- Starring
- Hiroyuki Sanada, Cosmo Jarvis, Anna Sawai
- Creators
- Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks
- Rating
- TV-MA
- Genre
- Adventure, Drama, History
- Where to watch
- Hulu, ABC
- When to watch
- Tuesdays
Overall Score
Rating Overview
Rating Summary
The institution of the Shogunate in Japan dates back to the 12th century when Minamoto no Yoritomo established the Kamakura Shogunate in 1192, marking the beginning of military rule in Japan. The Shogun, or supreme military commander, held de facto power over the country while the Emperor remained a figurehead. Over centuries, various Shogunates rose and fell, including the Ashikaga and Tokugawa Shogunates, each leaving a significant mark on Japanese history and culture until the Meiji Restoration in 1868, which marked the end of the Shogunate system and the restoration of imperial rule.
Shogun (Season 1)
Set in feudal Japan during the 17th century, the story follows an English navigator, John Blackthorne, who becomes embroiled in the complex political intrigues of the time. As Blackthorne navigates the treacherous landscape of samurai warfare and cultural clashes, he must adapt to the rigid hierarchy of Japanese society while also striving to maintain his own identity and loyalty.
Shogun (Episodes 1&2 – Anjin & Servants of Two Masters)
Based on the 1975 novel of the same name, Shogun takes historical drama to the next level. Its attention to detail is of the same scope as programs like that of Yellowstone but on a scale to rival blockbuster films. However, its aesthetic realism is only the doorway that lets audiences in. Its mesmerizing performances and captivating tale of betrayal, Japanese feudal infighting, and global-scale treachery keep audiences on the edge of their seats.
Unlike most made-for-TV epics, not a single performer stands out as subpar or out of place. As a matter of fact, two episodes into its reported ten-episode run, only one minor detail seems out of place: the lead actor’s blue contact lenses. Cosmo Jarvis has dark brown eyes in real life, and the lenses currently used are beyond distractingly fake looking. There are scenes in which the character almost looks blinded by cataracts. That said, his performance is so excellent and his presence so magnetic that they are almost forgivable.
WOKE ELEMENTS
Something to watch
- There are some instances in which women are given more leeway than seems natural for a drama set in 1600 Japan. However, I’m not a historian, so I could be wrong. After all, as girls, Japanese women were taught martial arts and expected to protect their homes. Also, the incredibly limited deference granted to one or two of these characters is logically explained and occurs very organically within the context of the story… for the most part.
Shogun (Episode 3 – Tomorrow Is Tomorrow)
As John Blackthorne recovers from the assassination attempt on his life, Regent Toranaga makes plans to save his own. Will a combination of guile, bravery, and luck be enough to see them through the night?
Episode 3 of Shogun continues the series’ outstanding attention to detail as well as world and tension-building. This episode was far more spectacle than substantive, consisting mostly of action with very little story-telling. However, the Shogun’s quality is such (so far) that it manages to use the action to develop characters and set up future conflict instead of simply tacking it on due to a lack of material or creativity. With its rich characters, superb performances, and promise of feudal samurai war, 3/10ths of the way through, Shogun remains Worth it.
WOKE ELEMENTS
Treating Christian History Fairly?
- Some might argue that the Christian Japanese Regents and their scheming, as well as the apathy displayed by the priest in charge of the Catholic mission, is woke. However, the relationship between 1600 Japan and the Jesuits was very complex, filled with greed on both sides.
- Many historians (Catholic ones) agree that greed became a motivating factor for much of the Jesuit leadership and was always a main factor in the “conversion” of many of the Japanese, with their leaders converting solely for the exclusivity of access that it brought them.
- So far, Shogun does a great job of not indicting the religion so much as the particular men in question.
Shogun (Episode 4 – The Eightfold Fence)
With episode 4, Shogun continues to be one of the best programs on television. Lord Toranaga has enlisted John Blackthorn to teach his men the art of European warfare. As recompense, John hopes to free his men, his ship, and himself from this alien land. Unfortunately, Blackthorn and Toranaga are not the only two with plans and ambitions.
Superbly acted and beautifully shot, episode 4 moves the story forward nicely, giving audiences just enough to feel both sated and hungry for more. The unfortunately named Cosmo Jarvis gives what is now his customarily strong performance, while Anna Sawai steals every scene as Toda Mariko. Sawai exquisitely balances Japanese stoicism with theatrical flare, infusing Wittgensteinian pregnancy into the smallest upturned corner of a mouth. The supporting cast is just as strong as their characters scheme and connive like politicians while navigating the strictures of the Boshido code.
