Code Blue Season 1 J-Drama Review (2008)

Info

Title: Code Blue (Japanese: コード・ブルー, Romaji: Kodo Buru)

Episodes: 11 + 1 Special

TV Station: Fuji TV

Broadcast Time: July 3, 2008 to September 12, 2008 on Thursdays at 22:00

Genre: Medical

Average TV Ratings: 15.6%

Cast

Yamashita Tomohisa as Aizawa Kosaku (Flight doctor-in-training)
Aragaki Yui as Shiraishi Megumi (Flight doctor-in-training)
Toda Erika as Hiyama Mihoko (Flight doctor-in-training)
Higa Manami as Saejima Haruka (Flight nurse)
Asari Yosuke as Fujikawa Kazuo (Flight doctor-in-training)
Kodama Kiyoshi as Tadokoro Yoshiaki (Emergency Unit Chief)
Katsumura Masanobu as Morimoto Tadashi (Flight Doctor)
Ryo as Mitsui Kanna (Flight Doctor)
Yanagiba Toshiro as Kuroda Shuji (Flight Doctor)
Sugimoto Tetta as Saijo Susumu (Brain Surgeon)
Terajima Susumu as Kaji Toshi (Pilot)
Yuui Ryoko as Todoroki Seiko (Communication Specialist)
Hiwatashi Shinji (樋渡真司) as Anzai Yasuyuki (Co-pilot)
Ikeda Kimiko (池田貴美子) as Ohara Sumiko (Head nurse)
Kaneda Mika (金田美香) as Murata Kaori (nurse)

Synopsis
If it can be treated one second earlier, the heart might start beating again.
If there is one extra helicopter, another life in danger may be saved.
If one more life can be saved, the Japanese medical community may regain trust.
There are more lives in this country that can be saved.
The "Doctor Helicopter" system was legalized in Japan in June 2007. A medical team is dispatched to the patients on a helicopter to provide medical care in the field as soon as possible. One day, four young physicians are assigned to this latest medical system. The doctors experience traumatic medical situations, deal with personal ambitions, witness the fragility of life, and they grow personally and professionally.

Awards
58th Television Drama Academy Awards: Best Directors - Nishiura Masaki, Hayama Hiroki

My Review

I'm not usually a fan of medical shows, but Code Blue is a really well made series. It tends to be episodic, but it's episodic done well, and well written. All of the main characters get their share of solid character development. All of the doctors striving to be licensed flight doctors go through their trials and tribulations with their own inexperience. Season 1 is actually more about their growth as doctors. Code Blue also has some solid stories as well, both among the patients as well as the characters such as Aizawa's grandma, Saejima's ex-boyfriend, and Dr. Kuroda's work with the new doctors. The series has a star-studded cast with Yamashita Tomohisa, Aragaki Yui, and Toda Erika, all of whom play their parts well.

Pros

* Strong character development for all the main characters and some of the minor characters as well.

* All-Star cast of good actors.

* Some of the cases can really be heart-warming or heart-wrenching.

* Episodic but with some solid stories along the way.

* The special was descent.

* Excellent background music and the theme song is pretty descent as well.

Cons

* Asari Yousuke's character, Fujikawa can be annoying at times but he's also a likable character as the underdog of the group.

* Episode 2 was cheesy.

* Some of the patients can be annoying.

* A slightly slow start but still pretty solid from beginning to end.

My Rating

8.5/10: This is a very good series that's interesting and fun to watch. I highly recommend it.