When it came to work, Laila became serious as well. "It's hard to explain over the phone. Take a look at this first." She took out a manuscript from her bag.
The old man flipped through a couple of pages. "You're talking about this plan? Written by Zeni?"
"Yes. Didn't I ask Zeni for help with the movie? Inspired by that, he used his expertise in forensic science to write a novel. I've read it, and it's very well written, with potential for a series."
The old man set the manuscript aside, not because he didn't care about it, but because it was too short of a time for him to grasp its content. Besides, he hadn't reviewed a manuscript in decades; he preferred leaving professional matters to professionals.
However, even without fully comprehending the manuscript, he trusted his granddaughter's judgment. If she said it was good, publishing it shouldn't be a problem. But based on what she hinted at during the phone call, it seemed there was more to it than just publishing.
"What's your idea?"
"I think this book can not only be published, but it can also expand into other areas of potential."
The old man raised an intrigued eyebrow. "Tell me more."
"NBC doesn't have any good drama series, right? Have you ever thought about creating a series centered around solving cases using forensic science?" Laila grinned like a sated fox.
Oswald's eyes flickered. "You mean a TV series? Even if the book is turned into a series, it would still take about a year to release each installment. The speed won't match that of a TV series."
"Not relying solely on the book. My idea is to extend the main character from the book and create a procedural drama. Each episode will feature one or more stories, using forensic support to solve representative and classic cases."
The old man stroked his chin. "Would the audience be interested in this type of show? Isn't it too technical?" In his perspective, each episode featuring a death followed by solving the case might not attract viewers.
"I think being more technical would make the audience more interested."
Laila couldn't say that in the future, there would be many popular shows like "CSI," "Bones," "Criminal Minds," etc., which were all iconic detective series. Especially "CSI," dominated the ratings charts year-round and even became a must-watch for forensic students.
The good news was that those shows hadn't appeared yet, and using Zeni's book would be a perfect way to reproduce them. The downside was that there wasn't a single show of that nature right now. Without the ability to predict the future, it was impossible to determine whether such a TV show would be appealing.
Laila knew very well that audiences wouldn't just like it; they would love it. However, she also knew her grandfather needed to believe it.
After some consideration, Oswald said, "Why don't you write up a proposal, and I'll have it evaluated by the team." He wasn't the type to blindly follow his granddaughter's every word just because she was known as a genius.
From his position, every decision could have a significant impact. With thousands of people depending on him, one wrong move could cost many people their jobs and livelihoods. He couldn't take that risk.
Laila understood his response and wasn't surprised at all. She cheerfully pulled out the proposal.
"I know, so I brought it with me."
Since reading Zeni's book, she has been planning this project. She believed that once this series was approved, NBC would have another strong pillar.
At the moment, NBC's most popular show is "American Idol," which is currently a nationwide hit. The unique audition format had never been seen before, and the participants were ordinary people whom one might encounter in their daily lives.
However, even these ordinary people occasionally produced extraordinary individuals. They had angelic voices, mesmerizing dance moves, or unusual but captivating special skills.
Audiences who had never experienced this type of show were quickly drawn in. Watching these ordinary individuals stand on a grand stage, competing for substantial prizes, viewers felt as if they were part of the show themselves.
Though the final competition had not yet arrived, "American Idol" was already leading the ratings, leaving the second-place show far behind. It was easy to imagine the shockingly high ratings the grand finale would achieve.
Regrettably, besides "American Idol," NBC had very little else to offer. Laila had proposed plans for "Project Runway" and "Amenrica's Next Top Model," but both were still in the works, and the preparations were not something that could be done haphazardly.
Furthermore, even if all these plans came to fruition, they were all reality TV shows. With a lack of a strong drama series, could NBC maintain viewers' attention? American audiences were incredibly loyal to TV shows and could be easily captured by engaging content, making them less likely to switch to other channels.
Therefore, the real weapon to capture the audience's heart was through one or more popular TV dramas.
Under Oswald's influence, Laila had gradually positioned herself as the successor. Thus, she considered it crucial to take care of the business she was going to inherit. Of course, filmmaking remained the most vital part, as her passion for it had continued from her previous life.
After looking through the proposal for a while, Oswald smiled and put it down. "Come here, child." He motioned for her to approach.
Laila circled the desk and stood beside him. "What's the matter, Grandfather?"
He looked at her, patting her arm with a sense of contentment. "You're an exceptional child. Describing you as a genius seems inadequate. The proposal is great, but what makes me happy is that you're finally beginning to see yourself as the heir, and you're developing a sense of responsibility for the conglomerate. Not like before when I had to coax you into it."
The old man had only one daughter. Even though his daughter had never shown interest in taking over the conglomerate from the beginning, he hadn't said anything. The only thing he had done was quietly pave the way for her when she entered the fashion industry.
He didn't hold the traditional idea of having to pass down the family business to a son, but that didn't mean he didn't want a successor who could carry on his work. Seeing Laila's attitude gradually changing, that she was no longer passively contributing her ideas to the company when he urged her, brought him immense satisfaction.