The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency: Detection, Africa-style

Reading the book was such a joyous activity. I admit, I squandered time over it, but over my recent trip I picked it up again and it was such a good read.

I always enjoy mysteries and this was no different. But what I like most about this book is that the mysteries are meshed in with the protagonist Precious’s life in Botswana. She solves the problems, whether it’s a missing husband or an Indian girl-gone-wild, she solves them with utmost ease.

Rating: 4.5/5

Quick Thoughts: Recommended. A must for those who like Christie’s Miss Marple. :)

Nobuta wo Produce – Episode 8: The chains of friendship

I don’t care if no one believes me…as long as you believe (Shuji)

What a wonderful episode.

We reach the penultimate episode and things are moving faster than I expected and hoped.

We are finally revealed the evil-doer who has been harming the threesome’s party and it is none other than…

 Face-to-face with the evil

Aoi (Nobuko’s very first friend). And for Aoi, Shuji’s work as the producer has been the trigger. Just like he produces Nobuta, Aoi thinks that manipulating and screwing with others is fine – only that she is ultra-evil (Who knew this was coming – I thought it was Shuji’s ex-girlfriend Mariko all along).

Speaking of Shuji, his appearances have all been removed and he lies open now, all exposed for attacks. The behaviour he moulded for years just disappeared in minute moments. But the  good thing is that he came to know his true friends, cause of that.

 Evil-face

 Evil pwned (for the moment)

But the end result is that Shuji has realised that it is his true friends’ opinion that he values and what matters to him. What Aoi does and means, what others’ say, means nothing – as long as he has their friendship forever.

 Let’s go home, Shuji-kun (Akira in the middle- love it)

I love how both Akira and Nobuko thought about it for some time before supporting Shuji. They both believed him but back-tracked, and I am sure Akira still has some reservations about it; but in front of everyone they supported their friend.

And all because of Nobuta-power !

Rating: 4/5

Quick thoughts: Afraid, what’s going to happen finally. This seemed like an ending of sorts – but it could be the calm before the storm.
P.S. – Also learnt – if you want to forget something, just bury it in a box and forget about it. :P

Breaking Bad – Episode 2: How to lose an-almost dead man?

I cooked crystal meth and killed a man doesn’t have the same ring to it…

The second episode of Breaking Bad marks a continuation of Walter’s desperation. Now that he has entered the drug business, he is learning the death tricks. Here are his levels of desperation include: lying, cheating, tips on body dissolution, and the difficult one: killing. But being the protagonist he does this with finesse – killing by kindness (i.e. feeding his convict ham sandwich and oodles of water, and toilette necessities.

Meanwhile, I am beginning to dislike Walt’s wife Skylar, who is the stick-up-his-ass or ‘psycho-bitch’ as she is called. She doesn’t even try to find out the real reason Walt is behaving the way he is and so easily believes his ‘i take pot’ line.

Rating: 3/5

Thoughts: Hasn’t become too serious for me yet.

Nobuta wo Produce – Episode 7: How to break a heart

And the mask slips, cracks and falls.

Shuji, who had been this epitome of perfection – never throwing a tantrum, never saying no, always getting along, has now been awoken by reality. Threatened by the fact that the production is going away, he realises that when he was with Akira and Nobuko, he was himself. With others, just an image, just a pretence.

All that comes to fruition with his-girlfriend Mariko (previously known as what’s-her-face). He clears the air with her, telling her that he never once loved anyone – not even her and there is no possibility that he will, leaving her broken hearted and in tears.

Following is a series of takes from the conversation. It is so endearing to watch. It seems so real – there is no background music, no dramatic acting, nothing rushed.

By the way, I think it was all precipitated by Akira’s avowal of love to Nobuko herself. But Akira, being himself, tells her that his loving her would hurt her and backs off.

Rating: 4.25/5

Thoughts: Wonderful

Nobuto wo Produce – Episode 6: The key chain blues

Teenage angst: I want Nobuta to be just mine

Some quick, brief thoughts on the episode. The producing work is still in motion, but now Akira wants no part of it. To be popular would mean to always be in the gaze of others and Akira ‘another dime on the streets’ wants her to be his. And being produced means wanting to be something others want. And he tells this secret to Shuji.

Fish’s head anyone?

I’m not sure where this threesome is going to go from here. Nobuko is blissfully unaware of Akira’s feelings, from what I can see. Shuji is questioning himself, over being popular and being himself. Akira is lost over what the future holds; he knows he doesn’t want to be a company chairman, but can you feel no guilt over this decision?

