i was thinking about it yesterday night before i slept.

i remembered during one time when japanese drama got so popular, in singapore and every where. the classics were always mentioned together, tokyo love story, love generation, long vacation etc. maybe to a lesser extent beach boys, GTO.

and i compared those dramas with those that are currently available, sadly, i have to say that they don't make dramas like they used to. the story lines are not fresh...just recycled in a different manner.

maybe it is just me feeling a bit nostalgic for those excellent dramas...especially tokyo love story and long vacation...

comments anyone?

Maybe yes or maybe not. I haven't seen enough newest dramas so I can't make a final decision of it. However the old ones are good! It's the 21st century, producers have to follow the trends! What's in and out. Writin story to a drama isn't that easy cos most of em are similar to each other.
There is no such thing as "original" story anymore. Just enjoy the dramas what are broadcasted and released

there was a golden era, when dramas identified with their society, and touched a raw nerve:

- love generation was about the permissive society and how it's not much easier to find love
- beach boys is about 2 fellas who tried to find their purpose in life rather than either bum along or stay salaryman the rest of their lives.
- 29th christmas was about a career woman who is trying to balance work and romance.
- majo no jouken is about forbidden love. whether is between adult and child, teacher and student.

these dramas weaved a story. you can't miss a single episode or you'll be lost.

nowadays, it's rare to find story-based dramas. most are single episodes, like the US sitcom friends or fraiser. sure, you know something is developing, but it's not important. you can catch any episode, and know that the whole "story of the day" will be complete in itself. like Good Luck!!

or when you find a story-based drama, it's out of sync with the society. just a good story turned dorama. ok, but no impact on you personally. yeah, the actor/actress is cute. that's all.

there are still many one story doramas out... like most kimutaku dramas are one story kinds... while most doramas that include younger generation actors are of a one epiosde one story kind... but this kind of drama has been around since the late 1990s except that there has been an increase recently.. it's probably not the golden age of dorama that has passed.. but rather the audiences' perferences has changed.. views on [ethical] issues like older woman younger guy relationships are not viewed as taboo anymore.. therefore the change in dramas can be said as natural.. people now dun want to see stuff like beatiful life type of dramas anymore.. it was all done in the past.. new kinds of dramas are coming up.. stuff like ikebukuro west gate park.. wierd stories with dark sides...

wondered if i should drudge this one up

seems more and more ppl are getting this feeling
_________________

welcome to the club!

I think since about two years the quality of doramas is continuous dropping very fast.
After Karei naru Ichizoku (2007) i haven't seen a better drama and i watched a lot!
The plots are more and more facile and also the actors are more frequently singers,
modells and so on and not (professional) performers!

The golden era is long ago.

Now the tv stations produces twice as much dramas, but the quality of each drama is half as much
It seemst that their goal are lowbrow entertainment dramas at the expense of profound plots.

I hope to find more "old" dramas to watch and also fangroups release some
lost dramas they find in their basement

Signo wrote:

The golden era is long ago.

I dunno. There's still good dramas out there. Last year there was Arifureta Kiseki, Shiroi Haru, Love Shuffle, JIN and probably others that I've missed.

Kind of reminds me of when people say the '70s was a great era for television and they bring up MASH, All in the Family, and Mary Tyler Moore.

They don't mention crap like The Dukes of Hazzard, CHiPs, and BJ and the Bear

gaijinmark wrote:

Kind of reminds me of when people say the '70s was a great era for television and they bring up MASH, All in the Family, and Mary Tyler Moore. They don't mention crap like The Dukes of Hazzard, CHiPs, and BJ and the Bear

LOL.

The pinnacle of television programming.

gaijinmark wrote:

I dunno. There's still good dramas out there. Last year there was Arifureta Kiseki, Shiroi Haru, Love Shuffle, JIN and probably others that I've missed.

Yeah, i totally agree with you. The dramas you mention are indeed good, but not extraordinaire. I just think outstanding dramas faded the last years.
And of course, like now, there were crap shows before.

Signo wrote:

Yeah, i totally agree with you. The dramas you mention are indeed good, but not extraordinaire. I just think outstanding dramas faded the last years.

Well it depends on what you consider outstanding... There are some really good ones out there... They're just harder to find/weed out among the junk.

Love Generation, GTO, Koi ga shitai, Dekichatta Kekkon, Long Love Letter, Densha Otoko, Karei naru Ichizoku, Koi ni Ochitara for example
For me Karei naru was the last outstanding dorama, but of course some people feel different about that.
Today most of the primetime shows are based on manga and the plot is more "lighthearted".
So it depends on the taste when the "golden age" was, right?

Signo wrote:

Love Generation, GTO, Koi ga shitai, Dekichatta Kekkon, Long Love Letter, Densha Otoko, Karei naru Ichizoku, Koi ni Ochitara for example For me Karei naru was the last outstanding dorama, but of course some people feel different about that. Today most of the primetime shows are based on manga and the plot is more "lighthearted". So it depends on the taste when the "golden age" was, right?

Yup.

Today is the Platinum Age of dramas because they are so good. Any drama with Takky, Matsumoto Jun, Yamapi, or any member of KAT-TUN is worth more than its weight in gold. The more hair products the main actor uses in his hair the better the drama is.

Tu_triky wrote:

Today is the Platinum Age of dramas because they are so good. Any drama with Takky, Matsumoto Jun, Yamapi, or any member of KAT-TUN is worth more than its weight in gold. The more hair products the main actor uses in his hair the better the drama is.

More like the Stone Age of Dramas... With apparently the same acting skills.

Tu_triky wrote:

The more hair products the main actor uses in his hair the better the drama is.

haha, that's a nice aspect i have never thought before...

bmwracer wrote:

More like the Stone Age of Dramas... With apparently the same acting skills.

Don't insult the Geico Cavemen.