Even though this review is late and won't probably add much to the already present lineup of recommendations, if there's one drama I will go back to for seconds (pun intended) is this one.
After a bit of a letdown with the movie (I reviewed it as well), this story came back to its drama format, which I think is the best vehicle for it. The episodic nature allows the vibe of it to be as it is, without it dragging and without plot points going around in circles.
This season finds Kenji and Shiro with a common thread of looking for permanence (at work, at home, with friends, with family, especially with each other), which was hinted in the movie but gets well developed here. I do think the movie is a necessary viewing between the two seasons (and special), a bit of a stepping stone into the themes of this season, even though the narrative of it isn't as tight as in this season.
Conversations about middle age problems, about how to find a permanent family with someone you can't legally name as such, about parents and their perceptions of their sons' lives, plus the side characters we know and love coming back, makes this one a great season and a very well written step forward for these two.
The acting is always *chef's kiss*, but this season really goes to emotional territories that allow Shiro to show more vulnerability and Kenji becoming more mature. All of this, of course, with amazing food, as always.
This adaptation came back to where it shines best and I hope this isn't the last we see of them!
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Criminologist Himura and Mystery Writer Arisugawa
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It is said that, in storytelling, whether or not a subject has been told is irrelevant, where true originality needs to lie is on how it's told. And I think this drama has something that makes it really worth the watch, despite the countless detective dramas you'll see around: the two leads.
Leading detective duos are not uncommon, especially not on dramas, but there has to be a very precise balance to work them out: it isn't just about having good characters and good actors, it's also about the actors having good chemistry and working well together. In this one, that's the heart of the drama. I was a bit weary when I started watching because even though Kubota Masataka is a very good actor, some of his pairings tend to not work as well as expected. But that's where Saito Takumi comes in, he works really great in duos and adapts very well to different people. The relationship between Himura and Arisu is the key of this drama, it's an anchor for the characters as well as what makes them move forward, and these two deliver that amazingly well.
The story isn't at its full potential, probably because this is adapting books that have much more space to deliver mysteries and create intrigue. When it comes to cases, it may not be the most innovative drama out there, and for the restraint of adapting to this medium, it may feel somewhat rushed in some places. Still, the characters are all very interesting and these two leads shine both individually and as a duo. They have a sort of Sherlock/Watson resemblance, in the sense that Himura is the smart, calculating and seemingly cold detective while Arisu is the emphatic, loyal and light-hearted companion, but they both shine in their own right and Arisu isn't in any way less smart, interesting or action-prone, as well as Himura has a very emotional side which is the core of his character arc and where him and Arisu connect. It was this core what made me more interested in Himura as the series went on, because Arisu was easily the most fun to watch at first, but Himura's constant turmoil between good and evil and his fear of hurting others hits very deeply with Saito Takumi's performance.
All in all, it has its flaws, it's not a perfect detective drama, but I haven't seen such great chemistry in a drama in a while, and I'm glad these two weren't shy to go to these extents to show it. If you're more interested in well-written mysteries with very surprising twists, maybe this one isn't for you, but if you're more interested in characters, their development and amazing on screen chemistry between these two great actors, then give this one a shot.
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