It makes absolutely no sense from a quality perspective to invent a second season for Shogun and would do nothing but harm what was a perfect season of television. Clavell wrote other books in his Asian Saga. Adapt one of them. A second season would also undermine some of what was so good about these 10 episodes. There’s nothing more to say. I hope this second season idea is one coming from critics and not something being seriously considered by the network.
I'd like to think that whatever they do, they'll make their decision based on respect for the material and the audience. I'd also prefer they try to adapt one of the other books if this is to continue but I'll keep my mind open about it, they've at least earned my admiration and respect for this series.
I want to watch Shogun, but when I get home from 10 hours of work, the last thing I want to have to do is read a television show. I know that sounds juvenile, but this is one instance where a lack of authenticity would have been fine with me.
I’m still trying to get through the last season of FAM, and not loving it. Ed is even more unbearable and the new characters aren’t doing it for me.
I’m liking Fallout ok, some parts more than others. Nothing against Maximus, but his character is my least favorite part. And while I assume this show cost a lot to make, a lot of it looks like it was shot on a studio backlot - it looks really cheap. The scene where Lucy and the Ghoul meet was especially cheap looking. I’m going to keep watching the show though because there’s not a lot on tv like it.
You can dub it all in English. No shame in that! Other option: watch one episode a week on the weekend. I also haven’t gotten to it but plan to watch with family.
I grew up playing Fallout games, so it's been one of my most awaited TV shows ever :) Games have cult status for many reasons and it's great translation. Enthusiasm is through the roof over here in Poland.
I watched the first two episodes of Dead Boy Detectives. I have not seen Sandman. It’s nice to watch a comic book show that doesn’t require homework. I thought it was fun. I miss the CW! I just wish the episodes were 45 minutes. Netflix can’t help itself from padding episodes. But I do really like the cast and the iZombie vibe. I will keep watching.
i loved Fallout and was totally surprised by how much i enjoyed it since these types of shows are usually all over the place and Amazon hasn't exactly done a good job of creating memorable TV.
the hammering of oldies music over montages could have been used less and the last episode felt clunky but i really look forward to season 2 after never playing the games.
I really enjoyed Fallout. Didn't even know it was a computer game so not the target market. Great casting, fantastic sets and struck the difficult balance between being interesting, absurd, funny and gross.
We adored the first two seasons of FAM and much of season 3, but couldn’t get through season 4 so I can’t imagine what they’ll even try to do with season 5!! Nursing homes in space? Silly.
The time jumps in FAM are both a positive and a negative, but the weakest aspect of them has been the struggle to develop new, younger characters in the successive seasons to take over the story and move it forward (plus one specific ongoing subplot that was a disaster from the start). I'm so done with Ed at this point but the show just can't let go of its remaining original cast. I'm not sure we'll watch another season of it, probably not a spin-off either.
I think any direct continuation of Shōgun would be a mistake, particularly in light of that fantasy and/or flashforward showdown visualized during Toranaga’s narration to Yabushige. While it may take until the end of the series for one to realize it, Shōgun’s title being metaphorical or aspirational — not having any actual present-day shōgun in the tale — is surely a deliberate choice. I vote, then, best to leave things as we do, before Toranaga claims the mantle.
Ochiba, by committing to Toranaga, removes her son's path to power and imperils his life. All for no discernible reason and without motivation.
It's played essentially as a Grinch plot arc, where (due to the example of TWO STRONG WOMEN, Mariko and Mrs. Taiko, neither of whom presented any case at all for this move) she found the courage to open her heart and Do The Right Thing (i.e. put her son in mortal danger and needlessly retreat from ultimate power). The magic of Christmas, I suppose.
Toranaga, who Ochiba has feared quite rightly all this time, recently accepted (from her POV) the death of his best friend/top advisor and son in support of his bluff and ambition. Why the hell wouldn't he eventually kill the heir? Why would he leave that loose end dangling? And, meanwhile, mother/son are instantly and needlessly rendered powerless.
So the whole damned thing made not a lick of sense. I feel like Battlestar Galactica offered a superior wrap-up arc.
Haven't caught up to Shogun yet, but I'm looking forward to watching it based on your praise (and that of others).
