Joan Behrick

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Slow moving storyline depicting three main characters and an assortment of poorly developed minor characters. Japanese men are depicted as absent and weak, narcissistic and flawed. Contrast that with Japanese women in the novel who drink too much, struggle with body image, single parenthood, asexuality; and ultimately use artificial insemination to conceive. Challenging a culture that historically places females subservient to males is a worthy cause, but making males irrelevant is a poor strategy.

Breasts and Eggs

You’ll have to keep watching if they add more episodes to this series to see whether the identity of “the watcher” is ever revealed. It is disappointing to get to the seventh episode with no final conclusion of whodunit after following a whiplash-evoking plot with multilayered twists and turns. The main actors did a great job, joined by an impressive cast of quirky supporting actors. Racism was sensitively addressed and the ending depicting a young biracial family introduces a bit of hope. However, greed, envy, deceit, selfishness, violence, and revenge throughout make all characters potential suspects and victims. There is a stark contrast between the beautiful physical setting of an upper class suburb and the dark, evil, suspicious portrayal of humanity. Throw in a hidden tunnel, and who knows where the plot will go next?

The Watcher

8 likes