Shōgun beat the fantasy giants with a modest budget and 18 Emmys
No dragons, no huge stars: Shōgun swept 18 Emmys and four Golden Globes, and season two has now finished filming. Here's what to know before it returns.
Swords are not enough. Neither, it turns out, are a couple of dragons. Big fantasy and period series are hard to pull off, and Shōgun just keeps proving it can do what the giants struggle with.
The Rings of Power and House of the Dragon have lost plenty of viewers along the way. The Wheel of Time was cancelled outright. Shōgun, streaming on Disney+, has gone a very different way.
What happened?
Shōgun arrived quietly. Its budget was far from huge, especially for a historical series, and it had no big names in the cast or the creative team.
It still became the star of awards season. The series won four Golden Globes and 18 Emmys, 14 of them in technical categories. That is a record for the Emmys since the ceremony began.
And the good news keeps coming: season two has finished filming, wrapping this September.
Why is everyone talking about it?
The story is a gripping one. In the early 17th century, English pilot John Blackthorne is shipwrecked in Japan after a storm and taken prisoner. His arrival lands in the middle of a fierce power struggle among the lords of the Council of Regents, mainly between Toranaga and his rival Ishido, after the death of the taiko (Japan's supreme ruler).
Toranaga sees value in Blackthorne's nautical and military knowledge, so he takes him into his circle. Mariko, a Christian noble and translator, becomes the bridge between the two worlds. As Blackthorne learns Japanese customs, he gets caught up in the betrayals, alliances and battles that will decide the country's fate.
Daha önce ne olmuştu?
The 10-episode adaptation of James Clavell's novel premiered on Hulu and Disney+ in February 2024. In September 2024 it won 18 Emmys, the most ever for a single season of any show, including Best Drama Series.
After those first 10 episodes, nobody knew whether the show would end or carry on. It was later confirmed there would be at least a second season.
What's next?
Don't expect it right away. The earliest it could arrive is early next year. More likely, season two lands on Disney+ well into 2027, or even in 2028.
So you have time to rewatch the first season. Patience is the order of the day.
Story timeline
Shōgun series Emmy success and season two · 3 updates
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