Nonsatellite TV drama series tend to have the exact same look and sound, regardless of what they're about. That may finally change with the broadcast of "Going My Home" (Fuji TV, Tuesday, 9 p.m.). Written and directed by internationally acclaimed filmmaker Hirokazu Koreeda, the series looks and sounds like a movie, and may inspire more movie directors to think about working for the small screen.
Hiroshi Abe stars as Yoshita, a timid salaryman who always tries to avoid any sort of conflict, whether at home or work. Allergic to involvement and responsibility, he has carved out a comfortable niche in life; that is, until his father falls ill and he is forced to return to his hometown. The all-star cast includes Tomoko Yamaguchi, Aoi Miyazaki and Toshiyuki Nishida.
The "Ooku" series, which dramatizes the political and sexual intrigues of the titular chambers where the shogun's concubines dwelled during the Edo Period (1603-1867), has been a ratings and box-office hog since the first one aired in 2003. The newest multipart saga is called "Ooku Tanjo" ("Ooku Birth"; TBS, Friday, 10 p.m.), which plays with history by reversing gender roles.
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