One of the biggest weaknesses of long-form storytelling of the last decade has been the tendency for showrunners to stretch too little story over too many episodes (looking at you Ahsoka). Fortunately, Shogun has the opposite problem. If anything, the depth of the characters and the illusion of ancient Japan, combined with some excellent writing, make it seem as though shows could go in any direction and give audiences more than they could ever digest in a single setting.
If you’re not watching Shogun, start. Hulu has a free month-long trial currently available and you can watch each episode (with commercials) on ABC.com as they are released.
WOKE ELEMENTS
Wait For It
- None.
Shogun (Episode 5 – Broken to the Fist)
Lord Toranaga has returned, and he’s brought an unwelcome surprise with him. As war with the Regents becomes more likely, Toranaga must deal with his incompetent son and a trader in his midst. Meanwhile, John Blackthorne is only now beginning to realize how alien this land truly is.
With the larger world-building ostensibly done for this season, episode 5 focuses almost exclusively on the interpersonal dynamics of John’s new existence. As excellent as the show has been up until now, it has truly found its stride in this episode. The pacing is perfect, the performances are magical, and the tension is exquisite.
In a drama such as this, it would be easy and understandable if it tipped over into melodrama; however, with its combination of crips and economic dialogue and Japanese stoicism, so far, the show has maintained a nuanced and textured balance.
WOKE ELEMENTS
Are Cracks Begining To Show?
- It is possible that the 3-minute cliffhanger at the end of this episode will introduce a female character who diverges significantly from feudal Japanese culture. However, it is far too early to tell, and the show has earned more than enough goodwill to deserve the benefit of the doubt.
Shogun (Episode 6 – Ladies of the Willow World)
In the aftermath of the earthquake, more than just the ground is crumbling beneath Lord Toranaga’s feet. With a massive swath of his forces swallowed by a mudslide and the other Lords preparing for war against him, Toranaga’s options have dwindled to one.
As programs like Disney’s Ahsoka barf up meaningless nonsense, fumbling their way from one contrived and over-rarified set piece to another, Shogun’s smart and thoughtful storytelling reminds us that talent and thoughtfulness still exist in Hollywood.
The program continues to be a study in theatrical nuance and subtlety. Anna Sawai, who plays Mariko, could teach a masterclass in minimalist emoting. With the cast of her eyes and almost imperceptible tightening of her jaw, she says more than most of the bloated and meaningless dialogue spewed from lesser performers in “grander” shows.
Few “major” events take place in this entry. Instead, Episode 6 takes subtlety to a new level as the tense interplay between Sawai’s Mariko and Cosmo’s Blackthorne builds. Every moment between the show’s crisp dialogue is like a fine wine given time to breathe as the cast and crew imbue the silence with power rather than a Marvel-esque childish quip that wrecks the solemnity.
However, one possible burgeoning concern was introduced in the last episode and further explored in this one. Her superb performance notwithstanding, Fumi NikaidĂ´’s Ochiba (consort of the late Lord TaikĹŤ) is a wrecking ball when compared to the others in the show. The problem is that it doesn’t fit with the rest of the world-building done to this point. It’s a bit jarring but still hasn’t detracted much from the overall quality.
WOKE ELEMENTS
Girl Boss?
- My understanding is that, in the books, Ochiba is a sophisticated and discreet manipulator. This makes sense, given that Feudal Japan treated women as property, and they’ve been called as much in the show on more than one occasion. It’s unclear if her more aggressive and overt posturing in the program is a result of the need to condense a large manuscript into the constraints of a television program or if it’s part of someone’s misguided desire to portray a strong and powerful woman.
- The show has built enough goodwill for me to give it the benefit of the doubt. So, I didn’t penalize it much for this on the Woke-O-Meter.
Shogun (Episode 7 – A Stick of Time)
As the season nears its end, tensions have reached a breaking point. Lord Toranaga has committed to Crimson Sky, but with his forces decimated by the earthquake, he must turn to his estranged brother in the hopes of enlisting him and, by extension, his considerable forces.
Shogun continues to offer the best drama on television. In contrast to programs like the lackluster Halo and embarrassingly awful Echo, which gracelessly fill the spaces between their too few key events with cinematic cellulose, Shogun expertly layers in meaningful subplots that both drive and enrich the main narrative.
In Episode 7, we are introduced to Lord Toranaga’s brother, who was mentioned in the previous installment. With a hint of doubt about his fraternal loyalties already peppered in from that episode, we are treated to some delectable suspense as the two brothers come together. Furthermore, some already-established relationships are tested, while some seemingly minor subplots from earlier in the season are brought to an organic close. All the while, the story continues to blossom into what promises to be a very satisfying conclusion.
WOKE ELEMENTS
We Don’t Serve That Here
- None.
