If you thought Netflix’s Ripley was the pinnacle of prestige television this season, you ain’t seen nuthin’ yet.
Based on the 1975 novel by James Clavell, Shōgun is a new FX limited series, available to stream on Hulu. Yes, you may remember the first television mini-series adaptation of the novel, which was a huge success back in 1980, but we’ve come a long way in 44 years, and everything in this current series reflects that.
Created by husband-and-wife team Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks, Shōgun is an epic, magnificent, daring and staggeringly beautiful series that not only honors the novel, but the Japanese culture of the 15th century on which it is based. Although it is an American production, almost the entire cast is made up of Japanese actors, the setting mostly in Japan, and 
most of the dialogue is in Japanese. It may be big ask for mainstream American audiences to embrace something so different and unlike what they are used to, but the reward is a show as good as anything you’ve ever seen on television. From the costumes to the production design to the cinematography to the acting and the overall visual beauty, not much beats this production of Shōgun, as you will likely see at the Emmys later this year.
The story follows a rogue English sailor, John Blackthorne, played by Cosmo Jarvis, who is shipwrecked in Japan in 1600. Blackthorne lands in the middle of a local political war between rival magnates and he becomes an ally of the outcast Lord Toranaga, played by Hiroyuki Sanada. Blackthorne and Toranaga create a mutually beneficial alliance, along with Lady Mariko, played by Anna Sawai, a dishonored but highborn and intelligent woman who serves as translator for Blackthorne.
I will admit I had a hard time following the various machinations of the characters and dense details of the plot (made harder by subtitles), but I got enough of the gist to be able to enjoy this fascinating glimpse into a world I know nothing about.
I didn’t love Jarvis in the lead role, but the rest of the cast, especially Sanada, is outstanding. But the show’s calling card is its rich texture, every element of the production pays attention to detail and the show is a visual feast to behold. It is violent and pretty dark, but there are some surprisingly light moments, especially the ones borne from the fish-out-of-water premise.
Do yourself a favor, if you like quality, cinematic masterpieces from the comfort of your own home. Most movies aren’t this beautifully done.