Speaking of the 9pm Sunday slot on the TBS network, many viewers look forward to the drama slot "Sunday Theatre" every season. It started as a one-off drama slot in 1956, and since becoming a serial drama slot in 1993, it has produced many masterpieces and popular works, including family dramas, social issues, and love stories. There are many strong and memorable works, especially for the R40 generation, such as "Naoki Hanzawa," "Downtown Rocket," and "JIN." In this first installment of a project that will introduce the history of "Sunday Theatre" from every angle, we will introduce the top 10 viewer ratings since it became a serial drama.
◇Reviewing the history of Sunday Theatre
First, let's briefly review the history of "Sunday Theatre."
It started in 1956 as "Toshiba Sunday Theatre," a one-off drama slot sponsored by Toshiba alone. The first work was "Dance Drama Modoribashi," starring a kabuki actor.
In 1993, the current drama slot was established, and the first work was "Sunflowers on the Hill," based on a story by Yamada Taichi, which began in April of that year.
In 2002, Toshiba withdrew its sponsorship, and the slot was renamed "Sunday Theatre." Incidentally, "99.9 - Criminal Lawyer - SEASON II," starring Matsumoto Jun, aired in January 2018, and was the 100th work since the slot became a drama slot. "Diamonds Sleeping in the Sea," starring Kamiki Ryunosuke, which will start on October 20th, will be the 126th.
◇What are the top 10 highest audience ratings of all time?
Which works have recorded the highest audience ratings among the many masterpieces in the Sunday Theatre slot? The ranking was created based on the average household audience rating for each episode (according to Video Research, Kanto region) since the slot became a drama slot in 1993. We will introduce the top 10.
1st place... "Hanzawa Naoki" (2013), final episode, 42.2%
The final episode of "Hanzawa Naoki", which aired in 2013 and was set in a bank and starred Masato Sakai, which created a social phenomenon, achieved an astonishing record of 42.2%. Naoki Hanzawa's catchphrase "double payback" won the annual grand prize at the "U-Can New Words and Popular Words Awards" that year. The original story was written by Jun Ikeido and directed by Katsuo Fukuzawa and others.
2nd place... "Beautiful Life" (2000), final episode, 41.3%
A love story between a male hairdresser (Takuya Kimura) and a female librarian (Tokiwa Takako) who suffers from an incurable disease and lives in a wheelchair. It was said that Kimura's influence led to an increase in the number of people aspiring to become hairdressers. The script was written by Eriko Kitagawa, and the theme song was "Tonight, Where the Moon Sees the Hill" by B'z.
3rd place: "GOOD LUCK!!" (2003), final episode, 37.6%
Kimura played an airline pilot in this series, which sparked a social phenomenon by increasing the number of people looking to work in the aviation industry. His co-star was Shibasaki Kou, who played a mechanic. The script was written by Inoue Yumiko.
4th place: "Hanzawa Naoki" (2020), final episode, 32.7%
The 2020 version of the mega-hit "Hanzawa Naoki" starring Sakai. It was scheduled to air in April of that year, but started in July due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
5th place: "The Magnificent Clan" (2007), final episode, 30.4%
A drama adaptation of the novel of the same name by Yamazaki Toyoko. The star-studded cast, including Kimura, became a hot topic.
6th place: "Oyajii" (2000), final episode 28.0%
The last work of the 20th century in this time slot, broadcast in October 2000. Starring Tamura Masakazu, it is a family drama surrounding a stubborn father. The script was written by Yukawa Kazuhiko.
7th place: "Sweet Home" (1994), final episode 26.9%
Starring Yamaguchi Tomoko and Fuse Hiroshi. A comedy drama about elementary school entrance exams.
8th place: "Suna no Utsuwa" (2004), first episode 26.3%
A drama adaptation of Matsumoto Seicho's masterpiece starring Nakai Masahiro. This is the only work in the top 10 that recorded the highest audience rating for its first episode.
9th place: "JIN - The Final Chapter" (2011), final episode 26.1%
Based on a manga by Murakami Motoka. Takao Osawa plays Minakata Jin, a brain surgeon who travels back in time to Edo at the end of the Tokugawa shogunate. The final episode aired two years after the first drama adaptation (2009).
10th place: "JIN" (2009) Final episode with 25.3%
The first drama adaptation of the manga of the same name by Murakami Motoka. Also starring Nakatani Miki and Ayase Haruka.
The highest audience rating during the one-off drama era was 42.6% for "Chushingura of Women" broadcast in 1979.
In addition to the works in the top 10, "Sunday Theatre" is full of masterpieces. Many works can be viewed on TVer, so check out any that interest you. [Drama Reporting Team N]
