An inoffensive time with two bottoms and their crew.
Could Suspicious Partner have used three more episodes for a little breathing room? Absolutely.
But, there's a certain economy to Suspicious Partner which I've learned to appreciate. It doesn't overestimate it's intelligence or drag it's feet. It spends its runtime exactly where it needs to, no dead ends, no unnecessary outside interference making things needlessly elaborate, no red herrings. The plot relies on coincidence a lot, but since this is one of those Drama worlds where only twenty-odd people exist, it's fine. It all feels relatively safe; like there's crime, sure, but the Safeties are engaged for all the major characters; even if a main character should get stabbed, he can still win a fist-fight. Pleasantly safe, because, really, we aren't meant to be too invested in the plot. Just enough to get a few little whodunit thrills.
We are meant to be invested in Yagi Yusei and Saito Kyoko, and largely I was. They are both adorable, have a really pleasant vibe... but they both radiate the biggest bottom energy. Actually, most of the cast did. They were all pretty passive and chill, which helped the low key vibe, but hell. Tosa Kazunari as Yoneda was the closest we got to a Top, and he just didn't have the chutzpah to herd this collection of cats. They're all pretty nice people, on the whole, which is also a great break from watching shows with parades of assholes. The female characters have lots of agency, and nobody is too stupid to live. The casting really makes this a nice watch, even if a lot of the time you're just watching them chat.
Is it great? No. Legitimately nothing is fleshed out enough to be properly significant. It feels like there should be major themes with grief and job-loss and betrayal, but the show refuses to be a downer, no matter how many corpses turn up. It does not criticize or idealize it's justice systems. It focuses in tight on individuals, though even their stories are not very in depth. Also, it seems like lawyers have to do a lot of investigative work in Japan. Shouldn't the cops be doing A LOT of this?
Eh, I can't bring myself to care. But not in a bad way. Just in a way where I get to watch them all be pleasant at each other.
Special recognition to Yagi Yusei's multiple pairs of fancy pajamas. I about died when he turned up with a third set. Like. How many ridiculously printed pajamas does this man own? Can we talk about it? It's such a odd thing about his character, who in all other respects is going for a semi-ice prince/awkward potato thing. Dude just has elaborate bedtime apparel.
Since this is a remake, I suspect this was on fast-forward, just hitting the highlights of the original series with out the draggy bits. But the actors are keen, and plotting is tidy and there's a kind of virtue in something this frothy and unconcerned with it's own gravity.
But, there's a certain economy to Suspicious Partner which I've learned to appreciate. It doesn't overestimate it's intelligence or drag it's feet. It spends its runtime exactly where it needs to, no dead ends, no unnecessary outside interference making things needlessly elaborate, no red herrings. The plot relies on coincidence a lot, but since this is one of those Drama worlds where only twenty-odd people exist, it's fine. It all feels relatively safe; like there's crime, sure, but the Safeties are engaged for all the major characters; even if a main character should get stabbed, he can still win a fist-fight. Pleasantly safe, because, really, we aren't meant to be too invested in the plot. Just enough to get a few little whodunit thrills.
We are meant to be invested in Yagi Yusei and Saito Kyoko, and largely I was. They are both adorable, have a really pleasant vibe... but they both radiate the biggest bottom energy. Actually, most of the cast did. They were all pretty passive and chill, which helped the low key vibe, but hell. Tosa Kazunari as Yoneda was the closest we got to a Top, and he just didn't have the chutzpah to herd this collection of cats. They're all pretty nice people, on the whole, which is also a great break from watching shows with parades of assholes. The female characters have lots of agency, and nobody is too stupid to live. The casting really makes this a nice watch, even if a lot of the time you're just watching them chat.
Is it great? No. Legitimately nothing is fleshed out enough to be properly significant. It feels like there should be major themes with grief and job-loss and betrayal, but the show refuses to be a downer, no matter how many corpses turn up. It does not criticize or idealize it's justice systems. It focuses in tight on individuals, though even their stories are not very in depth. Also, it seems like lawyers have to do a lot of investigative work in Japan. Shouldn't the cops be doing A LOT of this?
Eh, I can't bring myself to care. But not in a bad way. Just in a way where I get to watch them all be pleasant at each other.
Special recognition to Yagi Yusei's multiple pairs of fancy pajamas. I about died when he turned up with a third set. Like. How many ridiculously printed pajamas does this man own? Can we talk about it? It's such a odd thing about his character, who in all other respects is going for a semi-ice prince/awkward potato thing. Dude just has elaborate bedtime apparel.
Since this is a remake, I suspect this was on fast-forward, just hitting the highlights of the original series with out the draggy bits. But the actors are keen, and plotting is tidy and there's a kind of virtue in something this frothy and unconcerned with it's own gravity.
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