FX’s Shogun Is Everything the 1980’s Series Dreamt to Be, and More

Summary:

• Shogun ( 2024) is an FX TV series based on the 1975 novel of the same name by James Clavell.
• The novel was previously adapted into a critically acclaimed TV series in 1980.
• FX's new retelling offers a modern take on a classic story, as well as a deeper dive into Japanese culture.

Shogun, the story brilliantly written by James Clavell back in 1975 has been nothing but a delight to all the readers. Though highly educational, the story managed to draw the viewers in and keep them excited and intrigued until the very last pages. Praised by both audiences and critics, the novel was almost immediately adapted for television.

The first version of the Shogun TV series premiered in 1980. It was produced by Paramount Television and first aired in the United States on NBC and consisted of 5 episodes, including a 3 hour opener and a grand finale of the same length.

The first version of Shogun was not only a very successful and impressive adaptation of Clavell's original story, it also paved the way for many future mini-series, as it was one of the first on television. So if the Emmy-winning show was such a success, was there really a need to revive it? FX's efforts have proven that sometimes remakes can be a good thing.

Is the New Shogun TV Show Good?

To say that the show was highly anticipated would have been an understatement. However, in true Internet fashion, many people sharpened their knives to rip the production apart as soon as the first few episodes dropped.

Still, FX has managed to impress everyone with the thought that went into the production of Shogun.

FX's Shogun didn't have the advantage of shooting on location like NBC did nearly five decades ago. It did, however, put Japanese culture at the forefront of every other aspect of the show. All the dialogue you hear between the Japanese characters is subtitled, and the character of Toranaga is the real star of the show.

Although the story hasn't changed, the approach has. The team behind the show also includes many Japanese professionals, which only adds to the true-to-life portrayal of the culture and all the events that take place on screen.

Remembering all the props, historical support, and all the other kinds of unusual things that the Shogun production required, producer Eriko Miyagawa had this to say to The Ringer:

“Every single thing we had to fight for because it’s not in your typical budget spreadsheet, these kinds of positions or these kinds of requirements. It’s really constantly pushing and pushing and pushing to make sure we have everything that we need to achieve what we want to achieve,” she explained.

Judging by the first two episodes, which dropped on February 27, the team has accomplished everything they set out to do and more.

If you want to dive into the unique experience that FX's Shogun remake offers, be sure to tune in on the FX network or stream the episodes on Hulu.

Source: The Ringer