Forget House of the Dragon, This 100% Rated Show Did Everything Better Than HBO

Summary:

• Although it has been well over a year since the debut season of House of the Dragon, season 2 is still months away
• However, the new historical drama series Shōgun can satisfy your need for political intrigue, factional warfare, and great battles
• As the second TV adaptation of the novel of the same name, the 2024 show proved to be even better than its 1980 predecessor

Game of Thrones changed the landscape of television forever, introducing an unprecedented level of character and story development (in the realm of fantasy TV series) that made it a pop culture phenomenon.

Although the later seasons of the show proved to be rather underwhelming, the recent prequel series House of the Dragon restored the dignity of the franchise and turned out to be as great as GoT in its glory days.

However, it has been well over a year since the conclusion of the prequel's debut season, and although season 2 is scheduled to premiere this summer, fans are already getting tired of waiting.

This Brilliant New Series Is the Answer to Your Needs

But if you crave a story filled with political intrigue, factions vying for power, great battles, outstanding acting, and stunning visuals and sets, this fresh historical drama TV series should be right up your alley.

Shōgun, the first two episodes of which debuted on Hulu and FX on February 27, 2024, has received rave reviews from critics and fans alike, earning a score of 100% and 95% respectively on Rotten Tomatoes.

Based on the 1975 novel of the same name, which itself is vaguely based on the story of real-life English navigator William Adams, the plot is set in 17th-century Japan and revolves around John Blackthorne, portrayed by Cosmo Jarvis.

After a shipwreck, Blackthorne finds himself on the shores of Japan, where he becomes embroiled in the country's internal political machinations, allying with the powerful daimyo Lord Toranaga, played by Hiroyuki Sanada, and slowly assimilating into the foreign culture.

The New Adaptation Fixes the Flaws of Its Predecessor

Although this is not the first adaptation of James Clavell's novel, as there was already a TV series of the same name in 1980, the new take on the story proved to be even better.

Unlike its predecessor, the 2024 series avoids many of the annoying tropes of the 1980 series, paying much more attention to various aspects of Japanese culture and treating it with the respect it deserves.

With all that said, while the second season of House of the Dragon is still months away from release, Shōgun can serve as a perfect substitute to make the wait more enjoyable.

The third episode of the miniseries will premiere on March 5, 2024.