The Limits of Terrestrial TV Drama Why Big Budgets and Massive Productions Still Can’t Beat Netflix

The disadvantages of spending huge production costs

The TV drama “Our Hakone Ekiden” (Nippon TV), scheduled to air this autumn, has been conducting large-scale location shoots nationwide since February.

“From February 16–20 in Okayama City, 21–27 in Hiroshima City, and March 4–5 in the downtown area of Mishima City, Shizuoka Prefecture, traffic restrictions were implemented and filming was carried out with hundreds of extras. Large-scale shoots are also being conducted on the actual Hakone Ekiden course,” (entertainment production-related person)

The sequel to “VIVANT” (TBS), reported to air in the summer season this year, is also carrying out large-scale location shoots in Gifu Prefecture. Amid declining sponsorship leading to reduced production budgets for TV stations, large-scale dramas with massive budgets are increasing.

“Prime-time dramas are like a showcase for TV stations. If a drama becomes a hit, it increases sponsors for the entire network, so recently every station tends to produce at least one high-budget drama per one to two seasons,” (key station producer)

“Pilgrimages” by fans visiting filming locations of popular dramas have become established. As this leads to an increase in tourists, more local governments are collaborating with the public and private sectors to attract location shoots.

“It’s difficult to conduct large-scale shoots in Tokyo, but in regional cities that are cooperative with filming, film commissions run by local governments handle applications for road closures and arrangements for extras. Some municipalities even cover part of accommodation and meal expenses, and are proactive in promoting the work. The TV stations can capture powerful visuals, and the municipalities can attract tourists more cheaply than running ineffective advertisements. It’s truly a win-win,” (production company director)

Matsue City in Shimane Prefecture, which served as the setting for NHK’s morning drama “Bakebake,” is expected to generate an economic effect of 8 billion yen in one year, according to estimates released by the local San’in Godo Bank.

Of course, it’s not all benefits. Commercial TV dramas rely on volunteer extras, and while in rural areas curiosity about celebrities helps somehow, securing extras in the Tokyo metropolitan area is quite difficult, laments the aforementioned producer.

“If it’s a production featuring popular idols or actors, many fans will apply, but for works starring talented yet less popular actors, volunteer extras don’t gather, so we have no choice but to rely on theater groups. Even for roles without lines, we have to pay several thousand yen per person, so productions requiring many extras become difficult.”

Among TV professionals, there are voices saying, “There’s no need to force large-scale location shoots for terrestrial TV dramas.”

“For example, in sports-themed productions, when gathering a large number of extras as spectators, terrestrial TV productions can only give simple instructions like ‘Please cheer out loud!’ Participants often complain that the filming ended without even knowing what kind of scene it was.

With Netflix productions, since they spend more time and money, extras are given detailed explanations of the scenes, creating a sense of unity. Since extras are covered by unpaid volunteers, there’s probably a mindset that we can’t ask for too much, but that approach cannot produce truly powerful works,” (entertainment agency executive)

The money and time invested create quality.

From “FRIDAY” combined issue March 27 & April 3, 2026.