Hollywood Hunter

The official launch date of "Desperate Housewives" is Thursday, September 17.

A very golden schedule for TV series.

On the other hand, it has to be said that the start time of "Desperate Housewives" is really a little flattering.

The "Forbes" list of the 400 richest Americans in the United States has just been released, and the hot debate has not subsided. At this time, a TV series rumored to be led and created by Simon Westero himself was launched, even if it was a female TV station. The program also naturally attracted a lot of attention.

USA TV network also seized this opportunity just right, and made no effort to promote the "Desperate Housewives".

Of course, just like the box office is to a movie, for a TV series, the ratings are always a topic that cannot be escaped. What about "Desperate Housewives" still depends on the ratings.

The first episode of "Desperate Housewives" starts at nine o'clock on Thursday night, with "The New York Wife" which started the previous week as the lead.

As one of USA TV network's new year's heavyweights, it is related to the further layout of this TV network. The executives of USA TV network almost all stayed at the headquarters on the east and west coasts that day and waited for the ratings in real time.

As the lead of "The New York Wife" came to an end, the ratings suddenly rose sharply, and USA executives had already realized something.

At nine o'clock, the first season of "Desperate Housewives" was broadcast, and the ratings directly exceeded those of "The New York Wife".

Moreover, compared with the first episode of the second season of "The Sweet Wife of New York", it is not difficult to find that the preliminary ratings data for the second season of this reality show are also significantly better than the first episode.

The USA originally planned to let "The Sweet Wife of New York" as the mainstay of TV station ratings guide the popularity of "Desperate Housewives", but it is obvious that this drama that has just started, because of the previous attention, actually boosted it. The popularity of "The New York Wife".

Early in the morning of the next day, various mainstream media in North America published reviews of this new drama that received much attention.

"Variety Show" praised "Desperate Housewives", ‘just after the broadcast, a fascinating and mysterious country was constructed through the vivid character image and excellent plot foreshadowing, and people can’t help but start looking forward to the further development of the story’.

A critic of the "Hollywood Reporter" also said jokingly, "Before the series started, I doubted whether Simon Westero participated in the creation of the series. After the series started, I couldn't help but doubt even more. Why can Stello do so well'.

In addition to the two professional media, most other mainstream newspapers also praised "Desperate Housewives".

Later, when the ratings data came to light, "Desperate Housewives" completely settled on the label of a dark horse in the fall season.

After more than a year of reorganization and expansion, the current USA television network covers a total of 72 million viewers in the United States, which is equivalent to about one-third of the current population of the United States.

This kind of ratings is actually not too high among the major cable television networks in the United States. Turner Broadcasting Company’s CNN and Viacom’s MTV TV network have much more viewer coverage than USA.

Moreover, in the early 1990s, the traditional major television networks in the United States still occupied a very strong market position. Although cable television has become popular rapidly, most of the cable networks that appear in the audience's candidate program list as bundled packages, except for CNN and MTV, have basically not high ratings. Many historical and technological channels have viewers for ten and a half days. I don’t choose it once a month, and I sometimes skip it when I’m pressed by the remote control.

Before the merger of MCA, although the USA TV network was better than many unpopular cable channels that were often skipped, it was still far from popular cable TV networks such as CNN and MTV.

Through the previous year’s operations, the USA led by "The Beverly Wife" and "The New York Wife", with other program development and spare no effort in publicity investment, this originally inconspicuous cable network has successfully confirmed In order to achieve its position as a female TV network, the two major serious shows in the previous viewing year have averaged more than 5 million viewers, which is already a very good result.

It can be said that the accumulation of many years before the USA and the reorganization of the past year have laid a very good foundation for the rise of this cable TV network.

The audience coverage of 72 million is enough for this TV network to show its strength.

Therefore, when "Desperate Housewives", which is not lacking in topics and attention, was launched, the quality of the drama itself was excellent, and many things were a matter of course.

