You’re right, CHANGE is the highest-rated show on Monday night (it’s also the only drama on that night). However, in terms of the Gatsu9 timeslot (Monday 9pm) standard, it’s historically been the most popular drama timeslot of the week (this was the case for the last two consecutive seasons), and being on top is practically guaranteed if that drama stars Kimura Takuya. In fact, the first installment of Gokusen went up against a Kimura drama, and Kimura won.

So for Fuji TV’s big Kimura Takuya Gatsu9 drama to be losing to Gokusen week after week (its ratings have been on a downward trejectory) is certainly a slight disappointment. Of course, it’s not far behind, and it’d be cool if it pulls through, especially since it got a very positive review at the Televiews column.

On the other hand, while Gokusen 3 is running at lower ratings than the last installment, NTV can still tell their advertisers that they still have the highest-rated drama of the season. In the end, it’s all about punchlines, and NTV has it while Fuji doesn’t.

Either way, I think Fuji wouldn’t have made a political drama without a big star and an attractive gimmick. It’s too bad Japanese viewers are indeed that politcally indifferent. Perhpas Kimura Takuya needs to run for political office in real life before people really care.

Shani