We made it to double digits! Everybody give yourself a pat on the back for coming this far. You’ve earned it.

Also in this double digits this week: the number of times I said “oh, please.” Maybe the heat is making me grumpy, or maybe it’s my high hopes for Durarara!! that aren’t being realized, but I find my patience for the writing running a little thin…especially after last week’s installment, which seemed to finally approach the level I expected of the series. I know you have it in you, Durarara!!! Dig deep!

On the bright side, in this episode I do get one question answered: why did Mikado suddenly decide to help the girl with Selty’s head? The answer is…she asked him to (oh, please). Mikado, it seems, is completely unable to resist a lady in peril.

We get a little chatter from Kida about “stereotypes” and archetypes,” and how this new Mikado/Girl story fits into those. Remember how earlier episodes kept telling us that reality isn’t something that can necessarily be trusted as reality? This may signal a return to that. I’m a little sad that they didn’t keep it going with a little more gusto – I love a good twisty, OMG WHAT?! plot. At the same time, though, I don’t know if I still totally believe it. Durarara!! needs to up its game in this area in a big, big way to keep me from “oh, please”-ing all over the place.

A bit later, Kida reveals that there’s a list of possible Dollars members circulating around school and he’s convinced that one guy is actually a member of the gang. Turns out if you want to know, you just have to ask (oh, please). Dollars members are pretty happy to talk about their super-secret gang to strangers. Also, if you think someone is a Dollars member, he probably is (oh, please). Oh, and Dollars members who only know each other by nicknames often run into each other in public – by pure coincedence – and know right away that they’re fellow gang members (oh, please). Is there a super-secret handshake or something?

At the end of the day, Sonohara and Mikado have an awkward little moment as they leave school. Kida mentions a “princess” in her presence and Mikado falls all over himself making excuses about it. Sonohara knows that he’s full of bull, though, so it saves that moment from getting an “oh, please.”

But she admits that she knew his name before they were classmates and that she thought it would be nice to be a class rep with him, thus sort of manipulating him into his present situation. Mikado has a funny freak-out about whether or not she’s stalking him. She reads his mind (oh, please) and insists she isn’t and he’s all, “I’m sorry!” and she’s all, “I’m sorry you’re sorry!” and he’s all, “I’m sorry for being sorry!” and I’m all, “OH, PLEASE, CAN WE MOVE ON?!”

Diversion comes in the form of one of the zombie girls from earlier and her awesomely coiffed boyfriend looking to rumble. But then Izaya and Selty show up and save the day. Mikado knows that Selty has tracked him down to find the girl, so when they start to follow him home, he agrees to talk it out. (Izaya at this point is making vroom-vroom noises and pretending to ride a motorcycle – love that guy.)

At first Selty tries to say she was hired to track down a missing girl, but Mikado knows she’s lying (OH, PLEASE – like he could figure that out from a TEXT MESSAGE!) and she comes clean. Then she shows him her non-head. Then he agrees to take her back to his apartment and introduce the two of them. Potentially poor decision-making, but it gets the plot moving.

Predictably, the girl is gone when he gets home AND two shady dudes are waiting to bust his face. They question him about a single strand of hair on the floor (oh, PLEASE) and demand to know where she went. Izaya and Selty burst in, saving Mikado’s face, but the dudes get away. No matter: Izaya knows they’re from Yagiri. Well, OBVIOUSLY. And…oh, please.

Then some kind of brain-spark fires for Mikado and he apparently figures out the whole deal, all the connections between Yagiri and the girl and Selty and people going missing and Seiji and Mika and human trafficking and the Dollars and the connection is………..

Whoops, you’ll have to tune in next week.

OH PLEASE!!! It’s all pretty much been spelled out for us already, so why the big fuss?

It really feels to me like Durarara!! is getting ready to wrap up at 12 episodes, but I’ve also heard that it’s scheduled for a 26-episode season. I guess I could see that, and it wouldn’t be the first time a series seemed like it was winding down and all of a sudden WHAM! BAM! on we go. Maybe that ties into the “things aren’t always what they seem” vibe they’re half-heartedly trying to keep alive.

I think 12 episodes (or 13 or 14) would be a satisfying close and I’m nervous about whether they will be able to maintain this series for the full 26. There are still some loose ends to tie up, but I’m skeptical about whether those ends need a dozen more episodes to get tied.

What do you think? Are we nearing the end or just getting started?

Next Time: Storm and Stress
It’s big and it involves everyone…I’m telling you, this sounds like almost-finale material!