Chapter 127
After #SunWukongHavocInHeaven# trended on Weibo, #SunWukongImpressedUnderFiveFingersMountain# also trended. Even a short story about Yang Jian that Xu Ying casually posted was quickly forwarded hundreds of thousands of times.
The popularity of "Journey to the West" has exceeded everyone's expectations.
February Sky's other works are also very popular, but even those works, no matter how popular, can still be estimated to have a general audience. But this drama is different.
This show is watched by everyone from eighty-year-old grandmothers to three-year-old toddlers, and they all seem to enjoy it immensely. That's quite terrifying.
Is the audience for "Journey to the West" really that wide?!
Other TV stations immediately became uneasy.
The viewership increase of "Journey to the West" is simply too astonishing. Based on the trend of the first four episodes, the finale may not even be the end.
Wang Pengyu from Jiaoyang TV reacted the fastest.
He immediately called Li Hao of Zhongyu TV Station 8: "Old Li, you have to help me this time. Our TV station wants to buy the second-run broadcast rights for 'Journey to the West'."
Li Hao was a little unhappy: "This is nothing, our TV series has only aired four episodes..."
"Oh, it won't affect anything. We'll air the first episode, and you can air the fifth or sixth. It won't affect your TV station's ratings at all. Old Li, I was the one who recommended that 'Ming Dynasty' drama to you last time. I've never kept anything from you!"
"Fine, fine, I can't argue with you. Let's have a meeting and discuss it. Wait for my notification."
"Okay, okay, I'll be waiting for your good news!"
After hanging up the phone, Wang Pengyu immediately called Xu Ying again.
The rights to the second run of "Journey to the West" were held by producers like Xu Ying and Zhou Xingyun. The reason he called Li Hao first was that the interval between the first and second runs should not have been so close.
But seeing the huge potential of the "Journey to the West" series, he insisted on getting a piece of the action.
Xu Ying never expected him to do his homework on Zhongyu Batai.
Selling early or selling late, it's all the same.
Selling it now would not only make her money, but it would also be broadcast on two channels, expanding her viewership even further. She had no reason to refuse.
"As long as you can reach an agreement with Zhongyu Eighth Station, I have no objection to selling you the second-run broadcasting rights for 'Journey to the West'."
"I've been waiting for you to say that, hahaha!"
Wang Pengyu put it simply, but in reality, the TV drama schedules on satellite channels are all arranged in advance. It would be very difficult for him to suddenly insert "Journey to the West" into the schedule, let alone want it to be in prime time.
So, after making two phone calls, he started a meeting himself.
*
While Wang Pengyu was working hard to coordinate and persuade the TV station's senior management, the TV series "Journey to the West" on Zhongyu Channel 8 was still being broadcast on time every night.
Sun Wukong was trapped under the Five Fingers Mountain.
Sun Wukong was enlightened by Guanyin and converted to Buddhism.
Sun Wukong and Tang Sanzang became master and disciple and embarked on a journey to retrieve Buddhist scriptures.
Sun Wukong and Tang Sanzang then subdued Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing, along with the White Dragon Horse. With this, the Journey to the West team was finally complete...
Netizens now see Sun Wukong the moment they open their eyes every day, and the three newly introduced main characters cannot affect his status in the hearts of the audience.
-This master is so annoying! Why is he reciting the Tightening-Headband Mantra for my Monkey King?!
I was furious when I saw that.
- What kind of attitude is this? Without my Monkey King protecting you, how could you possibly reach the Western Paradise? How dare you bully my Monkey King like this...
- Pigsy is hilarious! He's so eager to go back to Gao Village, hahaha!
I've never seen such a lecherous pig.
Marshal Tianpeng is quite imposing, but why is he so lecherous? He got into trouble in heaven because of his lust, and he still doesn't see things clearly when he comes to the mortal world.
Tang Sanzang is the reincarnation of Jin Chanzi, Sun Wukong is the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Zhu Bajie is Marshal Tianpeng, Sha Wujing is General Juanlian, and even the horse they ride is the Third Prince of the West Sea Dragon Palace. Goodness, none of the people on the journey to the West have simple identities.
......
The popularity of "Journey to the West" is visibly growing, and the executives of Yangguang TV finally couldn't sit still any longer.
As a result, Wang Pengyu naturally obtained the second-run broadcast rights for "Journey to the West" and naturally scheduled it for the recent 10 pm slot.
It's not that he didn't want to schedule it for the prime-time 8 o'clock slot.
However, this means that the broadcast times of "Journey to the West" on Jiaoyang Satellite TV and Zhongyu Channel 8 will overlap. Since the time overlaps and it is the same TV series, it will inevitably cause a split in viewership and affect each other's ratings.
The contract clearly states that this is not allowed.
He had to settle for second best and chose 10 p.m. As for the drama that was originally scheduled to air at 10 p.m., it had to be canceled because it didn't make much of a splash.
The TV series "Journey to the West" was temporarily launched on Yangguang TV, attracting a lot of attention.
Especially for those viewers who missed the first episode or were too busy to watch it, they've always wanted to catch up on the parts they missed, and now they can finally do so.
Jiaoyang TV is so thoughtful.
Upon learning that Jiaoyang TV was rebroadcasting "Journey to the West", a large number of viewers flocked to the channel, and Jiaoyang TV's evening ratings instantly exceeded 4%.
The next day, Wang Pengyu was both surprised and delighted as he looked at the soaring viewership ratings in his hand.
