underestimated. They've made this drama thrilling!"

"But Nine O'Clock's hit dramas were amazing in the past too. After they aired, their ad ratings reached 1.9. Would you believe it? Their ad ratings were even higher than other dramas' main episodes!"

"That settles it, Tang Fei is incredible!"

How could the preview be more popular than the actual episode, and with such an engaging plot?

In the past three years, Xiangnan TV's 10 PM slot had an average rating of only 0.6. During summer vacation, it was 1.2, and during winter vacation, it was 0.9. Tang Fei's drama marked the highest opening rating for Xiangnan TV's 10 PM slot in sixteen years.

Sixteen years ago, the highest 10 PM rating record belonged to the legendary actress He Zhuhua's 'Shanghai Night,' which premiered at 1.9 and had an average rating of 2.8 for the entire series. 'Si Cuichuan' gave people hope that the record might be broken. If not for the ratings dip during the New Year, it might have had a real shot at breaking the record if it aired during the summer vacation.

'Si Cuichuan' had a higher single-channel premiere rating than 'Fly, Tennis' on Huadong TV. 'Fly, Tennis' premiered at 1.41 on Huadong TV and 0.95 on Capital TV, summing up to 2.36. In terms of single-platform ratings, 'Si Cuichuan' already surpassed 'Fly, Tennis.' It was second only to 'Football Teenager,' which had a rating of 1.7.

This achievement was despite 'Si Cuichuan' starting off slow. The second episode was likely when the drama would truly take off.

Zhi Le's professional sector had already started analyzing the success formula behind 'Si Cuichuan.'

In the gossip section, all people could do was shout "6" in admiration.

"It's the year of TV dramas! It started with a bang."

"The beginning of the year is truly radiant."

"I calculated Tang Fei's backlog, and the prospects for 'Psychic Frenzy' are explosive too! Although 'Happiness Hotel' is an online series, the cast is impressive, so even without high online views, it'll gain word-of-mouth. Could this be the Year of Tang Fei?"

"With 'Si Cui's Story' achieving such ratings, there's no point watching others. I'm eagerly awaiting 'Psychic Frenzy'."

"After 'Si Cui's Story', Tang Fei will likely dominate both online and offline platforms."

Ordinary viewers, on the other hand, were discussing the plot, with the most attention given to the trailers. Some dedicated fans even made screenshots for analysis.

"In the second episode, the palace-wide theft case was resolved swiftly, maintaining their usual efficiency!

Did you notice the two-second shot of the shop closure outside the palace in the trailer? It seems to leave a cliffhanger. The mastermind behind the scenes can't just be a few eunuchs or palace maids. Everyone in the preview is mysteriously silent, communicating with sidelong glances. Whoever it is must have significant power. Who could it be?

I've listed a few suspects: the Concubine, who might be crying wolf; Chief Eunuch Yuan, the head of the imperial guards, General Wang; and White Concubine, who only appeared once, but let's include her for the sake of discussion."

There was also a shot of Si Cui with a sword at her throat. Whose sword was this? Judging by the hand, it belonged to a man. Could it be that the mastermind behind the scenes had hired someone to assassinate Si Cui?

Each detail was captured in screenshots. Many people, who hadn't watched the drama, were drawn into the discussions about the plot. Apart from the faces, the storyline seemed intriguing too. Hence, they decided to watch it online.

However...

The drama wasn't available on any major video platforms!

What was going on? The video platforms hadn't purchased the drama!

The search rankings for 'Big Peach,' 'Big Goose,' and 'Big Pants' were overtaken as 'Si Cuichuan' climbed all the way to the top. But the drama itself wasn't actually online!

Could you believe it?

Wow! Those who missed the live broadcast were weeping!

"Goodness, it's 1202 already! There's still a drama that can't be found online!"

"The production team must want me dead."

"Si Cuichuan" is a carnival for candy lovers, a paradise for those who adore visuals, a phenomenon where Tang Fei's screenshots flood the internet, igniting endless discussions and topping hot search lists.