I felt like you nailed the issues with For All Mankind season 4. We definitely need some new characters we can actually care about. And no more Ed, please! He has to be about 106 by now in the show's timeline. And he was genuinely insufferable in season 4. Given those issues, I'm not sure how excited I am about the spinoff--would rather the creative talent work on fixing the issues with the mothership first. But we'll see.
Just finished Fallout. I've never played the game. Mostly was interested due to Walton Goggins' involvement and it's no coincidence that his performance was my favorite part. I found it entertaining without being great. Some fun ideas, some parts made me chuckle, Goggins is always worth watching. Another one for the cromulent file.
There is no more story to tell in Shogun, but there are a lot more Clavell books that could get the same treatment. Tai-Pan comes to mind, especially since the Straun and Brock rivalry extends through Noble House and into Whirlwind. If we're going to start with the 1970s beach paperbacks, I want to put in a plug for Shibumi. That book would easily support three seasons of quality TV.
I have not enjoyed Fallout that much, unfortunately. I didn't play the video game but I had been looking forward to it. It does remind me of The Boys, which also felt uninspired and coasting off 20 years of more "hardcore" adult comics storylines that had been done to death in print (and were already a trend in films but not on TV). Amazon seems to be finding their niche and it's just not for me.
I watched the first Shogun episode and loved it, but although I've listened to a lot of content around the show -podcasts, including a wrap-up with the creators, have not watched more. A quick question: In the wrap-up Rachel Kondo described the intention that each episode be its own short story. I wondered if you found this to be true. If so, then is this a way to thread the needle and tell the story that satisfies our each episode should satisfy on its own itch as well as servicing the love of an epic tale. Looking forward to watching the season.
It makes absolutely no sense from a quality perspective to invent a second season for Shogun and would do nothing but harm what was a perfect season of television. Clavell wrote other books in his Asian Saga. Adapt one of them. A second season would also undermine some of what was so good about these 10 episodes. There’s nothing more to say. I hope this second season idea is one coming from critics and not something being seriously considered by the network.
I'd like to think that whatever they do, they'll make their decision based on respect for the material and the audience. I'd also prefer they try to adapt one of the other books if this is to continue but I'll keep my mind open about it, they've at least earned my admiration and respect for this series.
I want to watch Shogun, but when I get home from 10 hours of work, the last thing I want to have to do is read a television show. I know that sounds juvenile, but this is one instance where a lack of authenticity would have been fine with me.
I’m still trying to get through the last season of FAM, and not loving it. Ed is even more unbearable and the new characters aren’t doing it for me.
I’m liking Fallout ok, some parts more than others. Nothing against Maximus, but his character is my least favorite part. And while I assume this show cost a lot to make, a lot of it looks like it was shot on a studio backlot - it looks really cheap. The scene where Lucy and the Ghoul meet was especially cheap looking. I’m going to keep watching the show though because there’s not a lot on tv like it.
Keep up the great work, Alan!
You can dub it all in English. No shame in that! Other option: watch one episode a week on the weekend. I also haven’t gotten to it but plan to watch with family.
I grew up playing Fallout games, so it's been one of my most awaited TV shows ever :) Games have cult status for many reasons and it's great translation. Enthusiasm is through the roof over here in Poland.
I watched the first two episodes of Dead Boy Detectives. I have not seen Sandman. It’s nice to watch a comic book show that doesn’t require homework. I thought it was fun. I miss the CW! I just wish the episodes were 45 minutes. Netflix can’t help itself from padding episodes. But I do really like the cast and the iZombie vibe. I will keep watching.
i loved Fallout and was totally surprised by how much i enjoyed it since these types of shows are usually all over the place and Amazon hasn't exactly done a good job of creating memorable TV.
the hammering of oldies music over montages could have been used less and the last episode felt clunky but i really look forward to season 2 after never playing the games.
I really enjoyed Fallout. Didn't even know it was a computer game so not the target market. Great casting, fantastic sets and struck the difficult balance between being interesting, absurd, funny and gross.
We adored the first two seasons of FAM and much of season 3, but couldn’t get through season 4 so I can’t imagine what they’ll even try to do with season 5!! Nursing homes in space? Silly.