Shogun (Episodes 8-10)
The final three episodes of Shogun, while still higher quality than most anything else on TV right now, are a bit of a letdown. Although relatively faithful to the source material, the series’ sudden shift in focus to Mariko and Lady Ochiba arrests the program’s momentum.
From all reports, it seems as though Ochiba was an interesting and integral part of the novel, with her subtle manipulations and self-serving machinations bringing about the story’s ultimate conclusion. However, in this series, her character’s role is fumbled and her motivations are of so little interest as to make her existence feel tacked on.
Equally bungled was Mariko’s arc. A character whose primary appeal throughout the rest of the series revolved around her will-they-won’t-they romantic relationships, her sudden change in status to that of the primary character was unfulfilling, to say the least.
While Shogun didn’t land with the thud of some other series like Game of Thrones and Carnival Row, its clumsy change of focus and subversion of expectations offered an underwhelming end to an otherwise great series.
WOKE ELEMENTS
Bungled and Forgotten
- By the end, Blackthorn has become a nearly forgotten character overshadowed by female characters that no one really cares about.
James Carrick
James Carrick is a passionate film enthusiast with a degree in theater and philosophy. James approaches dramatic criticism from a philosophic foundation grounded in aesthetics and ethics, offering insight and analysis that reveals layers of cinematic narrative with a touch of irreverence and a dash of snark.
63 comments
Bunny With A Keyboard
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
Was watching this with humans who saw the original and they hated how much anti-Christian elements they injected. Usually I’m the one who wants to turn stuff off but this time it was others before me.
James Carrick
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
Never saw the original, however, I wouldn’t classify the instances as anti-Christian so much as two warring factions and anti-Portugal. If anything, much of the actual faith (not the church politics) is handled respectfully.
Dave
April 25, 2024 at 1:19 pm
I could see hyper-religious types being offended, but it would be naive to assume that the Catholic church of this era didn’t use religiosity as a political tool. Protestants did, too, to some extent (see Henry VIII) but Catholics were better at it and had been doing it longer.
Rebs
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
Literally part of the actual history. The Tokugawa Shogunate expels the missionaries and heavily persecuted Christians and killed thousands.
Bronson
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
Wow. So they couldn’t handle something being anti-Christian? Literally any movie featuring depictions of violence (i.e. people murdering each other, guns, per-marital sex, drugs, etc.) can be considered anti-Christian in nature because they show character partake in sinful acts. Remove every movie in existence that has any mix of those elements, and all you’re left with are boring sleep fests. You Christians need to get off your high horses. Not every movie is meant for you. I’m not going to have on organized religion, but just because something criticizes *your* religion it doesn’t make it “WOKE.”
Bunny With A Keyboard
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
Let me see if I understand your argument correctly.
You’re saying that because it’s usually Jews, or Muslims, or Hindus, or so many other religions besides Christians that have come out as the villains this millennium, Christians should just suck it up because we’re being treated just the same as everyone else?
Bronson
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
Please spot where I even said in my original comment. I’m not even speaking on simply just Christians… but every single denomination of every religion on the planet. I don’t care if you’re Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hundu… whatever. Stop crying whenever a show or a comedian or a whatever criticizes your religion. That is literally the exact same as when somebody on the Left cries about something poking fun of people of color. Same exact principle. You’re not special. Sorry. The first amendment, freedom of speech!
Rick K.
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
Loved the book and the original miniseries. They did as well as can be expected in 1980 but this version takes it to a whole new level. Here’s my concern:
James Clavell only gets writing credit in 3 of the 10 episodes, according to IMDB. This gives them 7 episodes to make a complete mess of it. Will they be able to resist the urge to join The Curse Of Woke “Entertainment” Writing? I have very little confidence given how they went out of their way to omit Clavell’s contributions.
James Carrick
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
My concern is that they will not divorce Church politics from The Faith. The Jesuits have an… interesting history, and the geopolitics of the time were complex. It would be easy and a mistake to pile on the Catholics.
Reine Rush
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
I think Shogun (the book) is only loosely based on the Tokugawa Shogunate. Toranaga was merely exploiting the
schism between Catholics and Protestants for political gain. Excellent book! I’m so happy Sanada was chosen to play
Toranaga; I’ve been a fan of his since I lived in Japan. He’s very popular there, and an excellent actor.
Ceej
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
WioW doing God’s work as usual.
Thanks for this writeup James.
Human person
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
Thanks so much for the reviews! They are really helpful. Could you do one for I.S.S?
Bunny With A Keyboard
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
You passed the test. If you so choose, you may diminish and go into the west with Galadriel.
James Carrick
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
Hahaha. This was actually me.
Ktuff_morning
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
This is a remarkably faithful adaptation. I know the book inside out and I’m surprised by the stuff they include.
