Furuhata Ninzaburo S3 ★★☆☆☆

It’s not bad but the show really doubled down on its worst parts. When the show focuses on the supporting or recurring characters it is just the same unfunny comedy every time. Imaizumi has been completely Flanderised and is almost unbearable to watch and none of the rest of the recurring cast or running jokes really add anything. The one exception is the two-part finale, a real highlight of the series, especially the first part, where the extra time gives the show a lot of room to breath and Imaizumi and Saionji actually get to do things. It is still quite good when Furuhata is actually the focus and the one recurring joke that I do enjoy is Furuhata trying to impress people by saying he’s the guy who arrested SMAP.

Sorrowful Perfect Crime/The Housewife Murder also stands out as a mean episode. I think that the writers did not intend to the murderer to be as sympathetic as I found her. They write a very striking abusive relationship where a woman’s self-esteem is constantly undermined by her husband who is trying to control every aspect of her life, and then Furuhata spends the rest of the episode proving him right and then seems to end with suggesting that she was completely delusional about her job, talents and dreams.