All the dramas for this season have already made their debut so here's a look at which dramas are favourites with the viewers right at the start:
First of all, we have "BOSS" with the highest rating of 18.1%. This drama is definitely my cup of tea for a few reasons: 1) it's an investigative / suspense drama 2) it stars Takenouchi Yutaka and Amami Yuki 3) the stylish promotional images are very eye-catching. I've only watched about 5 minutes of the first episode (too busy with things to watch this at one go) and I was pretty stunned to see a naked Amami lying on Takenouchi's bed! OK, there seems to be nothing going on between them but I guess this first scene will make eyeballs pop for a brief second. Although I don't really like Takenouchi with a moustache, I guess this is part of his image for the character who appears to be a playboy (similar to Shinji in Long Vacation). A clean-shaven image makes him too goody-two-shoes...hahaha. More on this drama when I've started watching it.
At second place, we have the Gekku drama, "Kon-katsu!". I'm a bit apprehensive about approaching this drama. No doubt Nakai is a draw because he doesn't appear in dramas often but the idea of him being paired with Ueto Aya makes me cringe. Going from the lineup and the story, if Nakai's character has to get married at the end of the series, Ueto looks to be the most likely bet. I used to like Ueto but in recent years, I can't say that I like her performances in dramas. That ditzy image gets on my nerves at times. It's time she grows up on screen. I'll have to see if I can watch this right till the end.
Two dramas share the 3rd spot with a rating of 14.1% i.e. Atashinchi no Danshi and Rinjou. Of these two, I prefer Rinjo as the genre is more appealing to me. Atashinchi no Danshi feels like another version of HanaKimi so I'm half-hearted about following it. Horikita Maki is one concern I have since her performance can be really erratic. Rinjou boasts of a stronger cast lineup so I'm more convinced that I can see good acting from this drama.
Here's the rest of the dramas and their first episode ratings:
5) THE QUIZ SHOW 14.0%
6) Shiroi Haru 13.7%
7) Aishiteru 13.2%
8) Kyoto Chiken no Onna 12.8%
9) Yakou no Kaidan 12.5%
10) Boku no Imouto 12.2%
11) Smile 11.7%
12) Meitantei no Okite 10.8%
13) Hisatsu Shigotonin 2009 10.4%
14) Kaette kosaserareta 33pun Tantei 9.5%
15) Fufudo 9.2%
16) Majo Saiban 9.0%
17) Godhand Teru 8.0%
18) LOVE GAME 5.1%
*Note that Kimura Takuya's drama MR.BRAIN starts in May only thus will not be included in the Spring 09 drama ranking since it is expected to extend into the summer season.
Didn't know BOSS had such high ratings. My favourite so far this season is definitely Shiroi Haru. I didn't really plan to watch it but I ended up liking it.. In a very slight way it reminds me of Bara no nai Hanaya..
ReplyDeleteStaying away from Konkatsu and Atashinchi no Danshi for the very same reasons.
Is Rinjou really that good?
BOSS is of high quality especially in the visual impact department. Look at the fact that Amami Yuki, Takenouchi Yutaka, Toda Erika, Tamayama Tetsuji and Kichise Michiko are in the same series. And they are all dressed to the nines, well, most if not all. Even supporting cast members are pretty well-developed. Overall, it's one of the best packaged series this season. This is based on what I've seen so far from 3 episodes although Ep 2 felt more like a one-man show of Amami. Generally, every member of the cast gets to show the distinct personalities of their characters. My only grouse is that I'm not seeing enough of Takenouchi Yutaka! Give me more! ^__^
ReplyDeleteI've watched one episode of Rinjou so far. What I like is that this drama has a different take on pathology as compared to Voice. Rinjou shows what the pathologists do at the crime scene as compared to Voice which mainly handles cases forwarded to them by the police. As such, the viewpoint is rather different. However, some cast members overact a bit e.g. Watanabe Masaru and Takashima Masanobu so I would say that acting standards are a bit uneven.
As for Konkatsu, its latest episode registered a single digit rating. I don't remember any Gekku drama doing that badly in the past 10 years or so. Even Tokyo Wankei didn't do that badly. The critics are attributing this to Ueto who has been getting low ratings for her dramas but I need to see the first episode at the very least to determine whether the problem lies with her, the script or the general production quality. There were rumours that Nakai was supposed to do a manga adaptation but somehow the scriptwriter or the TV station tried to change the story to a large extent so the author did not allow them to proceed. As such, Konkatsu was a last-minute production. I feel that it's a pity if this really happened. Nakai doesn't act in many dramas. The last few dramas he acted in were quite good in terms of reviews and ratings e.g. Suna no Utsuwa. If Konkatsu continues to do badly, it will be a dent to his reputation and could cause him to be more reluctant to act in future. Nakai doesn't seem to be too keen on acting especially if it involves romance scenes so this would only serve to discourage him.
I don't know about Atashinchi no Danshi...the more I think about it, the less interested I get. And after seeing Horikita Maki and her co-stars on the Waratte Iitomo Spring SP, I got even more upset because they beat my favourite team from BOSS. Hahaha...I'm getting a bit irrational here but I'll see if I do have the time to watch at least one episode.
Yakou no Kaidan is good so far (based on 2 episodes) but Fujiki Naohito is not exactly my cup of tea. He looked much better in Love Revolution. In this drama, he looks more like an gigolo. Oh well, his character is supposed to be like this but then I just don't like it. Anyway, I'm in for the suspense story only.
Ashiteru Kaiyou was an emotional ride. Although it sounds far-fetched that a kid will kill another kid, this can happen in the real world. That is probably why this drama is attracting quite a bit of attention given its ratings so far.
I'll give reviews on the dramas I've watched soon. Currently too busy with packing stuff before I move house so I may not be able to post detailed reviews until I settle down. I've got to get a new broadband connection at my new place so the reviews may have to wait. I have so many reviews to do that I don't know which to start with. ^__^
Thanks for the info. I will definitely check out BOSS now..
ReplyDeleteNo matter how adorable they try to be the main reason I'm staying away from Maki Horikita, Aya Ueto and Masami Nagasawa this season is because I've seen them in those type of roles one too many times already. It would be really nice to see them at least try something different. Which makes watching Kenichi Matsuyama movies/dramas a blast because he never fails to surprise you..
Not many people I know are talking about Ashiteru Kaiyo. I was sorta intrigued by that one when I first heard about it..
Anyway good luck with the move..
After 4 episodes, BOSS still ranks high on my list. I was worried when the pace of Ep 4 started off as draggy but it was all for the sake of laying the foundation for a 2-part case. Wow, those final scenes of the detectives searching for Toda Erika's role, Mami were very exciting to watch. Yamada Takayuki looked so unkept and this is disregarding the fact that his character in the drama is supposed to be like that. He also appeared in a similar fashion in 252 Seizonsha Ari so I thought he lacked the aura from the days when he was very sought-after. His eyes gave the impression that he was disinterested in anything. He never really bounced back after that illegitimate son scandal and is now relegated to once-off roles. It just makes me feel that it was a waste for his career to be destroyed so easily.
ReplyDeleteYeah, you are right about Matsuyama's versatility. He always gives us lots of surprises. Since Zenigeba only ended recently and his main focus is on movies, I don't know whether he has plans for another drama this year though.
Aishiteru Kaiyou may be neglected because it doesn't have many young stars. It's more of a family drama based on a social theme. Most dramas attract attention when their cast is mainly made up of upcoming stars or those who are hot currently. Considering that the series has been sustaining a rating of above 13.0% so far when others like Konkatsu are getting single-digit ratings, Aishiteru Kaiyou is indeed doing quite well.