Currently watching: Galileo

Whenever the police need help with a seemingly paranormal crime, they turn to eccentric scientist Yukawa Manabu. He solves it using his extensive knowledge of physics and his ability to write formulae on any available surface.

This is the second series, and Fukuyama Masaharu (in the lead role) is joined by Yoshitaka Yuriko as the rookie detective who's assigned to his cases. She's now the third person in this role, after Kitamaru Kauzki (who appears at the start of both series and in a film as Kusanagi Shunpei, the detective in the original novels) and Shibasaki Kuo (as Utsumi Kaoru, in the first series and a film).

Apart from that, not much else changes in this entertaining romp. While the idea of a genius solving a crime with a tiny piece of trivia is hardly new, this TV series keeps it fresh. Fukyama Masaharu is comfortable back in his old role, and it's nice to see Yoshitaka Yuriko playing someone less ditzy, for a change.

On the front cover of an English translation of a Galileo novel, it describes Higashino Keiko as the Japanese Steig Larsson. But while I enjoy Scandinavian thrillers, I'm glad that this drama steers clear of the slow, pondering pace of The Killing or Wallander. This is quick-moving, visually engaging and often very funny.