70. Clinic on the Sea 海の上の診療所 (2013) Japanese

Matsuda Shota, Takei Emi, Fujiwara Norika, Fukushi Sota, Arakawa Yoshiyoshi

Drama Rating: 7/10      Neck Score: A

Didn't expect this one to be as awesome as it was.  It's one of the best little comedies I have seen.  They set up their running jokes so well and then proceed to make fun of them themselves.  For instance, every episode Kota Sensei (Matsuda Shota) falls in love with a girl every episode, announces that he's going to leave the boat, and then is brokenhearted.  After a few episodes of this they stop paying attention to his announcements.  Later, they make fun of him by having another character do the same thing, using the same words.  Or at the end of each episode he says he's going to play a song on his guitar and then each response to this builds off of the other.  It's only 11 episodes long, and it's very delightful.  It is a medical drama, but it's never so serious, or takes itself serious, but is also very appropriate.  Also the chemistry between Kota and Mako-chan (Takei Emi), as co-workers, friends, crushes, etc, is wonderful.  The running jokes of him teasing her, stealing her pudding, or getting hit by her slipper, are some of the things that keeps the show lighthearted and lovely.  It was a really well written drama and just what I needed at the time.  It was a real joy to watch.  Plus Matsuda Shota is on the list of Top 10 Sexy Necks, and him in a doctor's coat, or those cute bad sweaters he wears, is reason enough right there to watch this.  So good.