> excellence in storytelling (plot)

It feels a little off-kilter to put a trope-y lakorn on here, but Century of Love has a perfect sense of when to lean into the tropes and when to offer something different. The pacing was simply top-notch and the thematic presence of "living in the present" offered such a warm heart to the series.

609 Bedtime Story takes a simple plot premise and absolutely wrings out every inch of it's possibilities. I went into this show almost completely blind, and each consecutive plot twist delighted me without feeling like it was trying to be shocking. The choose your own adventure ending was a particularly good choice, resonating strongly with the themes of the story. 

There is something so compelling about taking such a bizarre and surreal story as an asteroid ending the world, Yuma's possible super powers, and Meguru assuming Madoka's life... then juxtaposing it with such a simple and human story of forgiveness and reconnection. Beat for beat, this story was beautiful and strange and perfect.

I Hear the Sunspot has always been one of my all-time favorite stories. Despite an extremely slow-burn, the way these characters come into conflict and struggle to understand each other is so well done. I love that no one here is truly an antagonist!

Semantic Error may be a short and simple love story drawing on some of the most common tropes of all time, but it does so with such intention. This series is perfectly aware of the constraints of it's budget and timeline, and has bitten off the perfect amount. Sometimes, a simple, sweet, and silly story of two people learning to understand and love each other is best.

I didn't want to add Playboyy until I had a second watch under my belt, but my goodness does this story hold up. I love the way the community is crafted and how cause and effect snakes through a dozen selfish and inconsequential encounters before causing problems. The mystery is intriguing and satisfying. I truly think it is some of the best work of... most of this production team.

The place where Until We Meet Again really shines is giving appropriate time and weight to it's story and characters. I love that we are afforded so many episodes to truly explore who all four of these individuals are and how their stories have intersected. Despite aging tropes and ad placements, UWMA hold a gorgeous story at it's heart, and one that is rarely beaten by shinier productions.

I've seen  We Are get blasted for having "no plot" and being "boring," but I think it's a really excellent example of low-stakes ensemble storytelling. Each of these characters felt real and dimensional. I loved the focus on kindness and community over drama. The effort these characters put into knowing each other and getting along was, in itself, a satisfying arc.

While I strongly disagree with a lot of Not Me's statements on politics and activism, I absolutely adored the premise of this show. This show took me by surprise several times with it's willingness to really go there with the plot and to let the characters truly struggle with their values and position. I loved the choices of when to be violent and cruel, as well.

My Stand In's marketing has really struggled to explain their body-swapping plot, but in practice the show is masterful. The way character histories are repeated and paralleled is so beautifully done and with such attention to detail... It really develops the connections of the characters well. It is fun and unexpected and bittersweet.