#587529
"12:00 PM-1:00 PM"
Written by: Shûkei Nagasaka
Directed by: Ken Higurashi
Original Air Date: January 8, 2021
Start the Clock: Genba and the wounded Ken make their way through the woods, Tamizo and his goons hot on their trail. Finding a spot to rest/hide, Tamizo gives up. Rikka and Miyu are making their way through the woods, but Miyu sees the cloud of smoke and wonders what happened. They are forced to go a less direct route though in doing so lose the map. Fortunately, Rikka has it memorized.
Urara is dead set on telling the authorities about Dr. Touku. Magoroku urges caution since they have no conclusive evidence yet. Sensing her insistence on the matter, he asks if she will tell Yohei since the news will drag him through the mud as well.
12:09:16 Itsuki and Nanjo pass along Akechi’s effects to her mother and son. Nanjo has some information about the complex while Itsuki has problems reaching Genba. Figuring he is probably just unable to answer, they have a talk about the day’s activities. They are apologetic to each other and begin looking to perhaps maybe rekindling things going forward. Midoroku splashes some cold water by asking them to interrogate Akechi’s mother who just got a hefty deposit in her account.
Genba and Ken find an abandoned station, giving Genba a chance to look at Ken’s wound. He ties it off with a little more strength than necessary considering he knows what Ken did.
Andre calls Tamizo asking if they are done with the complex. Tomizo says that Genba is on the base, and he can finish him after which he would like to try Urara. Andre says one thing at a time, clearly implying it will not be good if Genba escapes.
Back at the hotel, Urara has a talk with Yohei. She is pretty much set on exposing the murder, but Yohei says it will be hard to prove, at least at present. When she is Prime Minister, she will be better positioned to expose what happened.
12:19:06 Just as Genba wonders where Rikka and Miyu are, we see the pair wandering around. Rikka either does not have the area as memorized as she thought or is crap for directions. Nevertheless, they have to keep moving to evade Tamizo. Genba confirms the loadout with Midoroku, who adds a third helicopter. He leaves Ken going out to search for Rikka and Miyu.
Itsuki and Nanjo interrogate Akechi’s mother under the threat of imprisonment which will not work out for Akechi’s son. They wonder why she did not get suspicious when her daughter deposited half her annual pay into her account each month.
Rikka and Miyu find a station to take refuge in. A goon looks around but is called off before he can find them. Rikak gets another stomach pain and Miyu will not be dismissive this time. Just then, the goon spots them through the window, but Genba shoots him. Through the radio, Tamizo asks what happened. Genba grabs the radio, and they are off.
Mylo shows Itsuki and Nanjo some financial transactions. Akechi’s money came from a foundation connected to Project Dark Night. That piques Itsuki’s ears as she makes a call. Not knowing their calls are being intercepted, Tamizo makes plans for everyone to meet. Genba realizes they can avoid them entirely on their current path.
12:33:03 Urara goes to meet with Madoka, asking to run the story. Madoka refuses, clearly agitated and frightened but will not reveal why. Someone got to her! She wishes Urara a good run as Prime Minister and is off.
Tomiza finds the goons’ body and notes the lack of radio. As he realizes Genba has been listening in, Genba and his family make their way back to the station where Ken is hiding. The helicopters are late but Tamizo is on them and has them pinned.
12:41:37 Rikka and Miyu hide while Genba and Tamizo shoot literal bullets and figurative barbs at each other. Soon, a helicopter appears on site. Genba tricks Tamizo with a mirror and Miyu, realizing Ken is out of danger, runs to him while Rikka doubles over in pain.
On Urara’s way to make a statement to the police, Joshu appears. Speaking privately, he tells her that he admires her strength. She will be in a better position as Prime Minister than a mother visiting her son in jail. When the flattery does not work, he threatens Yuta. Joshu can find witnesses who will place Yuta at the scene of Dr. Touku’s office, and he will be jailed. Her hand forced, she declines to speak to the police, deciding to be Prime Minister.
