Fall Drama Review! Why “Silent” Gets Rave Reviews But Medical Dramas are Not

With the debut of Masami Nagasawa’s “Elpis: Hope or Disaster” (Kansai Television), all the fall dramas have been released. While this season is said to be a bumper crop, we asked editors and writers familiar with the drama scene to discuss which productions in particular caught their attention.

Writer N. Moto: Dramas this fall have been more exciting than in a long time. There is a rich variety of drama series, including medical, work, romance, and mystery, and many of the stories are fresh and new. So far, I have continued to watch most of the prime time productions. The only one that has failed me is Yamada Ryosuke’s “Dear Me, I’m Going to Kill You” (Fuji TV). It’s a little too gory for me. ……

Editor A: The original manga is interesting, but it is not suitable for live-action. But it is not suitable for live-action. I don’t know why they decided to air it in the prime time slot, let alone in the late night slot. …… As I expected, the ratings are all over the place.

N-Moto: But it is ranked high in the TVer viewer rankings, so I think this is a strategic error on the part of the station.

Meguro Ren’s acting that even non-jani fans can get into.

Writer F.: I’m into the Thursday drama “silent” (Fuji TV). Meguro Ren, who has lost her hearing, drives Kawaguchi Haruna away by crying and saying “Shut up” in sign language. It was heartbreaking.

N.: “silent” is a hot topic, isn’t it? Meguro Ren is a Japanese idol, but I have the impression that even people who are not fans of Japanese idols are into this song. I am one of them. The images are beautiful, there is little sound, it’s quiet, and the whole thing is beautiful and heartwarming.

ATA After all, Ren Meguro is a handsome man. Actually, I’ve been watching a lot of videos explaining the sign language for “silent. I can now say things like “I found you. This is how I do it (and actually perform the sign language).

N-Moto and F-Moto: Oh, wow!

F-Moto: Next, I am looking forward to Nao’s “First Penguin! (NTV). It’s an exhilarating story about breaking through the male-dominated society, which is why it sticks with me as a self-proclaimed feminist. And Nao is a handsome, handsome woman.

N. When I heard the name Nao, I thought she might not be ready for the lead role yet. I thought, but no, it was outrageous. The scene where she snapped at the simpering Shinichi Tsutsumi was great. I knew that a person who has risen from a small agency has a lot of bottom-line strength.

ATA: What I am most interested in about this drama is that the script was written by Yoshiko Morishita, who is a hit maker. For a long time, she has only worked on commercial productions involving Haruka Ayase as an actress. That is Nao in her first lead role. I feel that Nippon TV has high expectations for Nao.

F-Moto: I welcome the rise of new people!

I understand the challenge of trying something new. ……

N-Moto What about Masami Nagasawa’s “Elpis” which returned to serial dramas after a four and a half year absence?　The ratings weren’t great, but the online feedback has been very positive.

F-Moto: But the tension was a little different from what I expected. It’s a bit heavier. So far, I only have the impression that Masami Nagasawa was oohing and ahhing the whole time. ……

Aida: It’s true that I’m still a bit confused about what to make of it. But there is a socially-conscious atmosphere, a bit like Netflix, and I sense that they are trying something new. I feel that they are trying to take on new challenges.

F-Moto: What do you mean by “follow-up observation”?

N. Do you have any personal recommendations?　I like Kaya Kiyohara’s “Reiju Tantei Jozuka Jade” (NTV), even though the ratings are not good.

A Tada: What? I didn’t know that!　I like the original story, and Kaya Kiyohara certainly fits the image of Jade, but I had passed over it because I thought that a drama about a medium would be a waste of time.

N-Moto: I haven’t read the original, but Kaya Kiyohara is just so cute. She wears a lot of ladylike fashions, so she really looks like a doll. Also, Kouji Seto, who plays her buddy, is great. The two of them also co-starred in the excellent “Transparent Cradle” (NHK, 2006), and they seemed to have a good chemistry.

F-Moto: You have three medical films coming up.

A: “The Travel Nurse” (TV Asahi) with Masaki Okada and Kiichi Nakai is a solid favorite, with Miho Nakazono of “Doctor X” fame working on the script. But to be honest, my impression at this point is that all three are neither good nor bad.

N-Moto: A surprisingly popular series is Yuta Tamamori’s “Prayer chart: An intern’s record of a medical examination to solve a mystery” (NTV). This is a popular Korean drama, “Clever Doctor’s Life,” with an element of mystery solving woven in. It’s not flashy, but it’s perfect to watch on the night before a holiday when you’re feeling a bit gutted.

Fumoto: I like “The Smart Doctor’s Life” too. Then I’ll have a look at it.

Aida: But when we talk about it like this, it seems that all of them are interesting to a certain extent, but some of them are not so interesting! I don’t think there are any films that are really interesting. Hmmm… ……

Fumoto: Yes, that’s true. It’s a little early for me, but I’m going back to “The Queen” on Netflix, which I was watching in memory of Queen Elizabeth. I still can’t get over the royal gossip. I wish Japanese dramas had that kind of punch. ……