The time jumps in FAM are both a positive and a negative, but the weakest aspect of them has been the struggle to develop new, younger characters in the successive seasons to take over the story and move it forward (plus one specific ongoing subplot that was a disaster from the start). I'm so done with Ed at this point but the show just can't let go of its remaining original cast. I'm not sure we'll watch another season of it, probably not a spin-off either.
I love how both the viewers and all the other characters want Ed to GTFO. The only ones who still want him around are the writers.
I think any direct continuation of Shōgun would be a mistake, particularly in light of that fantasy and/or flashforward showdown visualized during Toranaga’s narration to Yabushige. While it may take until the end of the series for one to realize it, Shōgun’s title being metaphorical or aspirational — not having any actual present-day shōgun in the tale — is surely a deliberate choice. I vote, then, best to leave things as we do, before Toranaga claims the mantle.
The show was nonsense.
Ochiba, by committing to Toranaga, removes her son's path to power and imperils his life. All for no discernible reason and without motivation.
It's played essentially as a Grinch plot arc, where (due to the example of TWO STRONG WOMEN, Mariko and Mrs. Taiko, neither of whom presented any case at all for this move) she found the courage to open her heart and Do The Right Thing (i.e. put her son in mortal danger and needlessly retreat from ultimate power). The magic of Christmas, I suppose.
Toranaga, who Ochiba has feared quite rightly all this time, recently accepted (from her POV) the death of his best friend/top advisor and son in support of his bluff and ambition. Why the hell wouldn't he eventually kill the heir? Why would he leave that loose end dangling? And, meanwhile, mother/son are instantly and needlessly rendered powerless.
So the whole damned thing made not a lick of sense. I feel like Battlestar Galactica offered a superior wrap-up arc.
Tai-Pan! Absolutely. Sign me up.
Seems like the best move as far as a "sequel" to Shogun goes would be to adapt Musashi.
Absolutely agree with you on the overuse of 40s tunes in Fallout. I found this aspect of the show to so irritating.
Haven't caught up to Shogun yet, but I'm looking forward to watching it based on your praise (and that of others).
I felt like you nailed the issues with For All Mankind season 4. We definitely need some new characters we can actually care about. And no more Ed, please! He has to be about 106 by now in the show's timeline. And he was genuinely insufferable in season 4. Given those issues, I'm not sure how excited I am about the spinoff--would rather the creative talent work on fixing the issues with the mothership first. But we'll see.
Just finished Fallout. I've never played the game. Mostly was interested due to Walton Goggins' involvement and it's no coincidence that his performance was my favorite part. I found it entertaining without being great. Some fun ideas, some parts made me chuckle, Goggins is always worth watching. Another one for the cromulent file.
There is no more story to tell in Shogun, but there are a lot more Clavell books that could get the same treatment. Tai-Pan comes to mind, especially since the Straun and Brock rivalry extends through Noble House and into Whirlwind. If we're going to start with the 1970s beach paperbacks, I want to put in a plug for Shibumi. That book would easily support three seasons of quality TV.
Loved Shibumi, and think that would be fantastic source material for a TV series. Looks like Hollywood is trying to go the big-screen route though:
https://deadline.com/2022/08/chad-stahelski-john-wick-warner-bros-shibumi-movie-assassin-matt-orton-1235095335/
John Wick was just so dumb. This will likely suck balls.
I have not enjoyed Fallout that much, unfortunately. I didn't play the video game but I had been looking forward to it. It does remind me of The Boys, which also felt uninspired and coasting off 20 years of more "hardcore" adult comics storylines that had been done to death in print (and were already a trend in films but not on TV). Amazon seems to be finding their niche and it's just not for me.
I watched the first Shogun episode and loved it, but although I've listened to a lot of content around the show -podcasts, including a wrap-up with the creators, have not watched more. A quick question: In the wrap-up Rachel Kondo described the intention that each episode be its own short story. I wondered if you found this to be true. If so, then is this a way to thread the needle and tell the story that satisfies our each episode should satisfy on its own itch as well as servicing the love of an epic tale. Looking forward to watching the season.