One of many yr’s breakout TV sequence could also be getting extra episodes. Deadline stories that Hiroyuki Sanada, who produces and stars as Lord Yoshi Toranaga within the once-limited sequence Shogun, has inked a deal to play the half once more in a second season, making it all of the extra possible a second season will occur.

Consider, season two has not been formally ordered; per The Hollywood Reporter, that is an “if-come” deal that simply secures Sanada’s involvement, ought to it get greenlit. Although particulars are nonetheless scarce, the occasions of season two would possible transcend the occasions of James Clavell’s novel that the present’s primarily based on, contemplating how the unique season already lined most of it. However actually, ought to they even try this?

Leaping off the pages

We all know that the character of Toranaga is loosely primarily based on real-life Tokugawa Ieyasu who, you guessed it, went on to change into the Shogun of a Shogunate that lasted for over 250 years. Many tales may be advised of that point, however that will be lacking the purpose of the present.

No person units out to make a sequence finale that sucks, however many sequence nonetheless finish on notes so low they trigger complete fandoms to interrupt down and marvel in the event that they ever actually liked the sequence all that a lot. See: Recreation of Thrones.

Shogun masterfully handed its closing check — and positively not as a result of it ever took the simple means out. Spoilers forward: Although the FX sequence covers many of the occasions of the novel it’s primarily based on, it makes the fantastically deliberate alternative of ending earlier than the novel does — however not as a method to depart house for a second season.

Whereas many have been anticipating the large battle that the sequence had been teasing ever because the POV character, John Blackthorne, acquired recruited to assist Toranaga due to his naval warfare proficiency, they acquired one hour of individuals speaking. This ending would spell catastrophe many-a-show—however that made for a fantastically subversive nearer right here. Shogun’s finale spends its climax primarily telling the viewer that this was all the time Toranaga’s present, by no means Blackthorne’s.

When requested in regards to the involvement of shipwrecked sailor in Toranaga’s grasp plan, the warlord lastly admits he solely actually has Blackthorne round as a result of he finds him humorous. Toranaga excelled at warfare, positive, however what made him so admirable was his potential to win battles even earlier than they have been fought. We by no means see the ultimate battle as a result of it simply isn’t essential.

What issues is that we see Toranaga planting the seeds for his closing victory. We spend your entire sequence seeing Toranaga transferring forward of his enemies, even when everybody and each gods appear to be in opposition to him. It was someway a lot extra rewarding to know there’s just one means it may end up than to see it play out in the identical overblown CGI bonanza you see in each large blockbuster these days.

Very like Toranaga’s rivals, the folks anticipating the large battle have been listening to the incorrect strikes, and that’s on us — and his rivals. His victory is inevitable; why drag it out?

What’s on whoever will carry on making the present, nonetheless, is the emotional core going ahead. Though they have been simply pawns in Toranaga’s recreation of warfare, many characters that gave their life in order that Toranaga may win by means of the smallest potential quantity of bloodshed. These roles have been the guts of the present, and I don’t envy the duty of filling the gaps they left behind.