You guys are pointing out woke elements of the original book, not the show, which I don’t know that woke even existed in the 70s. The general rule is if a show is faithful to the original work, the show is NOT woke.
The “negative representation” of the christian leaders is abbreviated of course but their conflict between saving souls and money concerns is faithfully depicted. If they had toned it down to not offend Christians THAT would have been woke. Frankly I’m seeing some hypocrisy regarding woke here in this website. You need to alter your comments and say ten hail marys.
Some things they didn’t include was Yabu getting off sexually to the young boy being boiled to death or leaving out the suggestion that instead of a girl or a boy for pillowing Blackthorne might prefer a duck. I don’t know how woke leaving out any of that is though haha.
I don’t see much avenue for woke at all except possibly toning down stereotypes like madam Gyoko. I sincerely hope not she’s an interesting character.
Overall I love this show but the casting isn’t all that great. I like the girl who plays Mariko but everyone else is pretty much wrong. You just can’t beat the casting in the 1980 miniseries.
James Carrick
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
There’s been a single comment accusing the show of being woke. Three episodes in, I’ve marked it at 0.5% woke. In my breakdown of the woke elements I’ve clearly pointed out that the show is doing a good job of avoiding wokeness.
Where exactly is the hypocrisy and the need for commenters to adjust their comments?
Ando
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
If the book is woke, it would make the adaptation just as woke if you follow it to a letter.
Woke refers to a set of leftist marxist values, being anti-white, collectivist, and broadly anti-western.
Now I didnt find the book or the movie overly woke honestly. Im sure there are some of those elements, but so far the main protagonist christian character seems very well-balanced, strong but kind, and does care about her faith.
But we will see how it develops, Im not expecting any pro-christian moments whatsoever, but I at least hope they stay away from ######ting on the faith.
Ktuff_morning
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
Proclaiming woke pertains only to the left and not the right is itself woke. When using the term “the faith” it should be used in quotes because it’s not the only faith, which in itself is yet another form of woke, i.e. imposing self-serving moral presumption on others.
Those are the key words.
Self-serving moral presumption.
That is woke.
Self-serving moral presumption.
Whip yourself in the back ten times and say ten hail marys for being woke.
Yeah.
I admit if the book is woke then the adaptation is indeed woke as well as an amplification so my earlier comment needs revision. Can we please get edit ability for the comments?
Is the book woke? Good question. Some characters exemplify negative stereotypes which in itself doesn’t necessarily imply any self-serving moral presumption because those characters actually existed and they are interesting to consider and we’re all intellectual discerning mature adults capable of not conflating these time-lost stereotypes with modern Japanese people or Christian leaders and I don’t think such conflation was his deliberate intent, so, the book is unwoke says me.
James…are you needling me with that 0.5% value in reference to the precision I earlier decried? Hahaha. 🙂
Andy
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
Woke is a certain ideology, being mainly anti-white and anti-western, ergo leftist.
Its why you wont have conservative black women in ”diverse” shows even though that technically would be a very diverse and interesting character.
Simply making a propaganda piece or not following the source material is not woke.
Dave
April 25, 2024 at 1:25 pm
It’s worth noting that the main reason Ktuff is wrong here is that wokeness was actually created in both name (more of a converted verb into a noun state of being “Woke” to radical racial stereotypes that weaponize positivity and negativity along racial lines) and practice by leftists. They thought this was a good thing. Using it to now mock their arrogance and stupidity is just a turnabout in fair play considering how self-serving and virtue-signaling the practices of wokeness were and continue to be.
Reine Rush
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
“The general rule is if a show is faithful to the original work, the show is NOT woke”… hmm.. didn’t know there were “rules” associated with “woke”. I find lecturing people on what is or isn’t woke tends to definitely be woke. The book was written in a time when such nonsense didn’t occupy the forefront of every interaction. It’s just a great story, and if they can adapt it to the screen and still have it be a great story, success!
Ktuff_morning
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
There are rules associated with woke; the precise definition is self-serving moral presumption. I find lecturing people on lecturing people on what is or isn’t woke is what’s really woke.
Dave
April 25, 2024 at 1:25 pm
Yep that rule was just made up on the spot by that commenter.
Bunny With A Keyboard
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
Let me add to the discussion that movies have been changing books since at least The Wizard of Oz, if not earlier.
Know how people laugh that the witch could have told Dorothy about the shoes at the beginning? In the book, the witch that told Dorothy about the silver slippers was in the South, not the witch Dorothy met at the beginning.
But yeah. Wokeness is when you saturate something or someone with left wing propaganda. Like how in the movie Barbie, there’s no women on the board of directors for Mattel, even though there’s several women in the real world.
