It has been over a year since Shōgun arrived on FX and Hulu and took the world by storm. With dozens of awards (including 18 Emmys – a new record), so much recognition, and a massive following by TV viewers and folks with a Hulu subscription, the global sensation is returning for a second season in the near future despite initially being planned as a limited series. And with the more we learn about Shōgun Season 2, the more I’m getting excited, especially with this whole time jump business.
Though I am all kinds of pumped up to see the return of Hiroyuki Sanada’s Lord Toranaga and Cosmo Jarvis’ John Blackthorne, I must admit that I’m also a tad bit anxious about the show coming back to the airwaves and one of the best streaming services around. Come along with me as I work out everything that has me stoked and apprehensive about the return of one of the best TV shows in recent memory.
I Feel Like I'm Obligated To Say I'm Beyond Excited For More Shōgun
There have been a lot of great TV shows in the past decade, and Shōgun is definitely near the top of that list. Like so many other great FX on Hulu shows like The Bear and Reservation Dogs, this expertly crafted show’s first season was on the same scale as Game of Thrones (it was even compared to the HBO fantasy series ahead of its debut), and it never let me down.
That said, I feel like I’m obligated to say that I’m beyond excited for more battles, more political intrigue, more complicated relationships. And maybe, just maybe, please hold off on any more of those unexpected and heartbreaking character deaths this time around. But we all know that’s not going to happen with a show like this.
And I'm Thrilled To Experience The Continuation Of Lord Toranaga And John Blackthorne's Respective Stories
Shōgun Season 1 gave viewers a lot to love, especially when it came to the incredible and deeply impactful character arcs for the likes of Lord Toranaga, John Blackthorne, and Anna Sawai’s Toda Mariko (RIP). I can’t wait to see how the stories for the surviving characters continue when the show returns in the future. When we last saw Toranaga and Blackthorne, they were preparing for an epic battle after the lord of Kanto revealed his big secret, and the Anjin was starting to rebuild his ship and an accompanying fleet.
With so much unfinished business set to be resolved, it felt like Shōgun ended in a way that concluded enough to be considered a great standalone limited series while also teasing just enough for future seasons, and I’m so glad it was the latter in this situation. But now I’m over here just trying to figure out where these two instantly iconic characters will go from here.
The Whole 'Time Jump' Business Has Me Intrigued
When I first read a Deadline report about Shōgun Season 2 having a time jump and picking up 10 years after the events of the Season 1 finale, I was admittedly more than a little intrigued. Not picking up directly after the first season ends is a bold choice by creators Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks, and I have to applaud them for not throwing viewers directly into the future Battle of Sekigahara, the conflict heavily teased when things left off.
How much has Japan, and the world around it, changed in the decade between the two seasons? How has the relationship between the two main characters changed? Is it stronger, strained, or non-existent? The unknown of the next season (where is the jumping off point?) has me excited for what’s to come.
But At The Same Time, The Big Jump Has Me Kind Of Bummed
However, I am also a little bummed out that we’re going to be missing out on so much of what happened in the immediate fallout of of Lord Toronaga’s brilliant chess game with his enemies near the end of Shōgun Season 1. I know I just went on about how a time jump opens a lot of doors for the story to continue, but I hope we don’t get a lot of talk like in the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, where Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker joked about all their crazy adventures instead of showing the audience.
It’s a minor complaint, but a complaint nonetheless. We had so much momentum in the final moments of the show’s first season, and I hope we don’t have to spend an entire episode alluding to crazy moments, battles, and adventures we’ll probably never get to see.
I'm Also A Little Concerned About The Second Season Not Being Based On James Clavell’s Novel
Perhaps my biggest concern about Shōgun Season 2 is the fact that, unlike the first installment, it won’t be based on James Clavell’s massive novel, but instead will be an original new chapter, whatever that means. While I do have faith in series creators Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks’ vision for the show moving forward, the past has shown us that deviating from the source material doesn’t always end up being received all that well.
I mean, just look at the later seasons of Game of Thrones, which had to fill in the gaps as George R.R. Martin had yet to finish The Winds of Winter (he still hasn’t, by the way). This resulted in a massive drop in quality for the once-beloved series, and audiences turned on it in the final two years of its run. Hopefully, Shōgun doesn’t fall into that category with these changes.
Shogun Started Out As A Limited Series, And I Hope The Show's Spark Isn't Lost In A Second Season
As several of my colleagues pointed out in early 2024, Shōgun started out incredibly strong (and didn’t let off the gas) when it premiered last year, a time in which we all thought it was going to be one-and-done limited series like Chernobyl, The Queen’s Gambit, or When They See Us. However, now that the show is being turned into a proper series with a new season (and most likely more to follow if it's successful) on the way, I hope that the show’s spark isn’t lost or at least muddled down due to having more episodes to fill.
Again, I could be totally wrong here, and my anxiety about multiple seasons watering down the impact of the show could be nothing more than unsubstantiated fears. However, I’m still going to be worried and cautiously optimistic about the future of the series until I’m shown otherwise. I hope I’m wrong.
Only time will tell what’ll happen with Shōgun moving forward. Though I’m a tad bit anxious about it, I’ll be there the day it drops, ready to go back to Japan for at least one more adventure.
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