Xiangnan TV's editorial team couldn't wait three minutes before turning "Si Cuichuan"'s ratings into a promotional poster.

Highest rating: 2.02!

"Si Cuichuan!"

After the New Year! Don't miss it!

Our promise, Cui Cui will be waiting for you.

"Ahh! What? It's only after the New Year! You might as well just kill me now."

"This is the first time I'm dreading the New Year."

"I missed the live broadcast, and now clips online keep teasing me. There's no online streaming, and you're telling me Episode 2 is after the New Year? I feel like I've lost a billion dollars."

"Si Cuichuan" has impeccable ratings and storyline; positive reviews far outnumber the negative ones. Yet, there's always a peculiar online trend that gains popularity – the renowned sport of argumentation.

Polemicists thrive on going against the tide, and their favorite phrase is: "Am I the only one who feels like...?"

For instance:

"Is it just me who thinks Tang Fei is the flaw in Si Cuichuan? Though her expressions seem normal and her lip sync is accurate, the dubbing clearly exposes her lack of acting skills. Relying on voice acting to convey emotions is too casual – it's like finding a fly in an otherwise beautiful dish, spoiling the entire experience.

If Tang Fei were replaced, Si Cuichuan would surely be much better, with viewership far beyond its current state. She has squandered the potential of this drama. Fans, don't bother arguing; your arguments only confirm my point."

Sugar Thread: "...."

A polemicist telling others not to argue?

What an intriguing perspective for criticism. How do they know it would be better and gain more viewership? Based on their imagination?

Sugar Thread was eager to engage, ready to overwhelm the trolls with a barrage of counterarguments. However, someone else beat them to it.

Time Culture responded swiftly, at nine sharp.

The company's official Weibo account took matters into its own hands.

9:00 AM: "I've heard someone ask if 'Si Cuichuan' would be better without Tang Fei. I can't answer that, but I can tell you this: without Tang Fei, there would be no 'Si Cuichuan'."

Time Culture: "We've heard people inquire if 'Si Cuichuan's ratings could have been higher with a different Tang Fei. We can't speculate, but we invite you to look at these screenshots."

Time Culture displayed real-time viewing statistics of 'Si Cuichuan'; every time Tang Fei appeared on screen, the ratings spiked sharply.

Perhaps the overall ratings mainly rely on the storyline, but an actor's appeal to the audience sometimes plays a role.

Some people simply have the power to captivate viewers.

Would it be better with a replacement? No, it would be worse!

You speculate, we present evidence!

Psychic Frenzy Production Team: "We've heard requests for Tang Fei's original voice in 'Psychic Frenzy'. Her audio was recorded live on set. We welcome you to watch and find out."

Tang Fei is undoubtedly the darling of the company! Everyone's response was swift and protective.

There was no need for fans to intervene; the company was quicker than the fans themselves.

The fans put down their metaphorical weapons; if the company was taking care of it, there was no need for them to intervene. Everyone, let's boost the company's statement to the top of the trending list!

In a private hospital on the outskirts of the capital, Xing Le lay in bed with his right shoulder wrapped in bandages and his arm suspended. He watched Zhou Weichuan, who was on the balcony of the hospital room, arranging for someone to respond to the online backlash at midnight.

He rolled his eyes and whistled at Zheng Haisheng, "Hey, lackey, they're praising Tang Fei's company for protecting its favorites. The truth is that the boss is biased. If I were to leak something..."

Zheng Haisheng slapped Xing Le's injured shoulder forcefully.

Xing Le's forehead instantly bulged with veins, and beads of sweat formed on his forehead.

"I've long disliked how the boss drags their emotions around. If not for my job responsibilities, I would have leaked it a long time ago. If you want to expose it, I have plenty of evidence here. I'll give it all to you at a 20% discount."

"..."

So, exposing the truth was actually helping him? And he wanted to charge me for it?

Xing Le's mocking smile twitched uncontrollably.