Ktuff_morning
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
Wrong. There is no left or right in woke and declaring it so is itself woke. Whip yourself on the knuckles with a switch ten times and say ten hail marys for your vile wokeyness.
My moderator sir we need an agreed definition of woke so there’s no more of this gross hypocrisy. Self-serving moral presumption. That’s it.
James Carrick
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
If only it was the first thing I added to the site. If only.
Bunny With A Keyboard
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
I’ve used your definition on Bounding Into Comics, though I’m also good with my simplified definition of “saturated with left wing propaganda.”
If they derailed a Rosemary’s Baby remake with twenty minutes on how abortion is murder, it wouldn’t be a good movie, but it also wouldn’t be woke.
(Demons are completely okay to slaughter out of hand even before they’re born.)
Ando
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
I would second this- would a forced conservative right-wing propaganda show, lets call it “right wing ESG” funded be fun? Most of the time no.
Would it be woke? Absolutely not.
Woke is synonymous with leftist marxist anti-white and anti-western values, usually cloaked using words such as “diverse”, “inclusive”, “equitable” (DEI).
We dont just hate it due to being propaganda, but for the ideals being both detached from reality, and evil.
Ktuff_morning
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
Your definition:
“Woke [wĹŤk]: adj.– 1. the quality of ultra/radical-progressivism, characterized by the active eschewing of objective truth as well as traditions and societal mores that have been tried and tested for generations in lieu of nonsensical beliefs that defy logic and substantive supportive objective data.”
In a definition you don’t put a “1.” without a “2.”. That seems humorous to me you went through the trouble of finding the superscript for “ĹŤ” in “wĹŤk” yet you’re oblivious to basic numbering convention.
“..substantive supportive objective data.” There’s lots of adjectives. Not appropriate for a definition. This is a legalistic definition so let’s make it right. When encountering a preposterous amount of adjectives it often helps to remove them to gain clarity:
“Woke [wĹŤk]: adj.– the quality of progressivism, characterized by the eschewing of truth as well as traditions and societal mores that have been tried and tested for generations in lieu of beliefs that defy logic and objective data.”
Ok. First of all the subject/verb agreement error. Let’s fix that.
“Woke [wĹŤk]: adj.– the quality of progressivism, characterized by the eschewing of truth AND THE traditions and societal mores that have been tried and tested for generations in lieu of beliefs that defy logic and objective data.”
Ok. “tried and tested for generations” is already implied by the words “traditions and social mores” so let’s get rid of that:
“Woke [wĹŤk]: adj.– the quality of progressivism, characterized by the eschewing of truth and the traditions and societal mores in lieu of beliefs that defy logic and data.”
“…in lieu of beliefs that defy logic and data”. If something “eschews truth” then it also “defies logic and data” doesn’t it? Redundant.
“Woke [wĹŤk]: adj.– the quality of progressivism, characterized by the eschewing of truth and traditions and societal mores.”
More punctuation errors. Let’s fix again:
“Woke [wĹŤk]: adj.– the quality of progressivism, characterized by the eschewing of truth, traditions and societal mores.”
The word “societal” seems misplaced. On the other hand it does convey a specific meaning, but since there doesn’t seem to be similar clarification on the word “traditions” let’s keep it along the lowest common denominator of your thinking.
“Woke [wĹŤk]: adj.– the quality of progressivism, characterized by the eschewing of truth, traditions and mores.”
Plural agreement.
“Woke [wĹŤk]: adj.– the quality of progressivism, characterized by the eschewing of truth, tradition and morality.”
Another problem. Is truth, tradition and morality the same thing? Those are distinct and often contradictory concepts so I think we need an “and/or” in there to provide inclusivity for any possible contradictions.
“Woke [wĹŤk]: adj.– the quality of progressivism, characterized by the eschewing of truth, tradition and/or morality.”
You’re trying to crowbar a definition of progressivism into an adjective. You can’t do that. What the characterizations are used to characterize is immaterial, like saying the definition of “tall” is “the quality of a giraffe having great height”. The giraffe is extraneous. I think you mean something like this:
“Woke [wĹŤk]: adj.– the deliberate avoidance of truth, tradition and/or morality in the advocation for social reform.”
I think woke is a noun not an adjective, although, I think you can refer to something as “woke” both as a noun or an adjective like “solo”.
..hmm…social reform implies tradition I think. Let’s remove that:
“Woke [wĹŤk]: n.– the deliberate avoidance of truth and/or morality in the advocation for social reform.”
In terms of social reform I would think you mean ethics and not morality.
“Woke [wĹŤk]: n.– the deliberate avoidance of truth and/or ethics in the advocation for social reform.”
Fixed.
This means the same as my quick and dirty definition by the way:
“Woke [wĹŤk]: n. – self-serving moral presumption.” where I do mean moral as in the morality of the presumptioner himself.
