“Kochikame” premiere pulls in weak ratings

Despite the hype, the TBS drama series “Kochira Katsushikaku Kameari Kouenmae Hashutsujo” (abbreviated as “Kochikame”) got off to a poor start this weekend. The first episode, which aired on August 1, managed to get only 12.2% ratings in the Kanto region.

“Kochikame,” starring SMAP member Shingo Katori, is an adaptation of a long-lasting comedy manga by Osamu Akimoto. In addition to Katori, the show features Karina, Mocomichi Hayami, and many guest stars – including Beat Takeshi, Hitori Gekidan, and Becky for the premiere episode.

The series airs in TBS’s Saturday 7:56pm time slot. Before “Kochikame,” that slot was occupied by “MR.BRAIN,” starring fellow SMAP member Takuya Kimura. “MR.BRAIN” started out at 24.8% and averaged 20.1% over its eight episodes.

Source:
Sponichi Annex