The year ahead is shaping up to be another exceptional one for TV but the upcoming series Shogun is currently standing out as a potential highlight of 2024 after earning a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
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What is Shogun about?
Hailed as the ‘next Game of Thrones’ by multiple outlets, Shogun is a limited series based on the bestselling novel of the same name by James Clavell.
The 2024 series is actually the second TV adaptation of the acclaimed novel after a five-episode series was broadcast on NBC back in 1980.
Set in the year 1600, during Japan’s Sengoku period – a time of near-constant civil war, Shogun weaves together several plotlines, one that follows the under-fire Lord Yoshii Toranaga who must fight for his life as his enemies unite against him.
A second charts the exploits of an English sailor, John Blackthorne, who ends up stranded in feudal Japan after his ship is marooned.
Their fates are linked by their translator, Toda Mariko, who is the last member of a once proud family.
Shogun earns perfect Rotten Tomatoes score
The reaction to Shogun has been incredibly positive thus far with review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes giving the series a perfect score of 100%.
That rating is based on 19 reviews collated so far which means the score could change as more reviews are published – but it’s certainly an impressive start for a series described as a “genuine masterpiece” by TIME Magazine’s Judy Berman.
Praise from critics has included the series’ visuals, cast of colorful characters as well as its gory action and stunning battle sequences.
Reviews have also celebrated Shogun’s thrilling political intrigue and its fascinating insight into Japanese history – the characters have been given new names but are based on real-life individuals.
When and where to watch
In the US, Shogun will be premiering on FX and Hulu on Tuesday, February 27. Internationally, the series will be streaming on Disney+.
The limited series will consist of 10 episodes in total and fans will be treated to the first two chapters on February 27.
The remaining eight episodes will be released weekly each Tuesday, with the finale set to arrive on April 23.