Ando
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
Look ktuff, nobody agrees with your definition.
Im sure there are some people that would define woke as not necessarily bad unrealistic postmodern values and worldviews, but they would agree its leftist, and they would agree its annoying and propagandistic.
What woke is, most people can agree. Simply “self serving moral presumption” is in no way what the majority would state as woke- where the values from matter.
Im not so sure why you spend so much time fighting ghosts though, I have not been using any of the font decorations you mention, I dont care if any part of my english isnt correct, Im not even sure who you are quoting in your long comment- maybe reddit would be a better place for these types of nitpicky “I win the argument because you spelled something incorrect” type of arguments?
Its obvious you like that type of discussion, but nobody here is really interested.
Ktuff_morning
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
Please take note that the correct definition applies to any fat asshole who lies when he tells people the way things should be, like Donald J Trump to name one.
Ktuff_morning
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
So sorry Ando, I already called Fixed. Like it or not woke is now secular and nonpartisan.
Red29375
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
I think I’ll wait until after it’s finished to continue watching it. I’m a little hesitant as it seems like they’re going to inject some mild feminist stuff into it. They already cut some stuff from to book at the request of Sawai.
James Versluys
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
I literally am taking Woke Or Worth It as recommendations: I had no intention of watching it until your review, thank you.
The Catholic stuff was in the books AND original show: you can’t have a Shogun show without it, because it’s the basis of the show. The evil priests are the central motivating part.
Anyway, thanks James. I could tell you’re a superior reviewer because of your kingly name.
Bunny With A Keyboard
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
Ktuff_morning, you do realize that throwing a tantrum like this only makes you look pathetic, right? You can twist words, you can call “Fixed” like a child, but you’re not changing hearts and minds. You’re only making people laugh at you the same way we laughed at (by no means with) the people who made Ghostbusters 2016.
Ktuff_morning
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
Can you honestly compare the new and improved woke with the original and tell me it’s wanting? Each edit is carefully and painstakingly spelled out for ultra-clarification. And don’t ever wag Ghostbusters 2016 in my face. How dare you.
Now that that’s settled, let’s get back on topic…episode four. What a knockout series. Yes they abbreviate. Yes they CGI. But it’s the world of SHOGUN. I love being in that world.
Did any of you catch the predicament Toranaga escaped on the docks? He found himself in Yabu’s clutches but escaped by hypnotizing everyone with his command presence. Naga almost tipped them off too…I was like whispering for Toranaga “…shut up you idiot…”
Did you all catch that Naga was manipulated into killing Jozen by Omi? ..and Yabu maneurvered himself to avoid all blame? Just a friendly PSA.
Woke? This production is wonderfully free from woke. They never showed the execution of the infant which is understandable even for cable TV but they expressly referred to it which risked being a brutal characterization of the age they could have otherwise easily sidestepped. Kudos. The cannon slaughter was nice and graphic. Quite suitably unwoke. So far this is better than I could have hoped for, ignoring the casting. The Mariko girl is just fantastic it’s worth repeating.
When I was 13 I wanted to check out the book Shogun from my local bookmobile. The librarian wouldn’t let me. The next week I snuck it out in my schoolbag. I read it in two weeks and then snuck it back into the bookmobile. I wonder if she ever knew? It just blew me away. My favorite book. I’ve read it many, many, many times. Funny, when I read Shogun I always picture all the scenes happening at the neighborhood I lived at when I was 13. Lady Ochiba in my neighbor’s alcove, Blackthorne cooking pheasant and hanging it on my swingset, Toranaga and Mariko reciting poetry by the neighbor’s pool, Yabu chopping off a guy’s leg on my backyard lawn…
Bunny With A Keyboard
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
Ktuff_morning bringing up President Trump out of context and attacking him when it’s completely irrelevant to the conversation? Sounds like Ktuff_morning is saturated with left wing propaganda to me, which fits my definition of woke.
Ktuff_morning
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
You should have seen the reply I wrote to you but I believe it was cancelled. It could have been a browser error but I decided to let it go out of respect for the website. I suppose there’s a limit even here.
Ktuff_morning is indeed saturated with left-wing propaganda with the difference being left-wing propaganda is made for the support of ethics and at worst only lie by omission. The left is much more moral but bery boring. I’m an anti-woke left-wing socialist who is non-boring I’m sure you would agree. I think you like me.
James Carrick
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
The f-bomb triggered the auto block. We have to have some standards.
Ktuff_morning
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
Ah. So I should have said I want to *boink* Elliot Page. Check.
Bunny With A Keyboard
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
Let’s try again with a real life example.
