#583103
2:00 Am – 3:00 AM
Written by: Shûkei Nagasaka
Directed by: Kôsuke Suzuki
Original airdate: October 23, 2020
Start the Clock: Genba sends a picture of one of the assailants to pull information. He then calls Rikka who relays the suspiciously suspicious conversation, though Genba shrugs it off. Yogo wants them to leave as there is little more that can be gained by sticking around but Genba wants them to stay on the off chance they randomly decide to come back.
Tamizo is pissed that he offered a hundred million yen for the ID and now is being asked for double. He tasks Nanami with talking some sense into Ayako while telling the assassin to be patient. At the hotel, Yohei is trying to calm his justifiably pissed mother before talking to the security team. This threat is credible, and the team has no answer for why it took so long to act. They are tracking Urara’s car with GPS and will find her eventually. Yuta wants to help find her but is dissuaded by Yohei and the security team.
Go parks at an airport and calls Tamizo. Things are running behind, but he promises their handsome reward if they would just hold on a little longer. Suzu is suffering effects and Ken asks for some help. Go fills his rage meter but Ken socks him one and gets some painkillers. Urara is waiting in a parking lot when a couple youths break into unoccupied cars. She confronts them (and avoids their weapon) but they laugh her off.
Genba enters CTU but calls Itsuki to his office before entering the main area. He makes a beeline for Akechi nonchalantly asking for information on the assailants while mourning Heiseuke. There is little more available. Genba gives her the keycard to decrypt. She says it will take some time, but confirms that it came from Itsuki’s computer, meaning she is the mole. Akechi will work on it while Genba keeps Itsuki busy. They make small talk before Akechi confirms that it was Itsuki’s computer that produced the card. Genba dismisses Itsuki and finds out that while there is no information on the assailants, there is evidence that someone erased the files. Genba looks at Itsuki suspiciously.
2:20:11
Nanami and Akayo are in a tender embrace as they try to get on the same page. Miyu takes advantage of a moment to get Suzu back to her senses and they make a run for it. Genba is struggling between his feelings for Itsuki and the evidence against her. Akechi points out that if she is the traitor, she should not have access to confidential information. Genba reluctantly agrees to limit her access.
Go and Ken are chasing Miyu and Suzu through a shipping yard but are thrown off by a vagrant. This would be a bad time for Tamizo to call, which of course happens though Go is able to lie through his teeth and say they are waiting. Tamizo sees no other alternative than to double the asking price for the ID.
Urara meets with Joshu about the story Madoka might reveal. Hina was assaulted some years ago and the perpetrator committed suicide. Madoka has information that the death was caused by Yuta. Joshu promises to take care of it for the day though Urara asks for no mudslinging. As the agents come to get her, Joshu sneaks back into the shadows.
2:34:48
Noboru brings the news that Urara is on her way back elating Yohei and Yuta. The young man runs to alert his sister, but she is asleep, leaving Yuta to look at her still form.
Miyu and Suzu have lost ground to Ken and Go but are still ahead. Tamizo pays the piper, but Nanami insists that just the three of them go. Genba confronts Itsuki who claims innocence.
2:42:15
Nanjo sees Heisisuke’s death certificate and asks Akechi if she knows anything about it. Getting no information, he goes back to his desk briefly crossing paths with Genba and Itsuki. Miyu and Suzu find a creepy dude who tries to take advantage of them, but they are rescued by the vagrant. Ken and Go take him on and Ken runs after the two. Tamizo gets the ID and shoots Akayo for her trouble. He tells Nanami there is another assignment. She agrees, unaware that she is in the sight of a scope.
2:52:25
Akechi shares the timestamped information with Itsuki and Genba. After confirming the date, Itsuki knows that she spent the weekend with Genba on that date, an airtight alibi. As she goes back to her desk, Nanjo has had enough and calls human resources to have Genba removed.
