Hyōe Yamamoto

July 1, 2000. British 21-year-old Lucie Blackman goes missing in Tokyo, sparking an international investigation — and an unyielding quest for justice.

The sidewalks of New York will never be the same, thanks to Johnny Twennies, an ace reporter who bangs out his column on an old manual typewriter and is blissfully aware that he sticks out like a sore thubm. His girlfriend is fed up because he hasn't even kissed her and the local mob wants to bump him off because he's hot on their trail. Can Johnny blow the lid off an important crime scoop, get the girl, and keep from getting himself killed?

The Distance tells the unlikely and inspirational story of a charismatic coach named Yoshio Koide and his star long-distance running pupil, Naoko Takahashi, as they try to overcome decades of Japanese disappointment and heartbreak in the marathon with a run for the ages at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, resulting in a gold-medal win.

10 amateur bakers from Japan compete in three challenges per episode, baking sweets, pastries, cakes, and bread according to a theme or to the instructions of the two judges, who are themselves professional bakers. Every episode ends with the announcement of a Star Baker, the baker who performed exceptionally well that episode, and with an unfortunate (and usually tear-filled) elimination. At the end of the show, one very talented home baker is declared the winner.