America: Starting with the acquisition of MGM...

Chapter 256, page 255: I'm a big brush, unlike the female lead.

"Hahaha...you're really stubborn! You're still not giving up on this pile of shit!"

Looking at the TV screen, where Fox was still trying to discredit "American Idol," Eric couldn't help but admire them.

Theron lay in his arms, crawling like a lazy kitten, but her figure was too good; at 177cm tall, she couldn't look small even when curled up.

"I really don't understand what these people are thinking. American Idol has been criticized to death. If it were me, I would let the show die on its own and just fulfill the contract with the sponsors."

"I'm afraid Fox isn't worried at all, after all, it's a flagship show that just became popular last year, and the first season caused a ratings frenzy."

Eric thought about it and realized it made sense. Last year, "American Idol" ranked third in the US annual ratings, an absolutely phenomenal performance that earned Fox hundreds of millions of dollars in profit.

It is said that they bought the copyright from the UK for only $300 million. They didn't expect the show to be a hit; they just wanted to temporarily replace an old variety show. Unexpectedly, it turned out to be a great success.

Such a promising talent could have become a super money-making machine, but it ruined itself in just the second season.

Let alone Fox being unwilling to accept this, anyone in his shoes would be unwilling to accept it, and almost everyone would try their best to salvage the situation.

Moreover, besides "American Idol," Fox currently has other popular variety shows that it wants to keep going until the next big hit show comes along before retiring "American Idol."

But the more resources they invest, the happier MGM becomes, the happier Lionheart becomes, and the happier Eric becomes as well.

Given the current poor reputation of "American Idol," the more effort they put into promoting it, the more criticism they will receive.

On the contrary, "The Voice of China" became the beneficiary, with a large number of viewers being attracted to Lionheart.com, which is truly heartless!

"Honey, I'm also a premium member of Lionheart.com, contributing $12.99 to you every month," Theron said with a smile.

Eric pinched her cheek: "$12.99, that's a huge sum. I've got it. So now you still owe me less than $10 billion."

"What!" Theron stared at him, her eyes wide.

"The soy milk I give you every time, according to scientific research, is rich in hundreds of millions of tiny tadpoles, which are very precious."

"Did you know that there's always a bounty on the black market? Someone's offering high prices to buy the tadpoles of all sorts of wealthy and powerful people."

"Huh? Really? No way!" Theron's mouth dropped open in surprise.

Eric seized the opportunity to capture the tongue and suck on it: "Surprised? But don't be surprised yet, because this is the truth."

"Bill Gates, Tom Cruise, Bezos, Vince Young, and many other celebrities and billionaires are on the list. I am one of them, and I am ranked quite high."

"Those guys want it, okay, what do they want to do with it? What's the use of this thing?"

"What's the use? It's extremely useful. You can artificially cultivate children, you know about in-vitro fertilization? After having a child, you can use it to extort money from celebrities and the wealthy."

"These things are hard to explain. As long as the DNA test matches, even if you really didn't do it, you can't deny it. The media will definitely be very keen to gossip about it."

"Making things too big will only lead to disgrace, so many people choose to suffer in silence and pay a fine to avoid trouble."

"Honey, you're a woman, so you might not have noticed, but actually, near many male celebrities' homes, besides paparazzi, there's also a group of people who rummage through trash cans looking for used condoms."

"It would be best if there were fresh stock inside. Once it's on the black market, people will line up all the way to Washington to buy it. It's a scarce resource that's worth the price but not available."

"Ugh!!!" Theron waved his hand disgustedly.

"Stop talking, I feel like throwing up."

Eric laughed heartily: "You ate quite a lot too, what's so disgusting about it? Didn't you say it tasted great?"

"Yes, that's true, it has a slightly sweet and sour orange flavor."

"Then tell me, do you owe me a lot of money?"

"Go to hell!"

Theron slapped Eric, and the two immediately rolled around and kissed passionately.

Catching her breath, Theron asked, "Honey, could you get me a copy of the internal resources for 'The Voice'? I really want to watch it."

"No, no, I signed a confidentiality agreement, and the original resources are with Mei Yi. I have to tell Michael Jackson if I want to take them. Taking without permission is theft, no matter how good your relationship is." Eric shook his head and refused.

