"Honey, isn't this a bit… too controversial?" Scarlett's eyes widened, her face full of surprise.
Dunn chuckled. "Controversy drives attention."
Natalie shook her head. "Even so, I don't think Truth or Dare is right for Starz."
"Oh? Why's that?"
"Truth or Dare is, let's be honest, built on tacky, lowbrow personal secrets to grab eyeballs. I don't think the elite crowd would go for it."
Natalie's social circle wasn't in Hollywood. As she put it, she had "nothing in common with those airheaded actresses." She preferred hanging out with high achievers, so she got their mindset.
Scarlett nodded eagerly. "Yeah, exactly! I agree. This show… it's not great."
Natalie shook her head again, her voice soft. "It's not that it's bad—it's just not a fit. Truth or Dare would work better on a network like FOX, one that's always pushing boundaries. Putting it on Starz feels off. Starz has pricey subscriptions, and its viewers are mostly middle-class and up. They want substance, quality—not gossip about other people's messy lives."
Dunn couldn't help but quietly admire Natalie.
What a sharp mind!
In its original run, Truth or Dare got shot down by NBC, CBS, and ABC before FOX finally picked it up and aired it.
FOX, the fourth-biggest network after the big three, needed edgy shows to boost ratings and stand out.
Dick Clark Television Productions had been staffing up since March, planning to bring on 500 new employees by year's end to beef up their reality TV team.
After American Idol, Fear Factor, and The Bachelor, it seemed like the right time to roll out Truth or Dare.
Dunn had handed The Bachelor to NBC, set to air in late November.
Why NBC over ABC? Beyond NBC's unbeatable offer, Dunn had one condition: NBC's parent company couldn't meddle in his bid for Universal Pictures.
In other words, no jumping into the bidding war or jacking up prices.
American Idol went to CBS, Fear Factor to ABC, The Bachelor to NBC… now it was time to toss FOX a reality show to keep things balanced.
Truth or Dare was the perfect pick.
"Alright, let's scratch Truth or Dare then. Check this one out instead—Project Runway." Dunn tucked away the first proposal and slid a new one across to them.
"Fashion design? I love it!" Scarlett skimmed the intro and let out an excited squeal.
Dunn smiled. "Yup, it's a fashion design reality show with a twist. Contestants are talented designers facing all sorts of challenges. Sometimes they'll use unconventional materials, design for specific people, create products for retail brands, or craft outfits around unique themes."
That was just the surface.
The real hook? Designing clothes means models have to try them on.
This was where Starz, as a premium cable network, could shine. No need for heavy editing—models' bodies could be shown freely on screen.
Ripped male models, stunning female models, the process of changing in and out of outfits—it'd be a major draw.
The original Project Runway aired on Lifetime with similar moments but kept things tame.
Even so, it scored a stellar 7.3 on IMDb!
For taste and quality, Project Runway was a peak reality show.
Natalie read the proposal quietly for five minutes, then shot Dunn a playful glance and nodded slightly. "I like this idea too. Looks like not all your plans are sleazy and crowd-pleasing."
Dunn laughed, half-exasperated. "Nat, is that a compliment or a dig?"
Scarlett giggled, covering her mouth. "Dummy, it's a compliment, obviously!"
She was cozied up next to Natalie, the two of them already teaming up.
"Exactly!" Natalie grinned cheekily. "Got anything else? Let's see the next one."
Dunn puffed up with confidence. "The next one's even classier—Face Off!"
"Face Off?" Natalie blinked. "Like John Woo's movie?"
Scarlett's eyes sparkled with surprise. "No way it's an action reality show, right? That'd be wild!"
Dunn shook his head. "Nothing to do with the movie. Think of Face Off as Project Runway's sibling—or call it Special Effects Makeup Showdown."
The girls took the proposal from Dunn and nodded as it clicked.
"Oh, it's a makeup reality show! Professional makeup artists are amazing—they can totally transform faces," Scarlett said, clearly impressed.
