American media and entertainment is such a crazy world. Pitching a story, telling a story, and reporting on a story all require some degree of shortcutting the experience and in the end the story and the storytelling. That’s currently happening with Shogun, the wonderful FX/Hulu series adapated from the novel of the same name.
It’s excellent and worth the investment of your time in viewing it. Assuming you’re looking for something of substance and style, told well while avoiding the typical shortcuts. There’s care and attention paid to every aspect of the production in ways that should make most of our current filmmakers blush with shame. It’s a mature, complex story that demands an equal maturity from its audience. If open to it, the payoff is powerful. That’s not a shortcut. That’s it. That’s the review.
What I find both amusing and annoying is the now clichéd description of the show as “not since Game of Thrones.” Certainly the scale and scope is comparable. But Shogun does what it does far better than anything that ever happened with Game of Thrones. Quite honestly, I think the quick pitch shallow comparision does a disservice to both and will ultimately lead many who tune into Shogun being disappointed.
Ignore the quick hit comparison. Invest the time and enjoy the journey.
You can find more of my writings on a variety of topics on Medium at this link, including in the publications Ellemeno and Rome.
Life on the Wicked Stage: Act 3 