to speed up the broadcast, leading to frustration among viewers. The rumor then came that Eastern TV declined payment to the series' distributor as it claimed others had violated the airing agreement. The subsequent verbal sparring and disruption of normal programming eventually led to the intervention of SARFT and signing of a new regulation by all TV stations across the country. Ironically, the money/rating-centric attitude of the TV stations only served to their disfavor, as annoyed viewers were deterred away causing the TV ratings to drop. The series however was very successful in DVD sales, and set records to online streaming as well as peer-to-peer downloads on major websites such as Youku and Tudou. The series' original novelized screenplay also sold exceptionally well. The series is currently due for the 2nd-round airing by another 4 provincial satellite TV networks — Zhejiang, Shandong, Hebei and Sichuan. The 3rd-round airing will be done by Guangdong TV after the 2nd round. Accidents during production On April 8, 2008, while shooting battle scenes, the chief firework technician Guo Yan (郭岩) and 2 of his assistants were caught in a blast when nearby live-charges accidentally exploded. Guo was fatally hit in the chest by a flying shrapnel. The incident was a huge blow to the crew, and the production was halted for a week. On April 20, a temporary hut built on a local bridge collapsed on set. Falling debris injured up to 50 civilian actors who were recruited for a crowd scene. No fatalities were reported. Though the production was not delayed, a large amount of compensation was paid, driving up the production cost. Receptions and complaints My Chief and My Regiment received polarized receptions from TV audiences. Many rated the series highly, calling it "a milestone in Chinese TV productions" for the innovative break-away from the traditional style of war dramas. The series' recreation of realistic battlefields was also praised by the majority audience. The series' die-hard fans, known as "Chief fans" (团粉), often considered themselves "suffering from the Chief addiction (团毒)" that made them distasted to other politically "glorified" but unrealistic mainstream war dramas. However, some viewers disliked the series' portrayal of the war-fatigued soldiers, criticizing the dirty and undisciplined appearance as "eyesores". The series was also branded a "divide" as many felt marginalized by the series' complex straight play-style dialogues. Some viewers experienced difficulty in understanding dialogues and the messages they