“We have among the lowest inflation rates of any country in America.” – President Joe Biden
It’s a real quote; you can look it up.
Now, among the woke, this is something to be proud about.
However, for those who aren’t saturated with left wing propaganda, we know that inflation has been very high under Biden’s watch. Further, we don’t care how inflation rates among the countries in America because there’s only one country in America, and that country is the United States of America, often abbreviated to America.
When you check how inflation is doing with America compared to the other countries of the world, we’re not even in the top ten.
See the difference?
Bunny With A Keyboard
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
The problem with socialism is that it requires those who are able to work to be the slaves of those who do not. While those who work may, and arguably should, give charity to those who cannot work, having the government demand it of people is no different than slavery.
Nothing is free. Someone always has to pay, even if it’s just the treasury getting emptied of all the wealth generated while the nation was capitalist. Or, as Margaret Sanger wrote it, “running out of other people’s money.”
For all that people hate capitalis, the problems that they point out form as a result of Marxist policies, like all the inflation that Biden has been giving us.
I could just point out that you are woke if you’re socialist because you’re saturated with left wing propaganda, but it’s easier to point out the WHY. America wasn’t always great for everyone, sure, but if they’d been able to uphold the ideals of all humans being created equal, then it would have been.
When movies try to push the ideas that aren’t working here and don’t work for anyone anywhere, we likewise see them as garbage, but you would like such a movie because you believe socialism can work.
Everyone here would consider a socialist utopia movie to be woke if they pushed it too hard. Star Trek tried it in the early days, but it was quick and shallow enough that we all laughed at the idea that someone would put on a red shirt and get killed without even getting paid.
Make sense?
Ktuff_morning
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
An honest, reasonable discussion with a right-winger is impossible. They have a mental disease which causes them to refuse to acknowledge reality inconvenient to their cult. The disease is called “authoritarianism”. If you dare read the books by John Dean, the former White House Consul for the Nixon administration, “Conservatives Without Conscience” and “Authoritarian Nightmare”. Your psychology will be unwrapped, unfolded, stripped down and dismantled. You’ll never be the same again.
Bunny With A Keyboard
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
So Ktuff_morning is pushing books full of left wing propaganda…check. Do we need any more evidence that he’s woke?
Ktuff_morning, you claim you have no interest in honest and reasonable discussion, and you’ve proven that accurate with garbage like “I already called what woke means so you can’t change it!” Are you here for any purpose beyond trolling?
We don’t need more examples of woke mentality.
Dave
April 25, 2024 at 1:28 pm
Wrong it’s cognitive dissonance and you have it really bad.
Ando
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
Socialism = woke.
Im sure you like many other leftists dont like your ideology brought to its ultimate conclusion, but it is what you worked for and voted for.
If you dont like woke, then maybe you are a right-winger that just didnt realize that leftism wasnt all it was built up to be in school.
Reine Rush
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
Well, now that we dishonest, unreasonable “right wingers” who suffer from the disease of “authoritarianism” have been properly schooled, maybe we can get back to comments that actually pertain to movies or tv series. That would be a refreshing change!
Ktuff_morning
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
Hear hear.
Truthsayer
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
Passing by, this is what I see: you are constantly browsing and scanning material for anything, however minute, to be offended and outraged by. You are policing content, you are outrage culture, you are cancel culture. How do you not see what you’ve become? you made a site devoted entirely to fuel outrage, to cancel, to instigate boycotts. You see it yet? you are the neo-SJWs!
will you even allow my comment to post? an SJW wouldn’t.
Bunny With A Keyboard
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
There are a lot of movies out there saturated with left wing propaganda, and not only can it make adults uncomfortable and ruin the movie for them, it can also mess up children irrevocably.
Let’s take Gone With the Wind as an easy example. It’s written from the side of the Confederacy, and a lot of children will have a hard time with that.
I can go into detail if needed, but it’s easier to move on to Barbie. In the real world, there are five women on the board of directors, but the movie claims that there are zero. Children aren’t likely to know this, and little girls watching may buy into the lie that they won’t be able to make it in this world.
When I was growing up, Barbie was a symbol of empowerment where she could be anything she wanted to be, and that’s been taken away from little girls. Boys get so many fantastic fictional role models that teach various lessons, like how with great power comes great responsibility. By contrast, girls either get told that they’re perfect just the way they are (a terrible lesson for a growing child if it’s not mediated with teaching to learn and grow as well) or that they’ll never be able to succeed because of the Patriarchy and should just give up.
Parents don’t want their children watching such garbage and lies while they’re still growing up and aren’t always able to discern fact from fiction.
That’s an easy example but there are plenty more.
Ktuff_morning
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
Nice point Truthsayer. Are we guilty of the very thing we decry? Have we become cancel culture?