In the end, on the first day of the broadcast, the average viewership of the first episode of "Desperate Housewives" reached 7.36 million, and the core viewership rate for the 18-49 age group was 4.1. At the same time, the highest number of viewers of the entire first episode of the series also rushed to a high of 8.71 million. The highest number appeared in the second half of the first episode, which also faintly indicates that the ratings of subsequent episodes of "Desperate Housewives" are likely to continue to rise. .

At the same time, the ratings of "Desperate Housewives" on Thursday night also rushed to the sixth high.

The top five are all TV programs on public television networks.

In comparison, "The New Yorker Wife", which originally wanted to be the leader of "Desperate Housewives" to guide the popularity of this new drama, had an average viewership of only 5.91 million in the second episode of the second season, and a core viewership rate of 2.7. It is a bit higher than the average viewership of 5.76 million in the first episode.

You know, under normal circumstances, the ratings of the first episode of a non-preliminary continuation series are often relatively high.

Obviously, "The Sweet Wife of New York" not only did not guide the popularity of "Desperate Housewives", but was influenced by "Desperate Housewives" and increased the ratings.

On Thursday night, the TV series with the highest ratings was "Law and Order" on NBC Channel, with 17.56 million viewers and a viewership rate of 10.7.

The ratings data of "Law and Order" and "Desperate Housewives" seem to be quite different. However, the coverage of NBC is almost national, and the audience coverage of USA is only one-third of the US population, and, The positioning of the female TV station of the USA TV network once again restricted the play of "Desperate Housewives".

Under the dual influence, "Desperate Housewives" can reach an average viewership of 7.36 million, and it continues to rise. As a cable TV drama series, this has reached a ‘phenomenon level’.

If the two dramas are placed on the same standard platform, it is not difficult to imagine that the ratings data of "Desperate Housewives" can definitely overwhelm "Law and Order."

With the exposure of the ratings data of "Desperate Housewives" and the heated discussion in the media, many cable TV providers have begun to contact Daenerys Entertainment, hoping to introduce the USA TV network.

In order to speed up the promotion of the USA TV network, the cable network did not increase the operator’s share in the past year. However, as the number of operators requiring the introduction of the USA TV network increases, the management team can also start to consider increasing the share price.

At the same time, advertising prices on the USA TV network increased, but it was immediate.

While intensively planning the follow-up development strategy, Daenerys Entertainment was not stingy, and directly announced that it would hold a celebration party for the main creative team of the series on the weekend after the broadcast of "Desperate Housewives".

Although the USA TV network is jointly owned by Daenerys Entertainment and Paramount Communications, the location of the celebration party was naturally chosen at the event center of Daenerys Studios in Malibu.

On September 19, the day was dark, and the staff activity center on the second floor of Daenerys Studios was crowded with people.

The three major programs of the USA TV network have been released recently. Not only the newly launched "Desperate Housewives", the other two majors, the new season's "The Beverly Wife" and "The New York Wife" have also won The ratings are very good, and the main creators of other programs on the TV network have also been invited. Therefore, the party hall scene obviously has a few signs of prosperity.

"Ms. Ward, the perfect housewife Bry you played is so brilliant and charming. I can't wait to see the second episode broadcast."

"Thank you, sir?"

"My name is John Peterson."

"Oh, I know, Mr. Peterson, nice to meet you."

"I'm also glad to meet you," John Peterson politely shook hands with Shera Ward again, and then said in a casual tone: "By the way, Ms. Ward, I happen to have a project role in my hand. It suits you well, can I leave a contact information, maybe we can take the time to try and chat?"

Although she used to have very low coffee positions, Shera Ward knows a lot of trends within Hollywood.

As the head of the film business of Columbia Pictures under Sony, he is also one of Hollywood's very qualified producers, and has worked with big names such as Spielberg. If it is other actresses, hints like John Peterson can often be easily ‘captured’.

It's just that, listening to the middle-aged man in front of him say so, the smile on Sheila Ward's face did not change much, but her eyes subconsciously searched among the crowd.

I still haven't seen a guy.

Some disappointment, but no more hesitation.

Sometimes, the more simply rejected, the less trouble.

