Not all, but some of my posts will feature the actual language used in Japanese drama. I choose to do so not only because I find the language fascinating on its own, but that it might highlight an aspect of the culture worth considering. If the language does not interest you, feel free to skip these parts. But if the language does interest you, you may wish to consider using the following suggestions to further supplement your Japanese language study. I have used these methods myself and I feel they have benefited me greatly.
We can definitely say that the language used in dramas is the cleaned up version of Japanese. It rarely comes with the "ums" and "ahs", the digressions, the half-speak, the detours, found in ordinary, everyday language. But that does not mean that the language used in drama is not "real" Japanese (a strange argument I have heard some people make). In fact, studying the scripts of television drama is a great way to learn the language, because the language used in them is an especially context-rich language. By that I mean that if we isolate what is being spoken, and try to understand it in terms of vocabulary and grammar alone, we might not fully grasp what is being said. But if we understand the plotting of the drama, the emotions and psychology of the characters, the nature of the relationships, then what is being said at a very specific time just might strike us with complete clarity.
For my favorite dramas, I have taken the time to study the scripts from beginning to end. It is a very labor-intensive way to study the language, and may not be for everyone. But for me, for those dramas I love, I find that it is an especially rewarding way to sink deeper into the nature of the story, to become one with it in the same way translators become one with the novels they translate. A character will say something that looks especially odd out of context, but within context, it becomes instantly memorable. (Humor often works that way; we have to fully understand what is going on outside language first before we can even begin to laugh.) This process very much mimics the way we process the language in real time when a friend or a colleague will say something that doesn't make any sense at first, but upon reflection, will suddenly strike us with complete clarity. Once that happens, you will never be able to forget what that friend or colleague has said. We can simulate that exact process by studying the language used in Japanese dramas.
How you study the language that I include in my posts is up to you. For myself, I like to compare what I hear first with the actual script. Once I fully grasp the exact meaning of the script, I like to read the script over and over again until I can do so easily. At some later date, I will listen to the clip again and see how much of it I have retained. If not much, then I will go back and repeat the process. When I am feeling especially ambitious I like to try and shadow the actors' words, to replicate their accents and manner of speaking. I might even try and memorize some of the phrases they use and repeat them back to myself when out on a walk, or while waiting in line at a store. When I first studied the language I liked to mix and match phrases I understood to create new phrases of my own. That turned out to be very good practice for when I had to use the language on the spot.
But whatever methods you use to learn the language, I wish you the best. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions related to the scripts. I would be happy to answer them.