GTO

If you want a drama that takes its characters as seriously as its plot, GTO is available on streaming right now. Across 2 seasons, the show has had time to find its rhythm and keep it. 17 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. Ryohei Kurosawa sets the tone, and the rest of the cast matches it scene for scene. Put it on tonight and see for yourself.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, GTO is worth clearing space for. Character-driven storytelling at its most effective — GTO earns every emotional beat it goes for. Through the introduction of his friend Danma Ryuji, Onizuka Eikichi, the former legendary bike gang member, visits Meishu Academy to tend to the trees in the garden as a part-time gardener. Learning that Yoshikawa Noboru, a student in teacher Fuyutsuki Azusa’s class is being bullied by Uehara Kyoko and other classmates, Onizuka befriends and saves Yoshikawa. Seeing Onizuka’s unprecedented but visceral, powerful response to problem solving, the school’s president and principal, Sakurai Yoshiko, overrides resistance from her vice principal Uchiyamada Hiroshi and makes Onizuka a teacher. Ryohei Kurosawa and Yusuke Yamamoto lead a cast that treats the material with real seriousness. 2 seasons (2012–2014) gave the story room most shows never get. What elevates GTO is a refusal to let any character off the hook too easily. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Drama fans who appreciate slow-burn storytelling will feel right at home with GTO. If you have already watched Sullivan's Crossing, GTO is a natural next step. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch if your schedule allows. Ryohei Kurosawa's work here is the kind that gets referenced in career retrospectives. It makes everything else feel thin by comparison.

GTO wrapped up in 2014, created by Masaki Fukasawa — and 2 seasons are available to watch from start to finish. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro's free voice app makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just say the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.