The chemistry of this pair isn’t forced – it’s flowing and gives friendly vibes. Never once Akira’s feelings peer through and never once Nobuko’s feelings are visible.

Rating: 4/5

Thoughts: Decent episode, Getting somewhere. I’m fearing the onslaught of angst though,

Nobuta wo Produce – Episode 5: A double-date and re-awakening of the producer

The Producer with his reluctant cast

A very good episode in terms of character and relationship development.

While Shuji realizes that what Nobuta now needs – after a haircut and decent change of clothing – is a guys’ attention by being in love. He convinces her like this:

Shuji: Be in love…Love is good. Your skin becomes all smooth.

Akira: But it’s already smooth!

But Shuji’s thoughts are slower, as compared to the action of a classmate, Shittaka, who has already sent a love letter to Nobuko.

Love the frame. Pink and blue and boy!

And much slower than Akira, who has not only fallen in love with Nobuko but has realised it and has began acting all-fuzzy and nervous around her.

Too much in love to wear socks/shoes

So, Shuji the producer has taken up his weapons (his girl friend what’s-her-name) and set up a double date. He trains Nobuko to act girly and cheesy, like silly girls do, to appear lovable.

Showing Nobuko how it’s done, homo-style

However, the date which was turning out fine (with Nobuko ever grabbing Shittaka’s coat sleeve!!) suddenly takes a strange turn when an old man near the couple falls to the floor and starts puking. While Nobuko runs to the old man’s rescue, Shittaka who tries to help her shouts ‘disgusting’, fearing any contact with Nobuko’s puke-ridden hand. Akira, who is spying on the couple, notices this and lends a helping hand. He even tells Nobuko that her kind hands could never be disgusting.

The kind, puke-ridden hand of lurve!

However, the next day the school is littered with posters of Nobuko hanging with several guys. Fearing that this will hinder her plans to become popular, Shuji tells her to forgive Shittaka and go back to dating him, in spite of not liking him, like he keeps doing.

But later in his meetings with his girl friend and father (who also calls his wife Nobutan) he realises that it doesn’t matter what others think, as long as there is someone who believes in you and knows the truth. Akira even makes him realise that to him Nobuka is a project he is embarking without knowing what it is all about. Shuji realises that his ambition is hollow, because he doesn’t even know what Nobuko wants. His project was to ‘produce’ Nobuko who was not ridiculed by others; but he wanted to make another person like him, who lived on lies, and never said no, just to remain popular.

The boys spy on Nobuko, their summer project!

Rating: 4/5

Thoughts: Maybe soon the time will come when I can say ‘now we are getting somewhere…’

Dexter season 4: review – And the season’s geometrical shape is…

Is anyone ever safe behind the bars?

Season 4 of Dexter has been a motley coat:  it has been funny and it has been scary, it has been revealing and it has been dampening, there have been lessons, but have they been forgotten?

Milk or blood? (in an Eddie Izzard voice) Daddy dearest Dexter

Season 4 begins with Dexter, the family man, the husband and the father. And obviously being a serial killer - daddy-issues, teenage hormones, marital discord. And this year his challenge is the Trinity killer, someone initially pursued by FBI Special agent Lundy. Like season 3, this season too got off-track and off-topic, especially with the whole LaGuerta-Angel, Quinn-reporter area.

Dexter, Dexter, on the wall…who’s the stranger of them all?

But the last episode gripping and very interesting, far more than whole of season 3 and most of season 4. Michael C. Hall plays Dexter with dexterity and finesse. Lithgow, who played Trinity, was pleasantly twisted too. Carpenter as Deb was superb, and although I dislike her spent emotions over Lundy, I believe her nose for detective is top-notch.

“The wheel is come full circle, I am here” –
King Lear

I think this season completes a full circle. The first season revealed that Dexter was this boy born inn blood, sharing with his sibling this love for murder and kill; Four seasons and he finds a re-writing of the history, with him being a witness to this blood bath. As he picks up his son from the ruins, you cant help but wonder if Harrison shares his father’s destiny or is this device just a mirror for Dexter to see himself?

Season five, most probably, will raise questions about Dexter as a single dad with three kids.

(I think it’s better to hammer yourself now, Dex!)

Rating: 3.5/5 (Season 1 was so much better)