Update to the Summer 2012 ratings race - 9 July 12

Here are the ratings of dramas which have already shown their first episodes:

1) Kyoto Chiken no Onna 16.0%
2) Ghost Mama Sousasen 15.2%
3) GTO 15.1%
4) Summer Rescue 14.7%
5) Keishichou Sousa Ikka 9 Kakari 13.0%
6) Tokkan / Beautiful Rain 12.9%
8) Higashino Keigo Mysteries 11.3%
9) Naniwa Shounen Tanteidan 7.8%
10) Boys On The Run 7.5%
11) Omoni Naitemasu 6.6%
12) VISION Koroshi ga mieru onna 4.1%

It's interesting to note that Kyoto Chiken no Onna which is currently in its 8th season, has such a strong following that it has beaten all the other "new" dramas so far. Especially when you look at the ratings for the past seasons, it has never gone beyon 15% for a single episode and its average hovers around the 12% mark. Wonder what resulted in this spike in ratings? GTO is a sequel too but there are divided views as to whether the new cast can match the success from the original series so the second episode could be a true reflection of whether viewers are staying on for the drama. Among those which still haven't started its run, Rich Man, Poor Woman looks like a possible bet to overtake the competition (at least for its first OA). Frankly speaking, I'm also surprised at Ghost Mama Sousasen doing quite well for its first OA. The 2nd OA would probably give a clearer idea of whether this interest is sustainable.

Higashino Keigo Mysteries turns out to underperform despite a stellar cast and strong stories from Higashino Keigo. Well, I've had experience watching a Higashino Keigo story but was seriously let down by the way the drama was filmed and acting so as per the comment left by one of the readers here, it does look like this drama is suffering from a similar problem. I haven't had the time yet to check it out though. It will also be interesting to observe which actor/actress will pull in the most viewers by the end of this drama's run. Naniwa Shounen Tanteidan is also a Higashino story but I'm not that keen to tune in.

VISION slips below 5% for its first OA which is really tough to overcome because traditionally, the first episode is where you see the highest ratings. It doesn't seem to have any direct competitors in the drama scene in this particular timeslot though so the premise of the story and the cast might not have been attractive enough to boost viewers' curiousity. Yamada Yu and her husband Oguri Shun both star in summer dramas and the media would have a field day if it turns out by September that their dramas are at opposite ends of the ratings ranking.