Fathers of all shapes and sizes are the stars of this week's lineup of drama specials and new series. "Otosan (Father)," premieres Oct. 13 at 9 p.m. on the TBS network.
The new series marks actor Masakazu Tamura's almost complete evolution from romantic lead to comic paterfamilias, a changeover that was assisted by his long-running appearance in a DoCoMo CM series in which he played the father of a large extended family.
Tamura's character, Shiro, is the widower father of four beautiful daughters, whom he has raised entirely on his own. He owns and operates a respected soba restaurant and is famous for belittling customers who can't properly appreciate the subtle wonders of his creations.