Shogun (FX | Hulu)

[Devilmaycare]

I may be in the minority but I liked his other books. Tai-Pan would be cool.

I haven't read any of them so I'm not familiar. If it's even better than I'd take it. One of my ideas earlier was to treat each season as a stand alone like Fargo. Then do his other books or stories on other periods in Japan for each season.

 

[Devilmaycare]

If you guys aren't watching this show then you need to. This week's episode was amazing. Best show that's been on in awhile.

 

[Covert Rain]

This is one of the best mini-series PERIOD.

 

[Devilmaycare]

This is one of the best mini-series PERIOD.

Totally agree.

Anna Sawai has really surprised me in this show with her acting too. I didn’t think much of her after having just watched Monarch. It almost feels like a different actress. Really shows how much writing and directing affect the performance.

 

[tennis-player]

I just subscribed to Hulu just to watch Shogun because of the good reviews on this site and others. I saw the old Shogun and recently reread the book. I hope it is s as good as I hope.

 

[Yuma]

I just subscribed to Hulu just to watch Shogun because of the good reviews on this site and others. I saw the old Shogun and recently reread the book. I hope it is s as good as I hope.

Let me know what you think. I think this depiction runs the same general arc as the book, but it does seem different in some scenes to me.

 

[Shane]

I mean it’s good…. Not sure about all time great but I’m def enjoying it. My only major complaint is the actor they chose to play the Anjin is pretty awful imo.

But watching Anna Sawai has made up for that.

The scene where Toranaga’s BF commits Seppuku is brutal….

 

[Stout]

Totally agree.

Anna Sawai has really surprised me in this show with her acting too. I didn’t think much of her after having just watched Monarch. It almost feels like a different actress. Really shows how much writing and directing affect the performance.

Gah, I didn't even realize that was her in Monarch! The best thing you can say about her in Monarch is that she's hot--that show turned out to not be very good. In Shogun, she is showing a hell of a set of acting chops.

 

[Devilmaycare]

Gah, I didn't even realize that was her in Monarch! The best thing you can say about her in Monarch is that she's hot--that show turned out to not be very good. In Shogun, she is showing a hell of a set of acting chops.

Yeah, I was shocked too. It was after E2 that I caught Mariko's name and was blown away when I realized she was Cate. I really thought she was Generic Young Actress over Monarch but now she's someone to keep an eye on. And even looks wise I think she's better in Shogun. Monarch she was generic whereas I've found her very beautiful in this.

 

[oaken1]

was a bit disappointed with the finale. a bit of a letdown and the flash forward to ancient Blackthorne took away any suspense as to his fate.

 

[Yuma]

was a bit disappointed with the finale. a bit of a letdown and the flash forward to ancient Blackthorne took away any suspense as to his fate.

I was thinking they did it the way they did so as not to have to spend big bucks on a final battle scene. Parts of this were really good. Overall, I think the book is better.

 

[Devilmaycare]

was a bit disappointed with the finale. a bit of a letdown and the flash forward to ancient Blackthorne took away any suspense as to his fate.

Was that a flash forward though?

Spoiler: Just in case

I took it as him imagining a possible future as he was unconscious from the blast. His brain was trying to process Mariko.

 

[Yuma]

Was that a flash forward though?

Spoiler: Just in case

I took it as him imagining a possible future as he was unconscious from the blast. His brain was trying to process Mariko.

The book had an ending with Toranaga winning. I know this is different. Just throwing that out there.

 

[oaken1]

Was that a flash forward though?

Spoiler: Just in case

I took it as him imagining a possible future as he was unconscious from the blast. His brain was trying to process Mariko.

but didnt they go to it again about halfway through the show for a quick minute?

 

[Devilmaycare]

but didnt they go to it again about halfway through the show for a quick minute?

I don't remember that if it happened. I need to rewatch it again.

Spoiler

I just watched the "future" scene to start off the episode and I think it is a dream. In it Anjin is holding Mariko's rosary while laying in bed. He couldn't have had it still if it was a the real future since he used it to laid her to rest when out on the water with Fuji. There was enough focus on her rosary beads throughout the season that I don't think they would have had him holding another set of them.

 

[Yuma]

I don't remember that if it happened. I need to rewatch it again.

Spoiler

I just watched the "future" scene to start off the episode and I think it is a dream. In it Anjin is holding Mariko's rosary while laying in bed. He couldn't have had it still if it was a the real future since he used it to laid her to rest when out on the water with Fuji. There was enough focus on her rosary beads throughout the season that I don't think they would have had him holding another set of them.

