Just Finished: Control – Hanzai Shinri Souza

* spoilers, etc... *

 


So this detective story ends without ruining the promise it had built up in the episodes leading to the series final. Part ten ended with the ransom money still undiscovered, and the professor walking purposefully across a footbridge. I did have hopes that this meant his involvement in the crime wasn’t over yet. Perhaps there'd be more psychological manipulation of the psychology professor? Alas, that didn’t happen, but the way the crime was solved was still pretty entertaining.

At the very end, though, was one last case to solve, which was all wrapped up in fifteen minutes. It was the case of who murdered Segawa's father eight years ago. This is the case that made her want to be a police office in the first place, so it was a bit odd that it should be left as an epilogue that the end of the story.

However, I enjoyed this series. It certainly got better as it went along, and the last four episodes (two two-part stories) were pretty exciting. I liked the characters and the overall style of the show. There were no romantic sub-plots, no cute children, no clumsy-but-keen new members on the team. Also the storyline in the first episode of Segawa and the professor somehow being outcasts from the rest of the team was soon dropped in favour of some proper crimes to be solved.

So it started a bit average, and I was only downloading it when I had nothing better to watch, but soon it built up tension until I was actively looking forward to the next episode to be subbed. Good work.

Still watching: Control – Hanzia Shinri Sousa

Actually, the most exciting thing to happen during episode seven was when I sneezed and pulled a muscle in my back. By gum, that hurt! But apart from my own self-inflicted injuries, I’m glad I stuck with this series.

I’ve started to warm to the main characters, Segawa Rio (the down to earth cop) and Nagumo Jun (the psychology professor who gives her advice). Their relationship has steered clear of any overacting or blatant love interest. And I appreciate how the unrequited love for Rio from one of the other officers is handled, so that you slowly realise it over a number of episodes rather than have an obvious clue early on, such as him stammering or acting clumsy whenever she is near.

It’s been improving for a while and episode seven is, perhaps, the best episode to date. A psychological theory is introduced in the opening scenes, and then we see how that theory can effect a police investigation. In this case, about the fallibility of memory.

I still think it’s not as good as Galileo, but I think I was a bit harsh earlier: This is definitely one of the better attempts at a light-hearted cop series this season. Simply because it doesn't spend too much time being light-hearted.

Currently watching: Control - Hanzai Shinri Sousa

If you watch this and you experience a feeling of deja vu, you’re not alone. This is another cop show in which an eccentric genius and a cop join forces to solve baffling crimes. This time the genius is an expert in behavioural psychology, so he can tell people’s thoughts and feelings just by how they act. Pretty convenient, when you’re looking for a murderer.

It’s a sort of Galileo-lite. While Galileo had ingeneous solutions based on hard science, the first two episodes of Control have relied too much on the right person giving away the right clue at the right time.

The characters are fine, the murders are fairly interesting, and the acting and production standards are pretty good. In short, it’s a very average show. Not bad, but nothing outstanding. It's getting high ratings, so they must be doing something right. I can imagine some people finding this entertaining, but only if they’ve never seen Galileo.

Or Mr Brain. Or Trick. Or Puzzle. Or Keizoku.