Chereads / Actor in Hollywood / Chapter 51 - **Chapter 50: Perfect Score**

Chapter 51 - **Chapter 50: Perfect Score**

"—No, we should commend him for bringing the character to life.

Graceful and gentlemanly, cunning and wise, candid and composed.

His performance sparks a brilliant connection with the character, making every second he appears on screen a joy to watch. Without a doubt, he's one of the most captivating characters on television this year.

Moreover, this is the kind of energy that 'Friends' has lacked in the past two seasons—a natural and effortless ease. Instead of constantly creating dramatic conflict just to boost ratings, the show flows with the characters' rhythm, allowing the audience to feel the energy and appreciate the show's light-heartedness.

Without a doubt, watching episode twenty-one was a pure and simple pleasure, reminding us once again of the exceptional quality of the first two seasons."

Praise, praise, and more praise.

And.

Substantial praise—The Los Angeles Times demonstrates its professionalism.

Although Gloria is a die-hard fan of "Friends" and doesn't like others criticizing the show, these words resonate with her deeply.

Gloria looked up at her mother again, "Mom, don't you agree?"

Mrs. Preston thought about it seriously: indeed, she did.

During the fifth and sixth seasons, she was always curious about the progress of Ross and Rachel, and Monica and Chandler.

These concerns kept her emotionally invested, ensuring she didn't miss a single key episode, especially the season premieres and finales. But because of this, the other episodes without major drama lost their appeal—so much so that it didn't feel like missing them would be a big deal, and she didn't pay them much attention.

What initially attracted Mrs. Preston to "Friends" was a sense of relaxation—a chance to unwind and follow the characters and storylines without any burdens. But now that she was used to the dramatic tension, she couldn't feel that same relaxation anymore—

That sense of ease.

But last night…

Mrs. Preston recalled, "Yes, it's true, last night's episode was indeed very relaxing."

*Tap, tap.*

Mrs. Preston gently cracked the eggshell. "Maybe I'll watch it again."

Gloria raised her hands high, a wide smile on her face. "I told you, didn't I? I've been saying it all along. Ha, Anson is special."

"Ha."

"Twenty-four million—twenty-four million people watched Anson last night. I knew he would shine. He's the best."

"Oh, he's so charming. Who could not like Anson?"

Clearly, Gloria wasn't the only viewer who noticed Anson.

In the eyes of the Los Angeles Times, last night's strong return to form for "Friends" was largely due to Anson's pivotal role, deserving of all the praise.

This is more than just a report—a positive report, a glowing report, announcing Anson's arrival in such a grand manner.

But obviously, things aren't that simple.

The key is that Anson currently has no agent or publicist.

So, who was it?

David Crane or Darren Star?

If it was Darren, it would be surprising but understandable, though Darren now has to focus on his own show, "Sex and the City," and likely doesn't have time to worry about last night's ratings for "Friends."

So, David Crane?

But why?

Things are gradually becoming interesting.

A headline, a title.

A success, a push.

"Anson Wood," a completely unfamiliar name, suddenly burst onto the scene, grabbing everyone's attention, and becoming the focus of the day.

We haven't yet fully entered the internet age, where information spreads in seconds and minutes, but in Los Angeles, the speed of information spread through newspapers and phone calls is already staggering, with news being updated quickly, day by day.

One morning was enough.

The Los Angeles Times found its way onto three-quarters of Hollywood's desks, and suddenly, everyone took notice of a new name.

Even Anson could sense something unusual happening behind the scenes, so how could the old hands and foxes of the industry not notice?

Including the "Friends" crew, of course.

**...**

"Good morning!"

"Good morning!"

As David Crane walked through, everyone he passed greeted him with smiles.

Even if someone was in a bad mood, they still had to muster a smile for the boss, pretending to have a pleasant morning; and today, the atmosphere was indeed bright.

First, it was Friday, the day every working person loves.

Even though the entertainment industry remains busy over the weekend, at least it's nominally the weekend, and no one can resist the charm of Friday.

Second, last night's episode of "Friends" was a grand slam.

This morning, the whole office was buzzing with joy, even the whispers carried a sense of delight.

Frank Simmons immediately stood up, holding coffee and a donut as he approached, "Marta arrived an hour early."

David Crane glanced back, "Did she say the writers' meeting was moved up?"

Frank shook his head, "But she mentioned she'd like to meet with you before the writers' meeting."

David Crane raised an eyebrow slightly, "Let her know I'm here."

He pushed the door open and entered his office—

The room was filled with the scent of fresh ink.

On the desk, newspapers were neatly fanned out in a perfect spread.

Magazines, being weekly publications, are often printed and released at different times, so they can't deliver information as quickly. Besides, their focus is different.

So for now, only newspapers were visible, no magazines yet.

*The San Francisco Chronicle*: "'Friends' ratings and viewership rebound strongly, hitting a new high for 2000."

*The Wall Street Journal*: "Monica and Chandler's proposal may have to wait, but that doesn't stop audiences from cheering for these New Yorkers' lives."

*New York Daily News*: "A new face helps 'Friends' regain its peak, reclaiming the Thursday comedy crown after six months."

*Chicago Tribune*: "'Friends' delivers its best performance of the 21st century, finally getting back on track in the new millennium."

*The Baltimore Sun*: "A clichéd attempt, but a successful casting choice, with the actor's charm lighting up the small screen. 'Friends' finds the key."

It wasn't just the Los Angeles Times—other newspapers, big and small, also immediately focused on the show's success. Clearly, it wasn't just the production team that was concerned with the show's performance.

Though it wasn't front-page news in the entertainment sections, and Anson wasn't mentioned directly, the headlines were uniformly positive, shattering all expectations.

Indeed, since season five, the ratings for "Friends" had remained strong, but the show had started showing signs of decline. NBC's attitude towards the show had garnered increasing attention—not because the show might be canceled, but because of whether it could break the salary barrier.

Now, with negotiations looming, "Friends" delivered an outstanding performance right when it was needed most, capturing the industry's full attention.

David Crane quickly scanned the other newspaper headlines without reading deeply, then picked up the Los Angeles Times and skimmed it.

Ratings: 12.34.

Viewership: 24 million.

Even though he had braced himself for these numbers, seeing them in black and white brought a smile to his face. He couldn't help but pump his fist in the air.

"Brilliant!"