12:52:36 Miyu goes to the cabin, but Ken is nowhere to be found. CTU agents are on the scene, and we see Ken making his wounded way through the woods. Genba and Tamizo continue to verbally joust. Genba asks about the connection to Project Dark Night, but Tamizo knows better than to pry. Soon, Genba is on top of Tamizo and is forced to shoot. Genba is taken into custody and Ken makes his way to a bus stop. The family escapes on the helicopter as Ken rides the bus.
Midoroku gives the good news to Itsuki and Nanjo and is informed of the money trail. Itsuki asks to raise the security around Urara since she is linked as well. Plus, there is a second assassin coming, who we see on the escalator at the airport.
iMagic: Tamizo finds a sniper rifle giving him a boost to his accuracy.
Stormtrooper Accuracy: When chasing Genba and Ken through the woods, Tamizo is within eyesight of them but gives up. Sometimes you don’t even have to fire to be a crappy stormtrooper.
Dunder Mifflin: There had to be about a billion ways to give Akechi’s mother and son the news rather than giving them her stuff. Sadly, that is what they went with.
Peter Griffin Moment: Genba takes the slightest bit of perverse pleasure in causing pain to Ken while tending to the wound.
[REDATED] it!: Genba has what can best be described as a father-son talk with Ken, though it is pretty well summed up as ‘man up.’
The Cubbies: Picking up on some vibes from last week, Nanjo gets a little friendly with Itsuki.
I’m Not a Spy: Itsuki draws the short straw and has to lead the questioning of Akechis mother.
Five Minute Rule: After dropping the phone, Miyu tries to get it but is a good few feet from it.
Amnesia Bait: Rikka’s stomach acts up a couple times, though once when she is alone.
24-Gate: The counselor Yuta confessed to? Gone. The papers connecting Yuta to the crime? Gone. The digital copies? Gone. Urara’s potential testimony? Useless. It’s like someone wants to kill the story.
Let’s Up the Rating: Itsuki and Nanjo totally flirt with each other and are very handsy when they talk at the start of this hour. They get a room later, but that is for interrogation purposes.
THAT kind of topless: Tamizo’s wound leaves a trail for Genba to follow.
Day Player of the Week: The goon gets a chance to shine but blows it by going over the top through the barred window.
Employee of the Month: Mylo follows the money though it is after they start interrogating and threatening Akechi’s mother.
One More Time: “First show me Shido’s corpse, then we’ll talk.”
Andre telling Tamizo that if he does a good job, he might be around to do more work.
Hour Time: “When you run a machine, sometimes garbage gets in the way.” The way television works, a series will get an initial order of thirteen episodes. If things work out, they get an order for the ‘back nine’ to finish out the season. If this order comes in with enough time, the writers can make a seamless transition. Otherwise, they write with thirteen episodes being the end.
Which is the case here and it is to the detriment of the show.
You can see the plot coming out of nowhere to make things work. It is most obvious with Rikka and Miyu getting lost and found in the nick of time. Genba finds a station for Ken to hide in. Tamizo and his goons run around trying to find Genba. You can see the strings keeping the hour going for the sake of needing an hour to wrap everything up.
The performances are decent. The boss fight is a highlight with Genba using a mirror to trick Tamizo. On the whole, Genba is good at the tactical aspect. The actors do what they can, but this is moving pieces around for the sake of moving them around the board.
Things are also spinning wheels at CTU. The interrogation of Akechi’s mom is fruitless as Mylo manages to follow the paper trail of bank records. Itsuki and Nanjo further their plot and Midoroku provides some support by adding another helicopter, though we do not see it at the end regardless.
That leaves Urara and that plot moves forward, just not in a good direction. Urara has been the moral candidate and the plot has forced her to lie. It is an artificial way to end the hour for the sake of giving it an ending just because it has to end. It still is well acted, making it the best part of the episode but Magoroku is off. The scene with Urara and Joshu has manipulations all over the place but the actors do a great job with it.
There are pieces of the plot that would remain for the rest of the season but there are too many wheels spinning this time.
