"TV Preview Room" is a program where reporters review TV programs of various genres, from dramas to documentaries, variety shows, and anime, before they are aired. This time, we are reviewing the first episode, "Police Officer A," of "AIBO season 23" (TV Asahi, Wednesdays at 9:00 p.m.), which aired on October 16th.
This is the latest installment of the popular detective drama. This season marks the 10th season for the Special Task Force duo of Sugishita Ukyo, played by Mizutani Yutaka, and Kameyama Kaoru, played by Terawaki Yasufumi, including the "original AIBOU" era.
In the first episode, a case occurs in which Ashiya (Namiki Shiro), a former chairman of the National Public Safety Commission and member of the House of Representatives, is murdered. While the First Division is investigating, the Special Task Force immediately takes action. A young man named Takada Hajime, played by Kato Seishiro, appears before the two. Takada is someone Ukyo met through an incident and helped him take a step towards a new life, and is now a police officer. Fans of the series who know Takada's past will find Ukyo's gaze on Takada very moving.
As it is a murder case involving a prominent politician, the intentions of politicians and the higher-ups of the police are intertwined behind the scenes. The special task force runs to uncover the truth without reading the air, ignoring such powerful people, making it a typical "Aibō" story. Familiar faces appear, such as Deputy Superintendent-General Kinugasa Toji, played by Sugimoto Tetta, and Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office member Yashiro Miyako, played by Nakama Yukie, but the creepiness of ruling party Secretary-General Tonegawa, played by guest Denden, who also plays Kato, stands out.
This year marks the 150th anniversary of the establishment of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, the predecessor organization of the Metropolitan Police Department, and in the play, Ukyo works on compiling the "150-Year History of the Metropolitan Police Department." In that scene, two people who were deeply involved in the establishment of the police force, Okubo Toshimichi and Kawaji Toshiyoshi, are mentioned. Also, keep an eye out for the "unexpected connection" with the Special Investigation Unit.
