The era of globalization has already spurred the resurgence of nationalism. This study aims to interpret the contradictory among Chinese audience of American TV drama who like to regularly watch American TV drama as well as keep the strong nationalism at the same time. Based on face-to-face interviews and long-term online observation, this study fnds that, no matter how to decode the American TV drama, these Chinese audiences would refuse to self-challenge the dominant nationalism. Their interpretations of Chinese elements in American TV drama are signifcantly affected by nationalism. Watching American TV drama is not an independent variable, instead, it is a dependent variable.