BOSS 2x10 & 2x11 Thoughts
Jun. 10th, 2012 05:34 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
iariaSo I actually liked this finale much less the previous season's finale but it was still enjoyable. The idea for it is something I really like in concept - a secret agency with ties throughout the government and police is a classic but in this case I think it would have worked better if they tied it in throughout the season better. Nodate brought Eriko back and put the team back together specifically because of it, Eriko sent Mami away because she knew something was off about the shooting. We got little hints of bigger things happening but having finished the season I really wish we'd gotten big hints/actual scenes devoted to Eriko/Nodate/Mami investigating it.
2x10
+ I was so happy with the reveal that Mami's been on a secret mission for Eriko all this time. So happy.
+ Well, at least the show is being consistent with the whole ‘being associated with a criminal in any way means the end of your job’ but it's still completely ridiculous. Also once again with the coincidences - this time with Katagiri just happening to be seriously dating a girl who's father ends up a suspect involved in a series of killings.
+ I really liked that Eriko stayed with Katagiri in 2x10. There was no professional reason for her to watch him being decoy and then take his girlfriend back to headquarters instead of arresting the suspects herself. The only reason for her to stay with Katagiri and delegate the arrest was to give him emotional support and that made me happy.
+ I'm disappointed that Takakura was killed off-screen and had no role in the season. I was looking forward to another face off between him and Eriko.
+ I figured the Sachiko/Hanagata shooting lessons would come into play but I thought it would be more like Sachiko shooting a suspect to save a team member. I never expected her shooting Hanagata.
2x11
+ "Why would I kill such a handsome dude? Don’t you know handsome guys are in limited supply!" – Iwai. LOL.
+ I really liked that Nodate’s boss was on their side and basically freed them all on his own authority. That was a nice change.
+ Where was Satoshi during the group meeting in the basement? We get no mention of her being sent on a separate assignment but neither does anyone mention her being gone unless I missed something. I realise at that point Eriko and Nodate know that she's a bad guy but they haven't confronted her and there's no indication that the others know the truth so why didn't someone wonder where she was? It really bugged me.
+ "This is not the time to be vying with each other." - Eriko I really liked this moment between Mami and Rika. I love that for all of Eriko's words here neither girl is getting into it with each other - Mami waits until Rika confirms that she knows what she's talking about and then gives up the computer to her. I think this scene would be better if we'd gotten more of a mentorship between Eriko/Rika but it still works well.
+ I love Nodate knowing how Hanagata speaks when sick. It makes me awww. I also loved him cradling Sachiko after she was shot and calling her Sacchi. They're all Eriko's team but he is the one who chose each of them and he's very much a part of the team as well. These moments really sell that.
+ I didn't like Morioka shooting Sachiko, especially once it was revealed that her saving Hanagata and telling the team where he was located was a secondary plan. There was no need for him to shoot her. The only reason I can think of why they did it was to make her more sympathetic.
+ So Sachiko being one of the secret agents - to be honest I'm torn. The impression she gave - hard faced, unhesitating, uncaring - when she shot Hanagata was such a complete change from her over the rest of the season and came out of no where. It was weird. But then instead of continuing with that and making her a hardened killer the show switched to her being someone increasingly torn about her spying and her not being the killer.
I prefer the torn loyalties approach and I actually really like the reveal of her working for the other guys and spying - her and Morioka's inclusion really hammers home how pervasive the secret agency has become and that anyone could be one of them - but I really wish we could have seen more of Sachiko's increasingly torn loyalties and uncertainty. And I wish that either she hadn't shot Hanagata or they'd shown that scene differently.
+ "Tell Boss I’m sorry." - Sachiko I liked this a lot, and Morioka's line later about how she was 'influenced by them'. Eriko gets to everyone.
+ When Mami told them that it was a small charge and they wondered what the purpose of it was my first thought was of the season one finale where Black Moon's plan was basically the same - small explosion to make the prey run away and then snatch them as they flee - and I was kind of surprised that neither of them appeared to consider it. Of course the actual plan was a bit more complicated.
+ I love this moment between Eriko and Mami:
"Don’t worry. I’ll handle things here." - Mami
"I’ll leave it to you." - Eriko
I love the trust she shows in Mami's abilities. Early in the season they broached the topic of Eriko's replacement, in a completely joking manner, but I think it's clear that if it ever did come down to it Mami would be the one.
+ I was very amused that Nodate Party was actually useful in a case and was instrumental in tracking down Morioka.