Miyu and Suzu hide long enough to make a call to Rikka and Yogo. They give some basic information about their situation and location but have to end the call quickly. They run away but find themselves in the path of an oncoming car. Suzu takes a hard hit and falls down. As Miyu agonizes over the prone form, Ken and Go take her away. After they leave, Suzu takes a breath.
3:00:00
iMagic: The technology on this type of show is usually amazingly/unbelievingly fast but the GPS takes a good half hour plus to find Urara.
Stormtrooper Accuracy: Tamizo promised one hundred million yen for the ID. That translates to north of $875,000 US!
[REDATED] it!: It is eating Genba alive that he has to confront his close colleague and confidant about being a traitor.
The Cubbies: Nanjo spends a lot of time this episode looking over the list of casualties. Better than Solitaire, I guess.
I’m Not a Spy: When asked by Genba who she works for, Itsuki repeatedly says “You.”
Five Minute Rule: Miyu sees her moment to make a run for it when Go and Ken take a smoke break. That was three million yen well spent!
Amnesia Bait: After talking with Genba at the top of the hour, Rikka and Yogo just kind of hang out waiting for Miyu and Suzu to return.
24-Gate: Joshu promises to quiet a pesky reporter. It is clear that he has less than reputable means and Urara had no choice but to see him.
Let’s Up the Rating: When Genba and Rikka were separated, he found solace in Itsuki.
THAT kind of topless: The vagrant is very good with a baseball bat.
Day Player of the Week: The youths in the parking garage do not care about national politics but offer appropriate menace for Urara.
Employee of the Month: Just by looking at the keycard, Akechi knows that there is something special to it. Because she’s that awesome!
One More Time: “If she were just a normal Mother… “ “Mother.”
Yohei telling his mom that his wife is pretty cool.
Hour Time: “When my boy had surgery, he stuck by my side.” “He also saved my life.” Early on a series has to do something to differentiate their characters. There have to be differences between Nanjo, Itsuki and Akechi other than being basic office drones. After Nanjo was an asshole last week, he spends most of this week twiddling his thumbs. Itsuki is confronted by Genba but her best interactions thus far have been with Nanjo, not Genba. Plus, for some reason, even though she is the chief suspect in a plot against the first female prime minister, she is allowed to walk around freely. Akechi rightly points this out and Genba just kind of goes along with it. Nanjo’s call is out of left field since there are things he is not aware of but are well within the purview of Genba. We really do not get much mileage out of the CTU based plot other than a reminder that Genba and Itsuki were an item which we already knew. You can see Genba’s soft spot, but it makes him weaker, not a better character.
Rikka gets the least to do this week as she pretty much waits around for something to happen. We see here at the beginning and at the end. Her time to shine will happen later but it is evident that the writers just needed her to stay put for the week. She has a tender moment with Genba and Genba talks man to man with Yogo. For what will become a professional nightmare as the hour progresses it is a nice moment.
At least Miyu got a chase scene out of the deal. She showed a lot of skills trying to evade their pursuers. The vagrant had a bit of an arc, initially helping them then robbing them blind. When they come across his ‘pad’ later, they cannot make an arrangement and are put out. He comes to their rescue at the end and while he is played a little ragey, he plays his frustrations well. The only reason why he is not the Day Player of the Week is because things get a bit too creepy with the plot. I’m not knocking Ken and Go for taking a smoke break, I’m knocking Tamizo for being dumb enough to hire those two fools. Tamizo has some competency at the end where he realizes he has no choice but to pay up. While he does yell a bit, there is enough calmness to make him a threat.
Dennis Haysbert is a hard actor to live up to. Yukie Nakama is no Haysbert, but she has an excellent showing this week. We first get a sense of how street-smart she is with the hoodlums in the garage. She has the knowledge to get them off her back and avoiding their attacks. They are dismissive but walk off without further confrontation. Later she knows what she is getting into with Joshu. She has no way to solve the crisis but with his help which always comes with a cost. When she talks about her family struggles, she is being a mother. It is expository but Nakama has an innocence about her. She wants to take care of her family even in the middle of a huge day for her. She is no Dennis Haysbert, but she is Yukie Nakama.
