杉下右京（水谷豊）が係長を務める警視庁内の窓際部署「特命係」を舞台にした刑事ドラマ。 超人的な推理力・洞察力を持つ右京が相棒や、米沢守や、角田六郎等の協力者と協力しながら、難事件の捜査を展開し、謎を解き明かしていくミステリドラマを軸とする。併せて相棒や彼らを取り巻く刑事達との人間模様、警察組織との摩擦、社会的な問題、それらに複雑に絡み合う官僚・政治家の陰謀などが併せて展開されている。

Detective Ukyo Sugishita confronts crime on the basis of his own convictions. He has a partner that works for him in the Special Task Unit. For the first 7 seasons, Ukyo’s first partner is Kaoru Kameyama. He is a good-natured, hot-tempered, straightforward and somewhat scattered detective. Beginning in Season 8, Takeru Kanbe replaces Kameyama. Contrary to his predecessor, Takeru is a lanky, cool, conceited and confident detective. From Season 11 to Season 13, Ukyo’s partner is a young detective Toru Kai. Toru is a son of Deputy Director-General of The National Police Agency. But he became a detective by his own effort. And starting with Season 14, Ukyo’s current partner is Wataru Kaburagi, an elite bureaucrat who came to the Metropolitan Police Department on temporary assignment. As the first partner without any career of a police officer, he will face challenging cases together with Ukyo.