+ Of the three reoccurring/main characters who were revealed as 'bad' in this finale I liked Morioka's reveal the best. It added a lot of weight and tension to Eriko and Nodate's search for him and their eventual confrontation.
+ Mami kicking the bomber’s ass was great. But since when is she so physically competent? I don't remember her fighting so well but then it has been a while since I watched the first season.
+ I loved Nodate stepping between Eriko and Morioka and the fact that Morioka completely bought that Nodate would do that. It was simply so that Eriko could get his backup gun but the fact that their closet friend would actually buy Nodate putting himself between Eriko and danger/a gun, to the degree that he put his gun down, made me smile so much.
+ Kenzo Kurohara being behind everything was a surprise. I didn't figure it out until Morioka warned Eriko that 'the real enemy is closer than you think'. Kurohara was really the only person that made sense.
+ I loved Eriko putting her arm around Rika. One of my biggest regrets of this season was that we didn't get more of Eriko mentoring Rika. I feel like the show dropped the ball there and we didn't get as much between them as we did with Eriko/Mami. Instead of all the Keisuke crushing on Rika scenes which never worked for me I wish we could have gotten Eriko/Rika scenes instead. It'd make Rika's speech to her father and returning to help the team and her later calling Eriko, crying, with the information about her dad work even better.
+ I was skeptical when it appeared Hanagata was killed but was a little uncertain. I bought that they would kill Sachiko that way (and was kind of annoyed). But when they tried to make it seem as if they'd kill off Eriko my first response was: 'who do you think you are - a kdrama? Yeah right.'
+ Sachiko recovering in the hospital seemed a bit too calm and even happy. I mean, sure, she's alive and no longer lying. And she did save Hanagata's life... except she was also the one who shot him so I don't know how much weight that has. And she was betraying the team for the entire season so...
I there was another season would she be a part of it? She'd have to be arrested, no? Which would end her career with the police. And despite Hanagata's words when Iwai found him is he really that willing to get over her betrayal so easily just because she then had a change of mind and tried to save him?
+ "Seriously why did I have to be taken captive? You’re the one used to being taken captive." - Hanagata to Mami. LMAO!
+ I don't understand why Eriko was at the airport leaving again. Last season it worked. This season I see no reason for her to be leaving. In fact it actively doesn't make sense - two of her team are still recovering, there are going to be trials that I'm sure she'll have to be a part of, this organization is huge and high reaching and I doubt that they've found everyone. Plus she hasn't been kicked off the team, there were no scandals. It doesn't work for me.
2x10
+ I was so happy with the reveal that Mami's been on a secret mission for Eriko all this time. So happy.
+ Well, at least the show is being consistent with the whole ‘being associated with a criminal in any way means the end of your job’ but it's still completely ridiculous. Also once again with the coincidences - this time with Katagiri just happening to be seriously dating a girl who's father ends up a suspect involved in a series of killings.
+ I really liked that Eriko stayed with Katagiri in 2x10. There was no professional reason for her to watch him being decoy and then take his girlfriend back to headquarters instead of arresting the suspects herself. The only reason for her to stay with Katagiri and delegate the arrest was to give him emotional support and that made me happy.
+ I'm disappointed that Takakura was killed off-screen and had no role in the season. I was looking forward to another face off between him and Eriko.
+ I figured the Sachiko/Hanagata shooting lessons would come into play but I thought it would be more like Sachiko shooting a suspect to save a team member. I never expected her shooting Hanagata.
2x11
+ "Why would I kill such a handsome dude? Don’t you know handsome guys are in limited supply!" – Iwai. LOL.
+ I really liked that Nodate’s boss was on their side and basically freed them all on his own authority. That was a nice change.
+ Where was Satoshi during the group meeting in the basement? We get no mention of her being sent on a separate assignment but neither does anyone mention her being gone unless I missed something. I realise at that point Eriko and Nodate know that she's a bad guy but they haven't confronted her and there's no indication that the others know the truth so why didn't someone wonder where she was? It really bugged me.
+ "This is not the time to be vying with each other." - Eriko I really liked this moment between Mami and Rika. I love that for all of Eriko's words here neither girl is getting into it with each other - Mami waits until Rika confirms that she knows what she's talking about and then gives up the computer to her. I think this scene would be better if we'd gotten more of a mentorship between Eriko/Rika but it still works well.
