Shogun Season 2 On The Way, Start Streaming The Best Series In Years

It’s no wonder Shogun is coming back for Season 2 after the first season received worldwide critical acclaim and a 99 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The show is considered one of the best series in years. The premise chronicles the convergence of three driven individuals from disparate backgrounds: John Blackthorne, a daring English seafarer who finds himself stranded in Japan, a realm where the enigmatic customs will reshape his identity; Lord Toranaga, a cunning and influential daimyo, locked in a struggle against treacherous adversaries within his own political sphere; and Lady Mariko, possessing remarkable talents yet burdened by her family’s tainted reputation, compelled to demonstrate her worth and loyalty.

FX is currently in the process of finalizing deals and refining additional elements as they strive to extend Shogun to Season 2. The result of this endeavor will shape whether Shogun transitions from a limited to a drama series moving forward, a distinction with significant implications for the 2024 Emmy competition and one they’ll have to decide soon before the doors for Emmy submissions close.

Currently labeled as a limited series, there’s a good chance that producers will change genres and mark Shogun Season 2 as a drama series. Not only does this allow for future story expansions, but the competition for drama series is much lower than limited series. This is thanks in large part to the strikes of last summer, which caused delays in longer series and forced networks and platforms to rely heavily on limited series, making it the most competitive of any Emmy genre.

While Shogun Season 1 is a top contender in the Emmy’s list of top limited series, it’s possible the show could switch genres right away before Season 2 begins production. If producers make their decision before the Emmy submission deadline, the show could be nominated under drama series for Season 1, as long as all the pieces are put in place in time. Renewing the limited series for a Season 2 helps with this.

Crafted over a six-year period spanning various continents, Shogun, penned by Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo, stands as FX’s most expensive production to date. Prior to its debut, FX Chairman John Landgraf expressed his anticipation for its success, hoping that its performance would pave the way for the network to pursue additional ambitious, high-budget projects of similar scale. Considering the success of the first season and the likely just as successful follow-up of Shogun Season 2, we’ll no doubt see Landgraf follow through on his lavish production dreams in the near future.

Shogun Season 1 garnered 9 million views worldwide across Hulu, Disney+, and Star+ within six days. It swiftly ascended to become the top-ranking general entertainment series for the company on an international scale and secured the title of the highest-performing FX premiere on the Disney streaming platforms. If everything goes according to plan, Shogun Season 2 will meet the high-quality storytelling that began in the first season.