Relying on the success of "Desperate Housewives", although it is only a TV series, she also knows very well that she has completely established a foothold in Hollywood. This USA series, if everything goes well, it will definitely be easy to shoot more than three seasons, even five or six seasons are not impossible.

This long time was enough for her to look for further opportunities without relying on external forces.

Since some guy put her into this TV show, she will probably only be in the TV circle in the future, but this is actually not bad. She is 36 years old this year, and without strong support in the film industry, it would be difficult for her to develop much.

Quickly making up her mind, Sheila Ward shook her head, and apologized: "I'm sorry, Mr. Peterson, I didn't bring my business card tonight."

"It's okay," Qiang Peterson repeatedly didn't feel the rejection of the woman in front of him. He readily took out a business card of his own and handed it over, saying: "There is my contact information, Ms. Ward, if you are interested, You can contact me at any time."

Seeing this, Shella Ward had to reach out and take the other party's business card.

As a veteran Hollywood producer, John Peterson certainly does not lack his pride, and decisively left after sending a business card.

Sheila Ward hesitated for a moment with a glass of champagne in one hand and a business card in the other. She was about to put the business card in her handbag. It's not easy to throw it directly on this occasion. She noticed the commotion not far away, and glanced over. I saw the figure of a young man.

Westeros was chatting with Paramount Communications Chairman Martin Davis as he walked into the lobby. Several other people followed, and the guests in the lobby turned their attention to a certain young man.

Coincidentally, the other party also happened to look over and glanced at the business card in her hand with interest.

There is an inexplicable feeling of being caught.

Immediately afterwards, he murmured in my heart, I only had a one-night stand with him once. Although, well, that night in Seattle was indeed wonderful, but a certain man rarely appeared in her life afterwards.

Hollywood is big, she is just a small person after all.

The eyes of the opposite side immediately retracted as soon as they touched it, and for a short while, nothing seemed to happen.

Sheila Ward noticed that many guests around her were quietly gathering towards Westeros, and she couldn't help but feel more guilty. He reacted and quietly pushed in the opposite direction, and deliberately put the card with a bit of anger. Put it in the handbag, as if to prove to something that I am not afraid of someone.

On the other side, Simon nodded with the guests who came forward to greet him from time to time, and finally came to a sofa in the corner of the hall to sit down, and talked to Martin Davis about the next step of the USA TV network. The topic turned to the two sides in the movie. Cooperation.

During this time, Simon has been considering one thing, whether to continue to postpone the development of the "Mission Impossible" series.

Mainly, the schedule for next year is a bit crowded.

Especially at the end of next year.

It’s just Daenerys Entertainment. If all the originally planned movies are withdrawn, there will be 3D animations "The Lion King", "Forrest Gump" and "Mission Impossible" in cooperation with Paramount Pictures. In addition, the "Steel Bones" of the DC Movie Universe will also be released at the end of next year.

Leaving aside others, "The Lion King" and "Forrest Gump" are two blockbuster films that have reached 300 to 400 million U.S. dollars in box office in the original time and space. They would have consumed most of the resources of one schedule. "Mission Impossible" and "Steel Bones", then, the ending will only cause internal friction.

It is naturally possible to adjust the schedule.

However, in the summer of 1994, there was "Batman: The Dark Knight Rises".

This is another blockbuster with a volume of 300 million dollars.

In fact, the same goes for the future.

It can't be dragged on forever.

After much consideration and several discussions with Paramount, Simon made a general decision. The development plan of "Mission Impossible" remains the same, and the schedule of "The Lion King" remains unchanged. At the same time, "Forrest Gump" is adjusted. By the summer of 1994, the release date was roughly determined on the American Independence Day holiday in July, which was one month away from the June "Batman: The Dark Knight Rises".

Alone Day is very suitable for the theme of "Forrest Gump", a month difference, "Batman: The Dark Knight Rises" will not cause too serious impact on "Forrest Gump".

As for the end of 1993, a blockbuster with a volume of 300 million US dollars was lost, and several other films will have enough room to play.