Written by: Shûkei Nagasaka
Directed by: Ken Higurashi
Original Air Date: January 8, 2021
Start the Clock: Genba and the wounded Ken make their way through the woods, Tamizo and his goons hot on their trail. Finding a spot to rest/hide, Tamizo gives up. Rikka and Miyu are making their way through the woods, but Miyu sees the cloud of smoke and wonders what happened. They are forced to go a less direct route though in doing so lose the map. Fortunately, Rikka has it memorized.
Urara is dead set on telling the authorities about Dr. Touku. Magoroku urges caution since they have no conclusive evidence yet. Sensing her insistence on the matter, he asks if she will tell Yohei since the news will drag him through the mud as well.
12:09:16 Itsuki and Nanjo pass along Akechi’s effects to her mother and son. Nanjo has some information about the complex while Itsuki has problems reaching Genba. Figuring he is probably just unable to answer, they have a talk about the day’s activities. They are apologetic to each other and begin looking to perhaps maybe rekindling things going forward. Midoroku splashes some cold water by asking them to interrogate Akechi’s mother who just got a hefty deposit in her account.
Genba and Ken find an abandoned station, giving Genba a chance to look at Ken’s wound. He ties it off with a little more strength than necessary considering he knows what Ken did.
Andre calls Tamizo asking if they are done with the complex. Tomizo says that Genba is on the base, and he can finish him after which he would like to try Urara. Andre says one thing at a time, clearly implying it will not be good if Genba escapes.
Back at the hotel, Urara has a talk with Yohei. She is pretty much set on exposing the murder, but Yohei says it will be hard to prove, at least at present. When she is Prime Minister, she will be better positioned to expose what happened.
12:19:06 Just as Genba wonders where Rikka and Miyu are, we see the pair wandering around. Rikka either does not have the area as memorized as she thought or is crap for directions. Nevertheless, they have to keep moving to evade Tamizo. Genba confirms the loadout with Midoroku, who adds a third helicopter. He leaves Ken going out to search for Rikka and Miyu.
Itsuki and Nanjo interrogate Akechi’s mother under the threat of imprisonment which will not work out for Akechi’s son. They wonder why she did not get suspicious when her daughter deposited half her annual pay into her account each month.
Rikka and Miyu find a station to take refuge in. A goon looks around but is called off before he can find them. Rikak gets another stomach pain and Miyu will not be dismissive this time. Just then, the goon spots them through the window, but Genba shoots him. Through the radio, Tamizo asks what happened. Genba grabs the radio, and they are off.
Mylo shows Itsuki and Nanjo some financial transactions. Akechi’s money came from a foundation connected to Project Dark Night. That piques Itsuki’s ears as she makes a call. Not knowing their calls are being intercepted, Tamizo makes plans for everyone to meet. Genba realizes they can avoid them entirely on their current path.
12:33:03 Urara goes to meet with Madoka, asking to run the story. Madoka refuses, clearly agitated and frightened but will not reveal why. Someone got to her! She wishes Urara a good run as Prime Minister and is off.
Tomiza finds the goons’ body and notes the lack of radio. As he realizes Genba has been listening in, Genba and his family make their way back to the station where Ken is hiding. The helicopters are late but Tamizo is on them and has them pinned.
12:41:37 Rikka and Miyu hide while Genba and Tamizo shoot literal bullets and figurative barbs at each other. Soon, a helicopter appears on site. Genba tricks Tamizo with a mirror and Miyu, realizing Ken is out of danger, runs to him while Rikka doubles over in pain.
On Urara’s way to make a statement to the police, Joshu appears. Speaking privately, he tells her that he admires her strength. She will be in a better position as Prime Minister than a mother visiting her son in jail. When the flattery does not work, he threatens Yuta. Joshu can find witnesses who will place Yuta at the scene of Dr. Touku’s office, and he will be jailed. Her hand forced, she declines to speak to the police, deciding to be Prime Minister.
