Quick Review #26: Keishichou Outsider (Winter 2023)

Title: Keishichou Outsider 警視庁アウトサイダー

Season: Winter 2023

Broadcast by: TV Asahi

Rating: 2/10

Recommended for: NA

Liked:

- The first episode turned out to be the best in the entire series with a number of potentially intriguing subplots.

- The chemistry of the three leads which improved with time

Disliked: 

- The title and the storyline just didn't mesh well. Although the three leads were supposed to be "outsiders" in the police force for various reasons, the story didn't capitalise on this interesting theme and how they could make use of this unique position to solve cases. Instead, there weren't really any difficult cases which could test their investigative and deduction powers.

- The story simply went down the path of familiar territory i.e. law enforcement being in cahoots with the politicians to do cover-ups with the underworld being involved as well. That was simply boring and the developments were so predictable. Actually, from the time when Saito Takumi & Kataoka Ainosuke appeared in the beginning, it was so obvious that they would be key figures on the evil side. And to make things worse, what led to the messy state of things was a totally ludicrous reason. It felt like all that effort in investigating the cases and having so many people die along the way was totally for nothing.

- Much as the three leads were getting better at interacting with one another as the drama progressed, it was a pity that the appeal and charm of their characters did not come out well because of the story's limitations. And the amount of puns and silly jokes along the way became too much to take. It was such a pity that the story didn't give these actors a chance to shine. It felt like a waste of their talent especially Hamada Gaku's character who seemed the most interesting at the beginning.