Written by: Shûkei Nagasaka
Directed by: Kôsuke Suzuki
Original airdate: October 23, 2020
Start the Clock: Genba sends a picture of one of the assailants to pull information. He then calls Rikka who relays the suspiciously suspicious conversation, though Genba shrugs it off. Yogo wants them to leave as there is little more that can be gained by sticking around but Genba wants them to stay on the off chance they randomly decide to come back.
Tamizo is pissed that he offered a hundred million yen for the ID and now is being asked for double. He tasks Nanami with talking some sense into Ayako while telling the assassin to be patient. At the hotel, Yohei is trying to calm his justifiably pissed mother before talking to the security team. This threat is credible, and the team has no answer for why it took so long to act. They are tracking Urara’s car with GPS and will find her eventually. Yuta wants to help find her but is dissuaded by Yohei and the security team.
Go parks at an airport and calls Tamizo. Things are running behind, but he promises their handsome reward if they would just hold on a little longer. Suzu is suffering effects and Ken asks for some help. Go fills his rage meter but Ken socks him one and gets some painkillers. Urara is waiting in a parking lot when a couple youths break into unoccupied cars. She confronts them (and avoids their weapon) but they laugh her off.
Genba enters CTU but calls Itsuki to his office before entering the main area. He makes a beeline for Akechi nonchalantly asking for information on the assailants while mourning Heiseuke. There is little more available. Genba gives her the keycard to decrypt. She says it will take some time, but confirms that it came from Itsuki’s computer, meaning she is the mole. Akechi will work on it while Genba keeps Itsuki busy. They make small talk before Akechi confirms that it was Itsuki’s computer that produced the card. Genba dismisses Itsuki and finds out that while there is no information on the assailants, there is evidence that someone erased the files. Genba looks at Itsuki suspiciously.
2:20:11
Nanami and Akayo are in a tender embrace as they try to get on the same page. Miyu takes advantage of a moment to get Suzu back to her senses and they make a run for it. Genba is struggling between his feelings for Itsuki and the evidence against her. Akechi points out that if she is the traitor, she should not have access to confidential information. Genba reluctantly agrees to limit her access.
Go and Ken are chasing Miyu and Suzu through a shipping yard but are thrown off by a vagrant. This would be a bad time for Tamizo to call, which of course happens though Go is able to lie through his teeth and say they are waiting. Tamizo sees no other alternative than to double the asking price for the ID.
Urara meets with Joshu about the story Madoka might reveal. Hina was assaulted some years ago and the perpetrator committed suicide. Madoka has information that the death was caused by Yuta. Joshu promises to take care of it for the day though Urara asks for no mudslinging. As the agents come to get her, Joshu sneaks back into the shadows.
2:34:48
Noboru brings the news that Urara is on her way back elating Yohei and Yuta. The young man runs to alert his sister, but she is asleep, leaving Yuta to look at her still form.
Miyu and Suzu have lost ground to Ken and Go but are still ahead. Tamizo pays the piper, but Nanami insists that just the three of them go. Genba confronts Itsuki who claims innocence.
2:42:15
Nanjo sees Heisisuke’s death certificate and asks Akechi if she knows anything about it. Getting no information, he goes back to his desk briefly crossing paths with Genba and Itsuki. Miyu and Suzu find a creepy dude who tries to take advantage of them, but they are rescued by the vagrant. Ken and Go take him on and Ken runs after the two. Tamizo gets the ID and shoots Akayo for her trouble. He tells Nanami there is another assignment. She agrees, unaware that she is in the sight of a scope.
2:52:25
Akechi shares the timestamped information with Itsuki and Genba. After confirming the date, Itsuki knows that she spent the weekend with Genba on that date, an airtight alibi. As she goes back to her desk, Nanjo has had enough and calls human resources to have Genba removed.
Miyu and Suzu hide long enough to make a call to Rikka and Yogo. They give some basic information about their situation and location but have to end the call quickly. They run away but find themselves in the path of an oncoming car. Suzu takes a hard hit and falls down. As Miyu agonizes over the prone form, Ken and Go take her away. After they leave, Suzu takes a breath.