+ I love Nodate knowing how Hanagata speaks when sick. It makes me awww. I also loved him cradling Sachiko after she was shot and calling her Sacchi. They're all Eriko's team but he is the one who chose each of them and he's very much a part of the team as well. These moments really sell that.
+ I didn't like Morioka shooting Sachiko, especially once it was revealed that her saving Hanagata and telling the team where he was located was a secondary plan. There was no need for him to shoot her. The only reason I can think of why they did it was to make her more sympathetic.
+ So Sachiko being one of the secret agents - to be honest I'm torn. The impression she gave - hard faced, unhesitating, uncaring - when she shot Hanagata was such a complete change from her over the rest of the season and came out of no where. It was weird. But then instead of continuing with that and making her a hardened killer the show switched to her being someone increasingly torn about her spying and her not being the killer.
I prefer the torn loyalties approach and I actually really like the reveal of her working for the other guys and spying - her and Morioka's inclusion really hammers home how pervasive the secret agency has become and that anyone could be one of them - but I really wish we could have seen more of Sachiko's increasingly torn loyalties and uncertainty. And I wish that either she hadn't shot Hanagata or they'd shown that scene differently.
+ "Tell Boss I’m sorry." - Sachiko I liked this a lot, and Morioka's line later about how she was 'influenced by them'. Eriko gets to everyone.
+ When Mami told them that it was a small charge and they wondered what the purpose of it was my first thought was of the season one finale where Black Moon's plan was basically the same - small explosion to make the prey run away and then snatch them as they flee - and I was kind of surprised that neither of them appeared to consider it. Of course the actual plan was a bit more complicated.
+ I love this moment between Eriko and Mami:
"Don’t worry. I’ll handle things here." - Mami
"I’ll leave it to you." - Eriko
I love the trust she shows in Mami's abilities. Early in the season they broached the topic of Eriko's replacement, in a completely joking manner, but I think it's clear that if it ever did come down to it Mami would be the one.
+ I was very amused that Nodate Party was actually useful in a case and was instrumental in tracking down Morioka.
+ Of the three reoccurring/main characters who were revealed as 'bad' in this finale I liked Morioka's reveal the best. It added a lot of weight and tension to Eriko and Nodate's search for him and their eventual confrontation.
+ Mami kicking the bomber’s ass was great. But since when is she so physically competent? I don't remember her fighting so well but then it has been a while since I watched the first season.
+ I loved Nodate stepping between Eriko and Morioka and the fact that Morioka completely bought that Nodate would do that. It was simply so that Eriko could get his backup gun but the fact that their closet friend would actually buy Nodate putting himself between Eriko and danger/a gun, to the degree that he put his gun down, made me smile so much.
+ Kenzo Kurohara being behind everything was a surprise. I didn't figure it out until Morioka warned Eriko that 'the real enemy is closer than you think'. Kurohara was really the only person that made sense.
+ I loved Eriko putting her arm around Rika. One of my biggest regrets of this season was that we didn't get more of Eriko mentoring Rika. I feel like the show dropped the ball there and we didn't get as much between them as we did with Eriko/Mami. Instead of all the Keisuke crushing on Rika scenes which never worked for me I wish we could have gotten Eriko/Rika scenes instead. It'd make Rika's speech to her father and returning to help the team and her later calling Eriko, crying, with the information about her dad work even better.
+ I was skeptical when it appeared Hanagata was killed but was a little uncertain. I bought that they would kill Sachiko that way (and was kind of annoyed). But when they tried to make it seem as if they'd kill off Eriko my first response was: 'who do you think you are - a kdrama? Yeah right.'
+ Sachiko recovering in the hospital seemed a bit too calm and even happy. I mean, sure, she's alive and no longer lying. And she did save Hanagata's life... except she was also the one who shot him so I don't know how much weight that has. And she was betraying the team for the entire season so...
I there was another season would she be a part of it? She'd have to be arrested, no? Which would end her career with the police. And despite Hanagata's words when Iwai found him is he really that willing to get over her betrayal so easily just because she then had a change of mind and tried to save him?
+ "Seriously why did I have to be taken captive? You’re the one used to being taken captive." - Hanagata to Mami. LMAO!
+ I don't understand why Eriko was at the airport leaving again. Last season it worked. This season I see no reason for her to be leaving. In fact it actively doesn't make sense - two of her team are still recovering, there are going to be trials that I'm sure she'll have to be a part of, this organization is huge and high reaching and I doubt that they've found everyone. Plus she hasn't been kicked off the team, there were no scandals. It doesn't work for me.
