On September 11th, screenwriter Shizuka Oishi attended a press conference held at TV Asahi headquarters (Minato-ku, Tokyo) for the final episode of the drama "Shiawase na Kekkon" (Thursdays 9pm), which aired that same evening, along with lead actor Sadao Abe and heroine Takako Matsu.
The series has been generating a lot of buzz, with the cumulative number of catch-up streams up to the last eighth episode surpassing 21 million (according to TVer DATA MARKETING), the highest number of any drama series this season. When asked about the reactions from those around her, Oishi said, "People who say things to me when I meet them in person generally don't say anything mean (laughs). But I do feel like there are mixed opinions. I do hear some negative opinions, too. But that doesn't mean I'm going to waver, because I trust the (production) team. That won't waver, and no matter what opinions I hear, I just think that's the way it is."
When asked about unexpected reactions from viewers, he revealed that one of the theories was that Detective Kurokawa (played by Yosuke Sugino) might be Goshu, the heroine's family's deceased younger brother. "I was surprised! It made me think about all sorts of things. By the end, I was wondering if that development was interesting (laughs)," he said.
The drama marks Oishi's first drama series since last year's much talked about NHK Taiga drama "To Dear Radiance (Hikaru Kimi e)." The story centers around the bachelor Harada Kotaro (Abe) who is attracted to the mysterious high school art teacher Suzuki Nerula (Matsu) and marries her unexpectedly, only to find out that Nerula is a suspect in the death of his ex-fiancé, Nuse Yuto (Reo Tamaoki). While a family drama, the story is billed as a "marriage suspense" that explores the love between husband and wife.
