Is anyone else watching Shōgun?

[TellyUsername]

I'm really enjoying this offering from Disney+!

Sat down to watch with my 12 yo, but found it is an 18 advisory, so we turned it off! I think I'd probably still enjoy watching by myself, as has lots of good reviews. Maybe this evening....

I am,and thoroughly enjoying it.

I think it's great! We are watching it with 16yo ds.

I have found my people 😁

I loved the original series starring Richard Chamberlain back in the 80s and the book. So I have to admit that I was a bit concerned that this new series wouldn't live up to my expectations.
I shouldn't have worried, I really like the greater emphasis on the Japanese culture and politics. I think it's brilliant.

I think that's what's drawing me in is the scale of the history and political involvement. I wish I'd waited until they'd all been released before starting to watch it.

I'm not sure if I like Cosmo Jarvis though, he feels like he's playing Tom Hardy playing the part.

I'm really enjoying all the political machinations and intrigue, I know nothing about Japanese history and I like that it doesn't spoon feed the viewer.

I think the actor who plays Toranaga has great screen presence, I'd watch him all day. However the Barbarian character is the weakest link, I'd rather watch the Japanese actors and follow their storylines.

I gasped at the ending of episode seven😯

I don’t like the lead actor at all. He sounds like he’s studied Anthony Hopkins and copied his voice. It’s creepy. He can’t act and has no screen presence. He’s like an overgrown teenager.

I agree about Toranaga but absolutely love to loathe Kashigi Yabushige the actor who is playing him is sublime!

I agree id happily just watch the Japanese actors, and this week's episode ending was brilliant! Roll on next week!

Yabushige fan here! I secretly hope he redeems himself eg dies an honourable death, the thought of him being an out & out villain or ending on Ishido/Ochiba's side pains me 🤣

I can't believe there's just 3 episodes left... Noooo...

edit: Also not a fan at all of Blackthorne (or perhaps how the actor is portraying him). Is he meant to have such an overtly ungainly presence? I find myself watching everyone but him.

I absolutely love it! It’s not my usual thing at all, but I think it’s fantastic.

I am going against the grain - I love the Blackthorne actor, I find his delivery of certain lines hilarious ("I don't want any generous cuckoos!") and his total inability to keep his fucking mouth shut even when his life literally depends on it is oddly endearing. I think the way he manages to play the character as such an oaf, even though he'd obviously be a reasonably sophisticated man back in England (war of the queen, speaks Portuguese -im reading him as a sort of Francis Drake character) really highlights the considered, multilayered, highly stylised Japanese way of doing literally everything, from crossing a room to making a deal to pouring a drink. He's such a fish out of water and it plays off the oppositions really well. The only unbelievable thing is that a woman like Mariko would find him remotely attractive 😅 - but I wouldn't kick him off my tatami mat!

Loving this, too! The cast seems very good. I’m undecided about the Anjin character - Cosmo Jarvis.

Very keen on Hiroyuki Sanada (Toranaga). I’ve liked him as an action actor in the past and didn’t really clock that he can do actual character acting!

Yes, loving it. So many great characters and actors. I absolutely love the scene's where Mariko is translating. So much going on with what and how she diplomatically chooses to translates things. Great writing.

It's brilliant. So beautiful and has that hum of tension in every scene ... I love also how it has a really confident pacing, not too much drama but it keeps moving all the same ...

I'm with @herewegoroundthebastardbush on Blackthorne/the actor playing him, I think he's fantastic, the humour is so good without being laboured

Really enjoying it.

As a PP said, Mariko’s deliberate translations/omissions are fascinating, and really love how the weather has been used - all this atmospheric fog making everything claustrophobic with no clear way forward…

@WhereShallWeGo I’ll definitely have to watch it if Hiroyuki Sanada is in it. He’s great in just about everything!

I'm in. Watched two episodes so far. Love it. I keep thinking about what was going on in Europe at the same time. The Dutch ship was called Erasmus. Erasmus was a Catholic priest from a the early 1500s.

Anyway, the actor who plays Toranaga is a tour de force. Love Yabushige and am slowly warming to Blackthorne.

I'm going to join @herewegoroundthebastardbush in defense of Blackthorn. I think he really develops as a character and I've become very fond of him as he tries to negotiate his way through his situation.

He's amazing in this, if you're a fan of his you'll enjoy shōgun

I love it - including the actor playing Blackthorn.

The tea ceremony scene... I don't want to write spoilers but...

Loved that scene so much. Bit of a shit week for Buntaro! I mean I know he's a bastard but bloody hell.

On my watch list. My DH is making me watch the DVD of the original first 😂. It's okay, I have good memories of watching it the first time in the 80s. My mum had a crush on Richard Chamberlain in a kimono. I told her that they were re-making it and she was like why the hell are they doing that. According to her, RC is the perfect and only Blackthorn.

I don't think he is a bastard, he's the same as everyone else, a victim of circumstances, loyalty and pride.