He expected the rerun of "Journey to the West" to be effective, but he didn't expect it to be this good. This is nothing like the viewership curve of a TV series that is rerun for the second time!
He really hit the jackpot, paying the price of second-run broadcasting rights for viewership ratings comparable to first-run broadcasting.
"Good, good, good," he said several times, and couldn't help but call Li Hao to share the good news.
Congratulations!
Li Hao offered his congratulations, but his heart remained unmoved.
He no longer cares about the ratings of Jiaoyang TV, because just last night, when the tenth episode of "Journey to the West" aired, their ratings on Channel 8 broke six.
The reason why the ratings rose so quickly is, of course, because the episode of "Journey to the West" featuring the "Three Battles with the White Bone Demon" was broadcast.
The episode of "Three Battles with the White Bone Demon" is a deeply memorable and abhorrent story for viewers, whether set in the past or in the Yu Kingdom.
In this episode, Sun Wukong suffered a great injustice. He was misunderstood by Tang Sanzang and then driven away by him, which was simply unbearable for the audience.
Sun Wukong was their hero, but Tang Sanzang was ungrateful and repeatedly misunderstood and bullied him.
It infuriated the audience!
When the audience gets angry, the ratings on Zhongyu Channel 8 skyrocket, so even if Li Hao gets criticized, he accepts it, hahaha!
Congratulations to you both!
When Wang Pengyu heard that the ratings for Zhongyu Channel 8 had broken 6, he was even more excited than Li Hao himself.
He wasn't excited for Zhongyu Channel 8; he was excited for his own TV station. Both were airing "Journey to the West," and Zhongyu Channel 8's success today was the future of their Jiaoyang TV!
"Old Li, maybe this TV series 'Journey to the West' will break 8 on your satellite channel..."
Wang Pengyu had a premonition that the ratings of "Journey to the West" would create a legend.
Their channel, Jiaoyang TV, was broadcasting a rerun, and the ratings for a rerun were destined to be lower than the first run. He didn't feel jealous; he just felt envious and longing.
TV dramas that break the 8 mark are practically worthy of being included in family genealogies.
"Thank you for your kind words."
Li Hao's face broke into wrinkles from smiling.
He had certainly thought about the TV ratings of "Journey to the West" breaking 8%, but such thoughts seemed too arrogant, so he always kept them to himself.
Wang Pengyu's words today made him overjoyed.
"Any time tonight? Let's grab a drink, you two."
"I have time, I definitely have time, and even if I don't have time, I'll make time for it."
The fact that the two directors of the film and television department had dinner together has caused an uproar among netizens.
The White Bone Demon is probably the most troublesome monster to date.
- I'm impressed by this Tang Monk.
-I'm dying of laughter that Pigsy is going back to Gao Village again. Every time something happens, he divides up the luggage.
Without Wukong, the team would be a complete mess.
-It seems like Pigsy only respects his senior brother, even though Tang Sanzang can't get him to do anything. Serves him right for driving away Monkey King!
-Because the Great Sage has high martial arts skills, he dares not disobey! Hahaha!
-Is Sha Wujing just a tool? All he does all day is carry that tattered luggage and can't say a single useful word.
- Guys, you can be angry, but don't attack indiscriminately.
......
Xu Ying also saw the anger of the vast majority of netizens.
Sun Wukong's charm is just that great; audiences from all over the world would unconditionally stand on his side.
Thinking of the countless adaptations of the White Bone Demon and Sun Wukong's story in her past life, she wondered what the audience here would think if they knew that this most infuriating plot in their eyes was actually the one that had been adapted the most by countless film and television professionals in her past life.
"Sister Xiaoying, shall we go?"
Lin Zhongxu carried a large suitcase downstairs, but this did not disturb the person sitting on the sofa in the slightest. He had no choice but to speak up to remind them.
"Journey to the West" was a huge project. This was the longest filming project for the trio, and the one in which they spent the most time in the deep mountains and forests.
Everyone was a bit worn out after filming this drama.
The three of them reached a consensus and decided to take a break and not work during this period.
After deciding to take the vacation, Zhou Xingyun rushed back to Beijing.
She and Luo Ying had only been married for a few years and were deeply in love. During filming, Luo Ying would visit her on set more than once, and after she finished work, she would rush back to Beijing to be with Luo Ying.
Only Xu Ying and Lin Zhongxu remained in Shanghai.
Xu Ying asked Lin Zhongxu to go home, but Lin Zhongxu not only refused, but also dragged his luggage and refused to leave her house: "My house is not as big as yours, nor is it as comfortable. Your house is better in every way..."
Anyway, he stayed here, until the New Year was approaching, when Grandpa Li and Grandma Wang from his hometown called to ask Xu Ying if she would come to celebrate the New Year this year.
“Go back, go back, Grandma and Grandpa, not only will Sister Xiaoying go back this year, but I will go too.”
Speaking of which, Xu Ying hasn't been home for two years.
After all, they weren't her biological grandparents. She spent every Chinese New Year with them, and after the New Year, various relatives from their side would come to visit, making her feel a little uncomfortable.
But with Lin Zhongxu here this year, everything is different.
"Okay, let's go back together."
Xu Ying snapped out of her reverie, smiled, and got up to walk to Lin Zhongxu's side: "I was so engrossed in watching that I forgot to go upstairs and help you pack your things."
"It's alright, there's not much stuff. I'll pack it up in a bit. Let's go."
Lin Zhongxu took Xu Ying's hand.
"Okay," Xu Ying said, taking his hand as they left the room.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