3:00:00
iMagic: The technology on this type of show is usually amazingly/unbelievingly fast but the GPS takes a good half hour plus to find Urara.
Stormtrooper Accuracy: Tamizo promised one hundred million yen for the ID. That translates to north of $875,000 US!
[REDATED] it!: It is eating Genba alive that he has to confront his close colleague and confidant about being a traitor.
The Cubbies: Nanjo spends a lot of time this episode looking over the list of casualties. Better than Solitaire, I guess.
I’m Not a Spy: When asked by Genba who she works for, Itsuki repeatedly says “You.”
Five Minute Rule: Miyu sees her moment to make a run for it when Go and Ken take a smoke break. That was three million yen well spent!
Amnesia Bait: After talking with Genba at the top of the hour, Rikka and Yogo just kind of hang out waiting for Miyu and Suzu to return.
24-Gate: Joshu promises to quiet a pesky reporter. It is clear that he has less than reputable means and Urara had no choice but to see him.
Let’s Up the Rating: When Genba and Rikka were separated, he found solace in Itsuki.
THAT kind of topless: The vagrant is very good with a baseball bat.
Day Player of the Week: The youths in the parking garage do not care about national politics but offer appropriate menace for Urara.
Employee of the Month: Just by looking at the keycard, Akechi knows that there is something special to it. Because she’s that awesome!
One More Time: “If she were just a normal Mother… “ “Mother.”
Yohei telling his mom that his wife is pretty cool.
Hour Time: “When my boy had surgery, he stuck by my side.” “He also saved my life.” Early on a series has to do something to differentiate their characters. There have to be differences between Nanjo, Itsuki and Akechi other than being basic office drones. After Nanjo was an asshole last week, he spends most of this week twiddling his thumbs. Itsuki is confronted by Genba but her best interactions thus far have been with Nanjo, not Genba. Plus, for some reason, even though she is the chief suspect in a plot against the first female prime minister, she is allowed to walk around freely. Akechi rightly points this out and Genba just kind of goes along with it. Nanjo’s call is out of left field since there are things he is not aware of but are well within the purview of Genba. We really do not get much mileage out of the CTU based plot other than a reminder that Genba and Itsuki were an item which we already knew. You can see Genba’s soft spot, but it makes him weaker, not a better character.
Rikka gets the least to do this week as she pretty much waits around for something to happen. We see here at the beginning and at the end. Her time to shine will happen later but it is evident that the writers just needed her to stay put for the week. She has a tender moment with Genba and Genba talks man to man with Yogo. For what will become a professional nightmare as the hour progresses it is a nice moment.
At least Miyu got a chase scene out of the deal. She showed a lot of skills trying to evade their pursuers. The vagrant had a bit of an arc, initially helping them then robbing them blind. When they come across his ‘pad’ later, they cannot make an arrangement and are put out. He comes to their rescue at the end and while he is played a little ragey, he plays his frustrations well. The only reason why he is not the Day Player of the Week is because things get a bit too creepy with the plot. I’m not knocking Ken and Go for taking a smoke break, I’m knocking Tamizo for being dumb enough to hire those two fools. Tamizo has some competency at the end where he realizes he has no choice but to pay up. While he does yell a bit, there is enough calmness to make him a threat.
Dennis Haysbert is a hard actor to live up to. Yukie Nakama is no Haysbert, but she has an excellent showing this week. We first get a sense of how street-smart she is with the hoodlums in the garage. She has the knowledge to get them off her back and avoiding their attacks. They are dismissive but walk off without further confrontation. Later she knows what she is getting into with Joshu. She has no way to solve the crisis but with his help which always comes with a cost. When she talks about her family struggles, she is being a mother. It is expository but Nakama has an innocence about her. She wants to take care of her family even in the middle of a huge day for her. She is no Dennis Haysbert, but she is Yukie Nakama.
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