This series really is at its finest when it's at the hospital, doing and discussing the medical investigative work and solving cases of patients onsite, and mired deep in the muck of the hospital office politics and drama. This was probably my favorite episode, at least since the first two of the double-parted opener and in some ways surpassed those as well, even though the case itself in terms of the actual medical hows was a little more straightforward and simple and decidedly less flashy and attention-grabbing as the exciting spectacle of a mutilated blue-blooded man. How the pharmacokinetics of how any given individual metabolizes a particular drug can be altered to quickly turn into another iatrogenic (not in this case as it was a deliberate premeditated plot from an outside party) and injurious or even lethal scenario should be more widely understood as it is as fundamental as it gets. The important thing of it here though is that the human dimension which gave rise to the entire case coming about in the first place - and the fallout it created within the hospital, was a good deal more interesting.
I prefer being more regularly anchored to the hospital because while these types of shows are a dime a dozen in the 45 minute long American medical procedural live action type shows, as I said early on, it's the first time I'm seeing it in anime form so that's what differentiates it. Takao investigating cases more closely at the source on the scene, where a person was allegedly infected or injured at their house or some cave sounds great in theory and like a nice opportunity for a setting and scenery change, for people who prefer to keep things "fresh", and maybe sometimes it can be utilized well, but other times I fear it will just be an excuse for more action detective "heroics" and the Sherlock Holmes police investigator-esque shows are already commonplace enough. Grounding it in the hospital is what sets this show apart.
It helped that in a rare moment of - not necessarily honesty because I feel that she's always honest, at least whenever it matters/counts - but rare instance of honesty giving way to sharing emotional vulnerability, Takao in effect admitted her neurodivergence, motive for her usual behavior, and why she prioritizes and places such a premium on what she does.
It's clear as day that the fraudulent frivolous lawsuit was irrelevant as an actual cause to shut down her department, but as an excuse for her uncle, the hospital director, who wanted to use it to monopolize and centralize power in the hospital under his authority and keep Takao on a much tighter leash at his discretion to be used as a tool and not a more independent voice and agent - for that purpose it was absolutely perfect. Or would have been if it didn't implode in short order.
Well, in the end, all was right with the world and Takao and co. could indulge in celebratory beer, whisky, and strawberry shortcake. What a comfortable informal circle they have when they're not in the midst of carrying out their professional duties. I won't say "when off the clock" or "when late at night", because in their position those aren't always the decisive factors separating duty from rest.
From the last few seconds of the episode and the preview title card indicating it's a multi-parter, it could be another in-depth dive into an established former patient and why they aren't improving or their original illness is returning and recurring. That could be the center of the next mystery. If it continues in that way as we move through the second half of the season/series, then it could quickly recover from the moderate writing cock-up of the prior small arc. I don't know if that'll be enough for it to reclaim its place, first place, as my leading favorite new seasonal of this season and dethrone Tasokare Hotel, but more episodes in the vein of this one are its best shot.
Edit: Since I just read the whole thread topic and all the other comments now, I wanted to add that in reference to what a number of people are saying about the quality hit the art suffered, I did take brief notice in passing of some off-model-looking characters which stood out while watching the episode, but it's truthfully just something very inconsequential to me compared to the writing when evaluating either the individual episode or overall series as a whole. |