Dec. 14 is a special day in Japan. On that date in 1702, the 47 retainers of the Lord of Ako exacted revenge on Kira Kozuke-no-suke, the Edo official who caused their lord's death a year earlier. This story is known popularly as "Chushingura" and has been adapted hundreds of times in various forms.

To commemorate the day, TBS presents "Seiki no Wide Show" ("Century Wide Show"; Wed., 8:54 p.m.), which presents the famous story in "wide show" format, with reporters and film crews going "back in time" to interview the principals. Many celebrity guests in the studio are shocked to learn new details of the saga. The exception is former child actor Kazuki Enari, who boasts that he knows everything about the story, including the names of all 47 samurai.

Hollywood actor Ken Watanabe appears with his wife, Kaho Minami, for the first time in a TV drama since they were married. In "Ai, Inochi" ("Love, Life"; TV Asahi, Sat., 9 p.m.), Watanabe plays a man named Hirayama, who has lived a fast life without much concern for other people. Then, like Watanabe himself some years ago, Hirayama is diagnosed with leukemia. He decides to dedicate his existence to helping people and establishes a volunteer assistance program in the Kabukicho area of Shinjuku.