Critic Reviews

Shōgun stands apart as a genuine masterpiece.

Shōgun‘s size and scope and overwhelming excellence explain why it took so darn long to get the series right.

There are so many characters and plotlines introduced at a dizzying rate it might be hard at first to get your bearings. But the storytelling, led by writers and showrunners Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks, moves confidently and intensely. It is often exhilarating. “Shogun” is immersive world-building, feeling at once like an old-fashioned epic and something modern in style.

Shōgun is television at its best, using its budget to create a gorgeous, immersive world but never letting spectacle detract from its emphasis on complex character arcs. The performances are compelling, aided by writing that flows from crude humor to poetic drama in a way that brings depth to protagonists and even minor characters. The series seamlessly blends intrigue, humor, romance and action in a beautifully executed limited series that keeps delivering surprises until its perfect ending.

There are superficial similarities to “Game of Thrones” — five contenders for an empty throne, a storyline about two girlhood friends on opposite sides of a power struggle. But it’s this focus on people that truly unites the two series, and qualifies “Shōgun” to take up the mantle of thrillingly transportive event TV.

“Shogun” is riveting. It’s gorgeous. It’s the TV equivalent of a page-turner.

“Shōgun” is a stirring and meaty historical series that matches its spectacle and scale with its emotion and intelligence as it ponders deep philosophical discussions about life, sacrifice, valor and death. It’s epic, in the very best way.

“Shōgun” is a true epic. .... It may inspire a yearning to learn more about this history. Even if it doesn’t, you may find yourself contemplating how easily we can be seduced by compelling stories about people who do terrible things to achieve noble outcomes and how little most of us matter to their ends. Only great storytelling can achieve this feat.

What makes Shōgun the limited series so exceptional is how it transforms a novel laden with lazy stereotypes and Orientalism into a sweeping saga for a modern, global audience, while remaining faithful to the text. .... In so doing, it points the way for future adaptations when dealing with problematic material—and maybe tricks some Clavell-pilled dads into watching a subtitled series, for once.

This new version of Shōgun will make an impact and is a masterclass in storytelling. So yes, it lives up to the hype.