American TV enters China's mainstream

Television series from the United States have topped the most-watched list and licensed providers in China are calling the trend "an opening era". Xu Junqian explores the scene in Shanghai.

Caroline Channing was in town. Leonard Hofstadter debuted in the capital. Vampire Stefan Salvatore was in the spotlight in Shanghai.

These names, or fictional characters, from US TV series like 2 Broke Girls and The Big Bang Theory, may not ring a bell for everyone. But in China, their visits in 2013 caused traffic jams, large crowds and high-pitched screams at airports, hotels or wherever they appeared. They created such a stir that couch potatoes have hailed the visits "the heyday of US TV in China".