Petrichor (2024)

Solid Start, Rushed Romance, and Room for More

I went into this show excited, especially since I’ve discovered my love for police and crime dramas after watching NCIS: Hawai’i for the WLW ship, Kacy.

Before anything else, I already want to tachle downfall of the show. It's how stupid the characters were. For such a deep story arc, they were so naive and lacked cleverness. For a person who loves the police procedural genre, the characters, especially Tul, lacked the signature beloved badass and smart charm I was looking for. Because genuinely, how are you the highest ranked police officer on your team yet rely so much on the work of you teammates? Make it make sense.

The first few episodes were solid, episodic yet engaging, especially for me as someone who didn't read the book going into it. But Tul and Run’s love story felt rushed, more like it was there because they’re the leads rather than something that naturally developed. While their shared passion for their craft and moral righteousness could explain their connection, the way they got together felt bland and forgettable.

The show had potential for deeper storytelling and more buildup in their relationship, but with only 10 episodes, it stuck to a simple, generic plot. That simplicity, while necessary for clarity, came at the expense of creativity in building tension and integrating romance with the action-crime theme.

That said, I can’t deny the charm of their pre-relationship banter. It made me wish the lead-up had been longer for a more satisfying payoff. As for the police and medical elements, I just wish there were more action scenes. The standout moments were Tul saving Run from the old man during her solo investigation and the trio’s clever plan to catch the Raindrop Killer dupe. While the latter wasn’t action-heavy, it showcased their strategic thinking, something I wish we’d seen more of.

Still, I’m grateful for this show, it’s a pioneer in the action GL genre with solid production and great attention to accuracy, setting the bar higher for future projects in this space.

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