We review the entire Shōgun series

We reviewed the first eight episodes of FX's Shogun a long time ago, and in that review we stated that if the series managed to close with the same energy, intensity and excitement as it started, we would give it a high rating.

Since then, a lot of water has passed under the bridge, and creators Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks have demonstrated through the magnificent acting talent, the various skilled directors and, above all, a well-defined narrative framework, that Shogun is without a doubt one of 2024's best TV series.

Over its 10 episodes, which interpret the entirety of James Clavell's iconic novel, Shogun has demonstrated an extremely rare quality: a calculated restraint that doses action, major set pieces and crucial decisions so that they blend incredibly organically with the more sober examination of daily life in feudal Japan. At the same time, despite a few slightly square CG sequences, there has been an insistence on the practical, the mechanical and the realistic, and the overall result is a gorgeous series that truly transports you somewhere else.

Of course, it's also through effective acting performances that the whole thing comes to life. Cosmo Jarvis delivers a memorable central performance as John Blackthorne, who really is, along with Hiroyuki Sanada's Yoshii Toranaga and Anna Sawai's Toda Mariko, the anchor of the narrative. But perhaps more than that, Shogun's cast of characters is vast, depicting sophisticated power struggles deep within the Japanese power structure, and yet there isn't a single, not one, weak performance among this large cast that shows razor-sharp direction from the people behind the camera, as well as just plain talent.

Tadanobu Asano's Kashigi Yabushige, in particular, is brilliantly cast and mesmerises the viewer in almost every scene he appears in. He's a perfectly rounded counterpoint to the Japanese insistence on etiquette and honour, and it's always refreshing when he enters the picture. Likewise, Fumi Nikaido is magnificent as Ochiba no Kata - ferocious, cunning and infinitely vulnerable.

It's all knitted together with a marvellous sense of pacing that, again, never drags on any longer than necessary. No fight sequence lasts longer than it needs to, no scene is stretched - it's all so organic, the tension is always immense.

No series is perfect, and as mentioned, there are a few CG shots where Shogun drops its realistic, pragmatic approach to set pieces in favour of something more artificial, and it certainly requires you to keep your tongue firmly in your cheek, as names, locations, families and even central character motivations often need two passes through the cerebral cortex to sink in. That said, Shogun's story is simple and graceful to the core, and even those who don't fall for the noble Game of Thrones-style power drama will find something more direct to grasp.

Shogun is masterful television, it's old-school drama that in these MCU-defined times only stands out more than before. There will never be a season 2, there are no franchise interests or spin-off plans. There's just a brilliant story, told brilliantly by brilliant talents both in front of and behind the camera, and for that we salute Shogun.