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Given the number of reboots and remakes of classic TV shows, movies, and franchises, it’s not uncommon for viewers to long for the classics. In doing so, most audiences usually maintain a healthy reverence for the original directors and stars of those films and shows that came before their modern rebirths. However, in the case of the brilliant seriesShōgun, many don’t see eye-to-eye with its original director’s comments.
The modern iteration of the show has been nothing short of a revelation. Widely regarded as devastatingly brilliant, it has united critics and viewers alike through its obvious quality. Prestigious awards haven’t been far behind, and it now seems destined to be one of thebest shows of this decade. While it hasn’t been around that long, it’s been long enough for everyone to notice that it has a special quality about it — one that augurs well for a long-term future.
Yet, there have been some less-than-flattering remarks about it.According to Jerry London, the show isn’t that good and is only appealing to Americans because they have no better choices. Here’s why we respectfully disagree.
The Modern ‘Shōgun’ Has High-Profile Detractors
Shogun (2024)
Hulu and FX’s modern revival ofShogunhas been nothing short of amazing. It swept the Emmys and has made an instant star out of one of its leads, Anna Sawai. Her Emmy win has capped an amazing breakout for the 32-year-old. Meanwhile, for industry veteran Hiroyuki Sanada,his Emmy winhas finally provided proper recognition for his talents and the decades of work he’s provided throughout his now iconic career. With all this going for it amid many other major award nominations and wins,Shogunhas been a proper sensation.
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According to Hiroyuki Sanada, the record-breaking Emmy-winning series has a long road ahead.
However, what many modern audiences may not immediately realize is thatit’s a revival of a miniseries from 1980. And, while many modern audiences swear by the modern iteration, the original show has some supremely loyal high-profile fans,including the likes of Quentin Tarantinoand the original show’s director, Jerry London. For London, the new show actually leaves a lot to be desired, and he’s been very vocal about why he thinks this. Speaking toThe Hollywood Reporter,according to London, the show has the following flaws:
‘Shōgun’ (2024) Is a Modern Interpretation and Not a Rehashing
Even London himself, amid his criticisms of the new show, acknowledged that he was happy that it never sought to just be a straight remake of what he did.
They made it basically for Japan, and I was happy about it because I didn’t want my show to be copied. I think I did such a great job, and it won so many accolades, that I didn’t want them to copy it, which they didn’t do.
Although London was happy about this fact, to those who love the new show, it’s one reason it stood out so much. By not trying to copy his version,the new show wound up being original despite being a remake. Given the success of the original show (it won three Golden Globes and a Peabody Award),Shōgun(2024) was still able to carve out a unique identity and was never overawed by the gravitas of the original. Given thenumber of bad remakes, reboots, and revivals today, that’s not something we see often.
Not only did the newShōgundeliver on that, but most fans and critics feel that itbettered the original. However, it isn’t just about being unique, as the show actually had a deeper role to play in modern-day television — one steeped in recognizing the skewed traditions of Hollywood’s past.
A Significant Moment for Modern Television
Being such a major hit, the show had to change its plans. Unlike the one-off nine-hour miniseries that the original show was,Shōgun(2024) isnow set to have a second season. However, this wasn’t always part of the plan and is a reaction to how well it did. Much of this actually has more to do with the same aspect that Jerry London didn’t like about it —it placed Japanese culture and history front and center.
‘Shogun’s Filming Locations, Explained
Believe it or not, one of the best Japanese TV dramas in recent memory actually wasn’t filmed in Japan.
In the past, having a mainstream show about foreign cultures with Western appeal would have been almost unheard of. However, in the case ofShōgun,it placedbeing authentically Japaneseabove all else. This was likely deliberate, as it’s a sign of how much times have changed. Between social media connecting the world and all the ways people everywhere now have access toglimpses into other people’s cultures, Western audiences are far more receptive to movies and shows that aren’t Westernized in any way or ever try to be.
Add in the fact that Anna Sawai made history by becoming the first Asian actress to win an Emmy and thatstars like Hiroyuki Sanadaare finally being seen as more than just secondary characters, and it’s easy to see why the show has resonated. Far from being boring or hard to understand, as Jerry London claims,most Western audiences loved the show and found it refreshing. In every way that matters, the show was made richer, more compelling, and more intriguing because it never sought to pander to Western audiences and trusted that they would accept it as it was.As we await the second season of the show, the first season ofShōgunis currently streaming onHulu.
