irinaratcu

As a big fan of the book, I was concerned going into this. James Clavell's vision is so immersive, so precise, I didn't think the creators would pull off a faithful adaptation. Yet somehow, they did. I know Star Wars fans will see the word "somehow" and immediately downvote my review before reading the rest, but I can't help it. Magic can't be explained in the case of Shogun. It is one of the rawest and purest depiction of the time period I've personally seen on screen, and that is owed in no small part to the genius that is Hiroyuki Sanada. His involvement elevates this project to unspeakable heights. I know it sounds like I'm exaggerating, but this show has brought me so much joy. We are but a few episodes away from the finale but I can't forsee even the slightest dip in quality, because it's clear that Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks respect the source material but also have tremendous passion for the story they're telling. I'll admit that I'm bitter - Game of Thrones broke my heart. I've witnessed what happens when you stray from the source material and let your ego guide you. Thankfully, that isn't the case with Shogun. It saddens me that we won't get a season two, just because of how brilliant this gem of a show is. But hats off to both creators for respecting their audience's time. As it is now, Shogun is perfect to me and I have no doubt they'll stick the landing. It's a great year for TV...

This only gets 3 stars from me because it's clear that Lily-Rose is doing the best she can with what she was given. But my goodness, this was a painful watch. Abel Tesfaye was severely misscast which makes this awkward, since the entire thing was his idea. Levinson's vision feels contrived, lacking every bit of that magic he created with Season 1 of Euphoria. The show just misses the mark, relying on nothing but nudity and shock value. The dialogue is vapid, the story is misguided. Points for lighting and camera work but that's about it. There are better shows to watch out there. This one isn't worth your time.