"Then I won't make things difficult for you. Just tell me who the champion is, okay?"

"I have no idea."

"Liar! You're the producer, how could you not know? Tell me, I won't leak it."

"I really don't know. The finals haven't been recorded yet. Michael Jordan's point is to see how the players perform on the day. He hates the unspoken rule of pre-determining the champion."

"The finals weren't recorded, does that mean the semifinals were recorded? Then tell me who the winners of the four teams were."

Seeing the man's hesitation, Theron took Eric's hand and put it inside her pajamas.

"Please, please, just say it, darling. Katy Perry will definitely stay until the end, right? I love her the most."

Eric was so charmed by Theron's coquettishness that his mouth was stretched into a wide, puffy shape.

"You guessed right, Katy Perry did make it to the end, and there's also Bruno Mars, Taylor Swift, and Cyril Trudeau. The four of them will be competing for the championship."

"Who's winning?"

"Honey, it's no use no matter how many times you try. The finals haven't been recorded yet, and I really don't know either."

Theron puffed out her cheeks: "I don't believe you! Oh, and there's something else I wanted to ask you."

"What?"

"What do you think about making TV dramas? Which has a brighter future, movies or TV dramas?"

Sensing that she seemed to have realized something, Eric laughed and said, "Why would you have such a question? Movies are definitely better than TV series now."

"I know movies are stronger now, but I mean the future. Haven't you noticed? It seems like suddenly a lot of movie stars are starting to switch to the small screen."

"Especially Lionheart's newly released 'House of Cards,' wow! Kevin Spacey's performance is absolutely captivating. The dramatic plot twists combined with his Oscar-worthy acting make this show like a whirlpool that keeps viewers firmly hooked."

"You know what, honey? I finished watching it in one day. Last weekend, I spent the whole day lying in bed and on the sofa watching variety shows and 'House of Cards'."

"The last time I had this kind of performance was probably back in high school."

"By the way, didn't you come up with a new concept a few days ago? What was it called again?"

Binge-watching, binge-watching TV shows!

"Yes, it's binge-watching. Now it's spawned a new term, 'brush,' which refers to someone who binge-watches 'The Voice,' 'House of Cards,' and 'Supernatural' all at once. I'm a big brush now."

"Hahahaha," Eric couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"The Voice of China" became the first hit show on Lionheart.com to go viral due to its star power, competitions, and PK battles.

House of Cards wasn't far behind either; viewers who had finished watching the first half of The Voice would soon turn their attention to House of Cards.

In particular, House of Cards is well-made. The 12 episodes are not a large number, but the pace is very fast, and each episode contains several climaxes and conflicts.

Most viewers couldn't take their eyes off the screen after watching the first ten minutes of the first episode, and then watched episode after episode until they finished the whole series without realizing it. Afterwards, they wanted to find someone to discuss the plot with.

The show has been rated on IMDb and has lived up to expectations, scoring 9.1. 75% of the votes were 8 or higher, demonstrating its high reputation.

Although, conventionally, scores usually decline as the number of ratings increases and time goes by, this has already surprised many people.

Currently, House of Cards is ranked 11th on the IMDb TV series ranking, just shy of breaking into the top ten.

This ranking list includes not only TV series, but also various anime and other content, making it more comprehensive and complex than the movie ranking list. It is easy to imagine how difficult it is to get a high score in it.

Scroll through the comments below; those are scenes that many directors dream of.

"House of Cards perfectly demonstrates what it means to be amazing. Even though I absolutely hate political dramas, to the point of feeling physically averse to them and nauseous, this show was so good that I couldn't stop watching. That's what you call amazing!"

"A phenomenal show! This series perfectly demonstrates that politics is a game for people with high IQs, high EQs, and low empathy."

"House of Cards is definitely the best show of the year. Watching the slick-dressed politicians, media, and upper-class people scheming and fighting each other in their own dramatic way is so satisfying! I love watching them fight like dogs, and watching it all in one go was so enjoyable!"

"Having watched the British version, I immediately registered for a membership to watch this version. Unlike the British version, Eric Cooper's version of 'House of Cards' is completely dark and belongs to the political thriller genre, filled with cold-blooded and ruthless politicians. Frank always likes to break the fourth wall and talk to himself because their stories can only be told to themselves."

