"My Girl"--Japan's Turn

I'd been putting off watching Aiba Masaki's new drama My Girl, mostly because I'm dumb.  Honestly, it looked kind of sappy, and that's not what I usually go for in a show.  Once again, I'm dumb.

Turns out the show is really well done.  Yes, there's some sap and (if you couldn't tell from the picture) cuteness levels are off the charts.  But the writing is fantastic, so none of that gets in the way.

The show presents a contemplative view on what it's like to deal with grief, to want to say something and not say it, to be overwhelmed, to be a parent.  I probably shouldn't say this about a manga-turned-drama, but it reminds me of Chekhov.  The hesitancy characters have in their relationships with each other, the words left unspoken, the constant presence of grief--all Chekhov.

Also, there are symbols.  They're used well.  You don't get hit over the head with corny lines like "The taste of these cookies is the taste of love."  (Sorry Hana Yori Dango, but you are painful like that.)  Frankly, you don't get hit over the head with anything but "Isn't this little girl adorable?" and "Doesn't Aiba Masaki look good in purple?"  It's refreshing that the show actually trusts its viewers to notice things on their own and is more interested in nuance than in repeating the last plot point.