divemabini

Well, to be invested in a show, you need to be able to relate to the characters, the story, or the situations. And think, "boy, that would suck if it happened to me".

But in Doberman's case, the situations that play out, the escapes, the reveals, the motivations, the twists, the double-crosses, all of it, are SO far-fetched, farcical, and totally implausible that you have ZERO interest in trying to figure out what direction the story is going in. Because you know some absolutely, positively, RIDICULOUS plot twist or situation will occur that throws out all the plot development that happened up to that point. It is like they keep hitting reset with these ludicrous situations, making the viewer feel dumb. When in fact it is the total implausible story and set-up that is dumb. This isn't good writing. This is lazy, we think we're cool, writing.

If it wasn't for the underlying and pervasive overtones of sexual violence, I would say this show is best viewed as a satirical comedy rather than an "engaging suspenseful drama" as Netflix calls it.

I liked the story, the lore, the background. The characters are well fleshed out and they aren't cookie-cut versions of the same person. The action scenes are both a bit anti-climactic while simultaneously over the top cartoonish at times, but they are what they are, and they get the job done.

So why the middling score? Simple... This family is surrounded by danger. People are trying to kill them. Kill people they love. Commit mass murder. They have a long lineage of being shinobi, so they can sense danger, and act appropriately....yet... ...when the time comes...the family STOPS communicating. Yep, these shinobi with heightened tactical and awareness skills simply stop communicating with each other....simply to move the plot along.

Why do I say that? Because this "lack of communication when it is MOST needed" tactic is one of the most overused tropes by lazy writers who can't think of anyway better to set up the ridiculously forced and contrived situations the main characters will find themselves in. You see it coming....you dread it coming....it's like a slow train-wreck...you just KNOW they will stop telling each other critical pieces of information that could allow them to function effectively as a team, protecting everyone around them. And then they don't share...and you groan. You groan loudly, roll your eyes, laugh at the laziness of the writers, and curse their names.

Wasted performances by some of my favorite Japanese actors.

This show exceeded expectations. I cannot begin to understand why it only has a 6.5 (at the time of review) rating. It has the right mix of action, comedy, interesting characters, adventure, and plot twists (though the last one is pretty obvious).

The "mix" is the key here. There have been a lot of similar shows and movies lately that botch this mix. Take "Obliterated" which went over-the-top humor during extremely violent scenes, making it repulsive and offensive to watch. Or the Brad Pitt movie "Bullet Train", which did the very same thing. It is OK to have some jokes here and now during the action, to give a sense of bravado. But the excessive comedy makes it cruel and unwatchable.

This show maintains an appropriate level of suspense, peril, levity, and comedy, that is just...works.

The characters are interesting, the story is engaging, the romances are endearing. Definitely better than a 6.5.