Key Takeaways:
– Shogun, the latest FX show, is being hailed as the new Game of Thrones.
– The first season raked in over 9 million views and is yet to finish airing.
– Hiroyuki Sanada plays a crucial character and contributes as a producer, contributing to Shogun’s enormous success.
– The creators, Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo, reveal the production’s ten-year struggle to fruition.
– Unlike Game of Thrones, Shogun successfully adheres to its source material, proving to be superior for fans and creators alike.
Shogun: The New Sensation
FX’s new show Shogun has quickly gained a significant viewership, becoming one of the biggest hits of the year. The show garnered over 9 million views within the first season, which is yet to conclude. This historical drama is centered around three interwoven plots, involving political intrigue, thrill, and occasional gore, much like the popular Game of Thrones.
Hiroyuki Sanada’s Instrumental Role
Hiroyuki Sanada, playing a key character and also wearing the producer’s hat for the first time, has been instrumental in the show’s success. He portrays Lord Yoshi Toranaga, a powerful feudal lord, in this adaptation that is based on the historical novel by James Clavell. Sanada’s combined role as actor and producer has significantly enhanced Shogun’s appeal and success.
The Backstage Story
Husband and wife duo, Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo, came on board as creators of Shogun in 2018. They had a mammoth task of realizing a project that took ten years to get off the ground, with a history of failed adaptation attempts. Marks and Kondo acknowledged the influence of Clavell’s novel, which had inspired many cinematic works. They harnessed its potential for a compelling intersectional television plot that has now come to fruition as Shogun.
Adapting Source Material
Marks and Kondo have notably expressed their faith in the source material during their journey to create Shogun. They emphasized the necessity of sincerely believing in the story and its potential for adaptation, especially in the current landscape of increased television adaptations of books. Their confidence and faith have been rewarded, with the show becoming a spectacular success, and fans eagerly anticipating a second season.
Making The Game of Thrones Comparison
Comparisons to HBO’s hit show Game of Thrones have been inevitable for Shogun, not least because of the rich, politically intriguing world it portrays. Game of Thrones was a massive sensation, based on the Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin. However, confusion arose when the source material ran out and left the creators struggling for a satisfying conclusion. The final season was deeply unsatisfactory for fans and posted some of the lowest ratings in the history of television.
Shogun and Game of Thrones may share a similar medieval setting, but the Shogun team is unlikely to face a similar dilemma. James Clavell’s story is complete, unlike Martin’s series. This could potentially save Shogun from falling into the same trap as Game of Thrones. Its adherence to source material provides the FX show with a narrative solidity and lends itself to a high degree of credibility among the audience. This is perhaps why both fans and creators alike are hailing Shogun as a superior adaptation.
As Shogun continues to captivate audiences, its creators’ dedication and faith in their project affirm the timeless wisdom of believing in one’s work. With the continued success and anticipation for future seasons, Shogun truly solidifies its place as one of television’s biggest sensations of recent times.
