The strange world of the japanese television

The first time I turned on the TV in Japan I was of course expecting those "hip" tv shows which would make "All my Children" for a great epic play. Or of course these music programs in which pop singers were perfoming a great routine on a sparkling scene with music worthy of the 70'. Or even anchormen hitting guests with a huge balloon hammer. That was what I was excpecting of Japanese television. That was what I saw in France.
But that's only the visible part of the iceberg because japanese television can also be a rash of human torture, questionable jokes, sex and suffering, but it can also be hilarious...