All I can say without a spoiler is in the book Toranaga became Shogun. They really did a poor job of explaining what a Shogun was and why it was rare in this series.

 

[Stout]

Why did they so subtly change the historical names while sticking with the real name of the battle--Sekigahara? That was weird to me. Maybe trying to obscure the outcome?

 

[Yuma]

After thinking about it, after Toda Miriko died, the rest of the episode fell flat. They never established why Anjin-san was special. They just had other characters treat him as an asset, but you never saw why. It wasn't so much the actor, as it was the lack of development of the character. The last episode was so clunky. The whole being back in England part was puzzling at best.

 

[Town Drunk]

After thinking about it, after Toda Miriko died, the rest of the episode fell flat. They never established why Anjin-san was special. They just had other characters treat him as an asset, but you never saw why. It wasn't so much the actor, as it was the lack of development of the character. The last episode was so clunky. The whole being back in England part was puzzling at best.

That’s where I’m at. I enjoyed everything up until the last episode. They didn’t stick the landing unfortunately. Still a good series.

 

[Ronin]

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[Covert Rain]

Not a big fan of where they left off but I get it. They want this to possibly run more than one season. Loved the show.

 

[Devilmaycare]

I don't think I like the sounds of this. It could be good but feels like a money grab. My choice would have been to continue the show by adapting the other books with different casts for each.

‘Shōgun’ Star Hiroyuki Sanada Inks Deal To Return For Season 2 As FX Limited Series Mulls Emmy Switch To Drama Amid Renewal Buzz

EXCLUSIVE: Hiroyuki Sanada, star and producer of FX‘s limited series Shōgun, has closed a deal to return as Lord Yoshii Toranaga, sources tell Deadline. Securing Sanada, whose character’s journey to become shōgun and lead Japan to an era of peace was chronicled in the 10-episode adaptation of James Clavell’s novel, has been considered crucial to any plan to extend Shogun beyond its original installment.

Other elements are still being worked out and deals are being finalized as part of an effort by FX to take Shogun to a second season in light of the big commercial and critical success of the limited series. The outcome of the effort would determine whether Shōgun would be considered a limited or drama series going forward, which could have major ramifications on the 2024 Emmy race, with the timing of the decision tied to the deadline for Emmy submissions.

‘Shōgun’ Star Hiroyuki Sanada Inks Deal To Return For Season 2 As FX Limited Series Mulls Emmy Switch To Drama Amid Renewal Buzz

Hiroyuki Sanada, star and producer of FX's limited series Shōgun, has closed a deal to return as Lord Yoshii Toranaga, sources tell Deadline.

deadline.com

 

[oaken1]

I don't think I like the sounds of this. It could be good but feels like a money grab. My choice would have been to continue the show by adapting the other books with different casts for each.

‘Shōgun’ Star Hiroyuki Sanada Inks Deal To Return For Season 2 As FX Limited Series Mulls Emmy Switch To Drama Amid Renewal Buzz

Hiroyuki Sanada, star and producer of FX's limited series Shōgun, has closed a deal to return as Lord Yoshii Toranaga, sources tell Deadline.

deadline.com

So they are going to film an entire season to show what they narrated in thirty seconds at the end of season one??
Or do they plan to expand beyond the source materials?

 

[Yuma]

I don't think I like the sounds of this. It could be good but feels like a money grab. My choice would have been to continue the show by adapting the other books with different casts for each.

‘Shōgun’ Star Hiroyuki Sanada Inks Deal To Return For Season 2 As FX Limited Series Mulls Emmy Switch To Drama Amid Renewal Buzz

Hiroyuki Sanada, star and producer of FX's limited series Shōgun, has closed a deal to return as Lord Yoshii Toranaga, sources tell Deadline.

deadline.com

IDK, the real star they killed off. Not sure where this goes from here.

 

[Stout]

So they are going to film an entire season to show what they narrated in thirty seconds at the end of season one??
Or do they plan to expand beyond the source materials?

This is the rub right here. They can't really expand beyond the source material (or historical material), because there's not much story after Tokugawa wins--his victory is complete after Sekigahara. Kind of like complaints when the show Rome ended fell on deaf ears with me. It basically ended with the Pax Romana, so unless the show was going to become I, Claudius, it had reached a natural ending.