Howard Cosell said “the problem with authoritarians is they are comfortable with compartmentalization AKA simultaneously holding contradictory beliefs AKA hypocrisy. I just tell it like it is. This is Howard Cosell for all your friends at ABC sports.” -1973
On the other hand, the “woke” leftist culture in the media really is too much, and I’m leftist. I don’t need to be a direct target to be uncomfortable with bias although as a straight white male I certainly get my share of deliberate contempt and malign characterization. To name one gigantic example the requirement for a substantial percent of non-white actors and directors for a film to be considered for an Oscar nomination. You cannot deny this is blatant censorship and prejudice in the world of art.
I’m sure you would agree prejudice in any form is wrong and therefore you stand with us to decry this Oscar requirement? This is now YOUR test Truthsayer. What say ye?
Kurt
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
You’re taking this to an extreme to discredit people who disagree with you; there is a difference between cancel culture and choosing not to see a film or TV show that depicts your identity in a very harsh and biased light. This website is not calling for these writers/show runners/studios/actors to be banned from working again in the industry and to become social pariahs. That is true cancel. I would be happy to see these same people produce quality entertainment that is not biased against certain demographic and depicts entire groups as oppressors or oppressed. When women and minorities were depicted in negative ways in previous decades, did they not have a right to ask for better representation? Shouldn’t all identities have a right to be depicted in a positive manner????Today we just have new stereotypes that lock men and women and people of color into narrow roles that hurt storytelling and the entertainment value. I watch TV and films to be entertained; if I wanted something political I would read the newspaper. This website allows readers to discern the amount of plotical propaganda in the piece being reviewed.
Dave
April 25, 2024 at 1:30 pm
Well you’re here. And you’re also wrong. I don’t see a single call to boycott in the entire review. There is derision sure because the site has a stated purpose. The fact that you think everyone will Karen up because that’s what leftists do is hilarious though.
People can take the information and do with it as they please. A woke fan could come here and see every single instance that they would love about that show if they so choose.
Ktuff_morning
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
Episode 6. They’re really moving through the story quickly. How can people who don’t know the book possibly follow what’s going on? I can’t rightly claim any kind of cancel culture when they’re pushing such an abbreviated retelling. This episode is light on sex and gore. No woke here.
Tim
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
How is going on a tirade with the emperor about how hard women have it, showing them training with weapons (which they weren’t allowed to do), and in general making a big deal out of social roles in a medieval society not woke lmao? Nice coping there buddy. 6 episodes is enough for me, I’m dropping this typical SJW fest
Ktuff_morning
April 4, 2024 at 11:26 pm
I don’t roll around in the mud with clowns wasting time and energy deconstructing their puerile characterizations. I’ll just insult you and leave it at that. Reply to this comment if you agree with me.
I will say however the main problem with this series is the chemistry between Blackthorne and Mariko. Shogun is a love story. Mariko seems distant and cold. I don’t even know if she has any feelings for Blackthorne at all. Blackthorne only projects anxiety. He’s supposed to be a brash, commanding powerful man with a twinkle in his eye and barely contained passion of Mariko. I ain’t seeing it. If I had my druthers I’d like a nice long slow boil of a series. Take the time to establish mood. It would be so much more potent.
healthguyfsu
April 11, 2024 at 12:02 am
Shogun is amazing. Huge fan so far.
It’s not woke and the Catholic church depictions are fairly accurate. They’ve been a political fixture in the old world since the “Holy Roman Empire”
Dan
April 13, 2024 at 10:06 am
I have to say that the show is a little woke. Japanese females were subservient to Japanese males, and in the original miniseries in the 80’s that’s how they were portrayed. The writers and producers and directors seemed say “We will have none of that! History or not, we have boxes to check!” and thus we have strong female leads in this new series. The show cannot be that highly based with this glaring fact. I think the score needs to be changed somewhat to reflect this.
Dave
April 13, 2024 at 1:09 pm
I saw plenty of subservience. I don’t know what more you need.
There were a few exceptional women in feudal Japan, even a few samurai. I take no issue with showing exceptional women. It’s not like they are going around playing girlboss.
Di
April 25, 2024 at 12:20 pm
Your reductive approach basically arrived at what is called “an incomplete definition”.
Galambos Tamas
May 3, 2024 at 9:38 am
Maybe not woke, but i think the old series were magnitudes better.
Blackthorne also had nobility, didnt just talk ######.
His crew also had strong faith. Rodrigo was much better, the daimyo was more credible with big belly and shaved head.
Kurt
May 7, 2024 at 9:02 am
Are you going to review the last three episodes? I was wondering if the show finished strong and stayed based.
James Carrick
May 7, 2024 at 10:25 am
Working on them as we speak.