The more Chinese TV viewers are attracted by tough, realistic US TV drama series like Prison Break and 24, the more dissatisfied they are with the domestic offerings -- criticized as empty, boring and lacking creativity.
My Prince, a local TV romance drama with male heartthrobs presented by Dragon TV, is designed to change that and viewers practically write the script, decide the fate of characters and may become stars themselves. It's a first on the Chinese mainland.
Starring five young men selected from last year's star-making show "My Hero" - Song Xiaobo, Wu Jianfei, Zhang Xiaochen, Wu Diwen and Zhong Kai - the drama's storyline is not special - unexpected romance blooms between the handsome characters and young ladies.
But there are lots of firsts -- it's shown once a week, not daily, as is customary; there's lots of interactivity; the plot can turn on a dime with short messages; characters can be ousted. Lucky viewers can play games with characters.
It's a brand-new attempt for Chinese TV producers, an experiment. The question is: Are Chinese viewers ready for this?
Unlike most daily-running TV dramas in China, the first season's 12 episodes of My Prince is being shown on Dragon TV every Saturday. The 30-minute program consists of interactive games and special features before each episode.
"During this hilarious extra part in the studio, actors can showcase their unknown side to audience," says the producer Ye Feng. "Lucky fans will also be invited to play games with their idols."
For the first time, audiences can help decide how the story by sending short messages. Each episode has several open endings. Based on the short message votes, the director will choose the one with the most votes.
"The plot is never set as audience's opinions will be taken into consideration," Ye adds. "While the TV channel is airing the first episodes of the drama, we will adjust the following script to the demand and taste of the majority. Nothing is impossible."
In addition, people can select the "weekly star" according to the five actors' performances on screen.
The favorite one after the 12 rounds of selection will receive the enviable leading role in the second season, while the actor who presents the worst performance can be eliminated. He or she will be designated to "study abroad."
It's every girl's dream: being Cinderella for one night. By sending photos through SMS, she can continue the fantasy as the producer reveals that the new season's heroine in My Prince may be chosen directly from the audience.
"I'd like to regard this fresh and interesting mode a revolution for domestic TV industry," says Annie Zhu, a student and TV fan from Shanghai University of Finance and Economics. "Traditional TV sitcoms with fixed storylines can't satisfy today's picky audience. A clever director should learn to involve them into the drama itself rather than make them feel like a helpless 'bystander' to the plot."
Just prior to My Prince, an action-packed TV serial Shanghai Grand has also made big profits from its new interactive attempt with the audience.
The series has prepared two different endings for people to choose through SMS before the last episode was shown. In Shanghai, the producers received 1.3 million short message votes. And the last episode achieved 13.4-percent viewership ratings, higher than any other programs and dramas shown on local TV this year.
In an early interview, the director and producer of Shanghai Grand said they were greatly inspired by the South Korean idol-dramas that were highly popular among young Chinese, their romantic scenes and enchanting storylines.
The scriptwriters in South Korea only write about one-third of the screenplay. The remaining, even the ending, is based on feedback from audience surveys. So the crew have adequate time to study the taste of audience and interact with them.
However, Chinese TV dramas are usually made on a tight schedule. Many are completed within months to squeeze into prime-time screenings.
Though My Prince and Shanghai Grand hope to propel the domestic TV drama industry to a brand new period, the process will also be replete with risk and uncertainty. The first three episodes received less than two percent in viewership ratings. Some people complain that the weekly screening makes it too hard for them to remember the storyline.
"Almost all Chinese TV dramas are shown daily with at least two episodes; we are used to this tradition," says Song Ye, a 27-year-old human resources worker. "If it runs too slowly, with too many ads during the interlude, I'd rather buy DVDs."
Professor Gu Xiaoming from Fudan University advises local TV producers not to blindly copy the Western and South Korean producing and showing mode as "content" should always be the priority.
"True. Audience's participation in the drama can add some fun, but a good story and cast are more important," Professor Gu says. "Domestic TV producers should make more in-depth research on the characteristic habits of Chinese viewers."
Jin Lei, deputy director of the Entertainment Center with Shanghai Media Group, the production company for My Prince, reveals that the future of entertainment shows and TV dramas can be closely connected.
"We want to foster our own 'Tom Cruise'," he says. "The winners for this year's ongoing 'My Hero' will receive professional acting training at the prestigious Bejing Film Academy and appear in a wide range of our TV sitcoms."
(Shanghai Daily April 14, 2007)