Natalie scanned the plan, her face lighting up with enthusiasm. "Yes, this is it! I've always wanted a show like this! So many movies use special effects makeup, and it often looks fake—totally pulls you out of the story. Even big productions like The Lord of the Rings have makeup and costumes that feel sloppy, not polished enough."
Dunn chuckled. "That's because The Lord of the Rings had a tight budget. Peter Jackson didn't have much choice."
"But that's not the audience's problem," Natalie said seriously. "Movies are art. You can't half-ass it for the viewers."
Scarlett jumped in. "Totally agree! Especially horror movies—the makeup in those? It's laughable. Forget scary, I'm trying not to crack up."
Natalie nodded. "Face Off and Project Runway are great! One raises the bar for special effects makeup, the other for fashion design. These shows have real purpose!"
Scarlett added, "Right! If audiences get savvier about movies and TV, those slapped-together shows and films won't stand a chance. It'll push creators to aim higher."
Natalie chimed in, "I'm on board! Zoom out, and it's even bigger. Hollywood's movies are generally a cut above foreign ones. If shows like Face Off and Project Runway go global and raise everyone's taste, foreign films and shows—those low-budget clunkers—won't stand a chance. The market will be all American series and Hollywood blockbusters!"
Dunn froze, staring at Natalie.
Talk about a master plan!
Changing global audiences' tastes with two reality shows? That was a tall order.
Elites were elites because they embraced new ideas. Most people, stuck in their narrow comfort zones, clung to outdated thinking.
To be blunt, shows like Face Off and Project Runway weren't exactly high-octane entertainment.
Scarlett caught Dunn's skeptical look and huffed. "Face Off and Project Runway are for Starz, right? Forget everyone else—if you raise Starz subscribers' standards, that's a win. Once their tastes are sharper, will they bother with other networks' shows? Nope—they'll stick with Starz, renewing like clockwork."
Natalie draped an arm around Scarlett's shoulders, smiling. "Dunn, didn't you say Starz's subscriber numbers were slipping? That's because people are fine with cheap, low-quality shows on other networks. If Face Off and Project Runway take off on Starz and force viewers' tastes to level up, they'll be hooked on Starz for good."
Dunn looked between Natalie and Scarlett, their back-and-forth sparking a grin. He hadn't thought of that angle!
Face Off didn't hit screens until 2011, but when it did, it blew up across the U.S., becoming a red-hot reality show.
It scored an 8.2 on IMDb!
It held the top spot on reality show rankings for ages.
Dunn's plan had been to give Starz richer, high-quality content with Face Off. But their insight showed these shows could do even more!
Producing Project Runway and Face Off for Starz would deliver upscale, tasteful programming while subtly refining viewers' tastes.
Once that happened, who'd keep watching those flimsy, error-riddled shows elsewhere?
Raise the bar, and viewers would cling to Starz.
Brilliant!
Absolutely brilliant!
Dunn's mood soared. He leaned in, planting a quick kiss on each of their lips, and asked with a grin, "So, we're making both shows?"
"Both!" Natalie and Scarlett said in unison.
"Alright, both it is."
Dunn stood, a sly grin spreading as he tugged at the towel around his waist…
"Hey!"
The girls shrieked.
"Dunn, you're such a jerk!"
"No way, I'm out!"
…
On August 11, Dunn held a big meeting at the company, announcing that Dick Clark Television Productions would start work immediately on three reality shows: Truth or Dare, Face Off, and Project Runway.
Face Off and Project Runway, in particular, were for Starz and needed the best production teams to become landmark reality shows.
The next day, negotiations between Dunn Pictures and Vivendi finally broke through.
Vivendi caved—they agreed to sell Blizzard, Sierra, and related gaming divisions.
In exchange, Dunn Pictures had to buy Universal Pictures, Universal Music, USA Network, and Houghton Mifflin Publishing with an all-cash deal to ease Vivendi's debt crisis.
Things were looking up for Dunn Pictures!