On the Series Shogun
Moving stuff from Facebook for archival purposes.
Review: Shogun
I liked the start of the series until it started going downhill when it tried to slowly reveal Toranaga's master plan. I have to research a lot (apparently, the series is based on a book) about why his plan works since, to a stupid peasant like I am, it seems to rely too much on luck or the independent actions of others.
With the details I got from the book summary, the series made a lot more sense. As a solo experience, though, Shogun's last two or three episodes did not entice me as much as they did when John Blackthorne landed on the Japans.
Despite this flaw, I have to give credit to ALL the actors and actresses. Everybody was great, from the main characters who moved the plot along to the minor ones who were only there to hold the swords or death poems of samurais.
The series weirdly felt too long but also too short. I know the show was concentrating on the human element of Japan's transition to the Edo period, but I felt it could handle a little bit of trimming on some areas (all the side plots and even Blackthorne and Mariko's love angle) and a little bit of expanding on other areas (the political game).
Anyway, it was a good start, but the flame flickered a bit at the end. 3/5.