"Satan, the throne belongs to you alone!"

"Are all your reviews this complicated? My biggest takeaway after reading them is that office workers desperately need a rowing machine. Where can I buy one?"

"My dad and I watched all 12 episodes in one go. We barely ate lunch. I hope Lionheart will produce a second season soon, and I also hope they can release more excellent series like House of Cards so that I can lose weight."

"Raise your hand if you watched it all in one go, I'm a pro!"

"The relationship between the male and female protagonists is truly divine. From them, I learned that self-interest is always more reliable than feelings."

"Breaking the fourth wall is a very clever tactic. It can both explain the conspiracy hidden beneath the surface and maximize Kevin Spacey's personal charm. The whole show has a somber tone, juicy dialogue, and a complex plot, which is just my cup of tea."

"I haven't had any hope of a villain winning since 'Tom and Jerry,' but are there really any good guys in this show?"

"My cousin recommended it, and I subscribed to a membership for 'House of Cards.' I must admit it was well worth the money; Eric Cooper always hits my sweet spot perfectly."

"House of Cards is written and directed by Eric Cooper again. I've noticed that every film he's in charge of is a masterpiece. He's definitely the top young director. Note that when I say young, I mean under 40."

"Great job, Eric Cooper!"

Because of the immense popularity of "House of Cards," some viewers even questioned why Eric Carle didn't win the Oscar for Best Director. Even if he wanted to stay behind the scenes, his talent was simply too great.

Ugh!

No, absolutely not!

"Honey, because of the huge success of 'House of Cards,' Kevin Spacey's salary has skyrocketed, and his market value has now reached $1300 million."

"Envious? When Inception is released, your salary won't be lower than that figure."

"Not entirely. I just think filming TV dramas is a good option. As long as you come across a suitable script, it's worth a try. What do you think?"

Eric shook his head: "My advice is to wait, at least a year from now, when the market should have changed significantly."

"What do you mean? You always say such vague things. Not everyone sees things as clearly as you do."

"Baby, Lionheart.com will completely change the market environment for film and television dramas, at least television dramas. Its existence will help or force film and television dramas to develop in a more refined direction."

"To produce a good drama, investment is essential. Money is the foundation of everything. Perhaps in a year, more and more movie stars will join in. It won't be too late for you to get involved then."

Eric's suggestion was based on the trajectory of the American TV drama market before the time travel, and judging from the current situation, things are indeed developing in that direction.

On the other side of the distant ocean, it was afternoon.

A press conference is underway in Yanjing.

The list includes a deputy director of the Optoelectronics Bureau, a deputy director of Yanjing TV, a manager of Longteng Company, the two male leads of "Supernatural", and Liu Yifei, among others.

Longteng Company is a newly established company in China specifically responsible for importing American dramas. Whether it will expand its authority to handle other genres in the future remains to be seen.

Currently, the company is affiliated with the Optoelectronics Bureau and is a subordinate unit. The general manager and legal representative is Han Sanping.

"Manager Chen, is 'Supernatural' the first American TV series officially imported to China after the turn of the millennium? Could you explain its significance?"

"Ahem. Strictly speaking, it's not Supernatural. CCTV's overseas drama channel has always been broadcasting American dramas, such as Band of Brothers. I think many people have seen it."

"However, the fact that Supernatural is being broadcast on Beijing TV this time means that the door to importing shows to local TV stations has been reopened."

Everyone present knew that a new official document had been issued recently, and they immediately understood that today's press conference was a confirmation of that.

The reporter then turned to Liu Yifei: "What is the main responsibility of the character you play in the TV series?"

Liu Yifei looked at the Wen family duo beside her: "Dean and Sam are evil spirit killers, and I can also be considered a demon hunter. We were originally rivals, but later became friends, and I helped them fight against evil spirits and demons."

"So you're the female lead?"

After hesitating for a moment, Liu Yifei looked to the side again, then spoke to the other person in English, and the Wen family duo immediately laughed.

"I don't know how to answer this question, but it doesn't seem like I can be called the female lead, although I have the most screen time among all the female characters."

"Who in the drama do you have a romantic storyline with?"

"No, that's why I said I don't look like the female lead!"

(End of this chapter)