12:52:36 Miyu goes to the cabin, but Ken is nowhere to be found. CTU agents are on the scene, and we see Ken making his wounded way through the woods. Genba and Tamizo continue to verbally joust. Genba asks about the connection to Project Dark Night, but Tamizo knows better than to pry. Soon, Genba is on top of Tamizo and is forced to shoot. Genba is taken into custody and Ken makes his way to a bus stop. The family escapes on the helicopter as Ken rides the bus.
Midoroku gives the good news to Itsuki and Nanjo and is informed of the money trail. Itsuki asks to raise the security around Urara since she is linked as well. Plus, there is a second assassin coming, who we see on the escalator at the airport.
iMagic: Tamizo finds a sniper rifle giving him a boost to his accuracy.
Stormtrooper Accuracy: When chasing Genba and Ken through the woods, Tamizo is within eyesight of them but gives up. Sometimes you don’t even have to fire to be a crappy stormtrooper.
Dunder Mifflin: There had to be about a billion ways to give Akechi’s mother and son the news rather than giving them her stuff. Sadly, that is what they went with.
Peter Griffin Moment: Genba takes the slightest bit of perverse pleasure in causing pain to Ken while tending to the wound.
[REDATED] it!: Genba has what can best be described as a father-son talk with Ken, though it is pretty well summed up as ‘man up.’
The Cubbies: Picking up on some vibes from last week, Nanjo gets a little friendly with Itsuki.
I’m Not a Spy: Itsuki draws the short straw and has to lead the questioning of Akechis mother.
Five Minute Rule: After dropping the phone, Miyu tries to get it but is a good few feet from it.
Amnesia Bait: Rikka’s stomach acts up a couple times, though once when she is alone.
24-Gate: The counselor Yuta confessed to? Gone. The papers connecting Yuta to the crime? Gone. The digital copies? Gone. Urara’s potential testimony? Useless. It’s like someone wants to kill the story.
Let’s Up the Rating: Itsuki and Nanjo totally flirt with each other and are very handsy when they talk at the start of this hour. They get a room later, but that is for interrogation purposes.
THAT kind of topless: Tamizo’s wound leaves a trail for Genba to follow.
Day Player of the Week: The goon gets a chance to shine but blows it by going over the top through the barred window.
Employee of the Month: Mylo follows the money though it is after they start interrogating and threatening Akechi’s mother.
One More Time: “First show me Shido’s corpse, then we’ll talk.”
Andre telling Tamizo that if he does a good job, he might be around to do more work.
Hour Time: “When you run a machine, sometimes garbage gets in the way.” The way television works, a series will get an initial order of thirteen episodes. If things work out, they get an order for the ‘back nine’ to finish out the season. If this order comes in with enough time, the writers can make a seamless transition. Otherwise, they write with thirteen episodes being the end.
Which is the case here and it is to the detriment of the show.
You can see the plot coming out of nowhere to make things work. It is most obvious with Rikka and Miyu getting lost and found in the nick of time. Genba finds a station for Ken to hide in. Tamizo and his goons run around trying to find Genba. You can see the strings keeping the hour going for the sake of needing an hour to wrap everything up.
The performances are decent. The boss fight is a highlight with Genba using a mirror to trick Tamizo. On the whole, Genba is good at the tactical aspect. The actors do what they can, but this is moving pieces around for the sake of moving them around the board.
Things are also spinning wheels at CTU. The interrogation of Akechi’s mom is fruitless as Mylo manages to follow the paper trail of bank records. Itsuki and Nanjo further their plot and Midoroku provides some support by adding another helicopter, though we do not see it at the end regardless.
That leaves Urara and that plot moves forward, just not in a good direction. Urara has been the moral candidate and the plot has forced her to lie. It is an artificial way to end the hour for the sake of giving it an ending just because it has to end. It still is well acted, making it the best part of the episode but Magoroku is off. The scene with Urara and Joshu has manipulations all over the place but the actors do a great job with it.
There are pieces of the plot that would remain for the rest of the season but there are too many wheels spinning this time.
New places for old(er) keywords: Continuing Mission
Cardassians and Federation posturing it out: Showdown: Four Lights
Cardassians and Federation posturing it out: Showdown: Four Lights