Shōgun
Format: Series (10 eps, 8 currently released)
Streaming Service: FX/Hulu (US)
Genre: feudal Japan-era historical drama
Length: 53-70 minutes
Release: Weekly episodes, beginning Feb 27, 2024
Logline: In 1600, John Blackthorne, an English sailor, finds himself shipwrecked in Japan, where everything – from the language to the customs to the food – are foreign to him. He is in the service of Lord Toranga, a shrewd and powerful lord at odds with his political rivals. Lady Mariko, a highborn woman from a disgraced family, acts as John’s translator and emissary.
Key Creatives: I am unfamiliar with the two showrunners, married couple Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks (one of the writers of Top Gun: Maverick).
Stars: The cast is also unknown to me, and largely Japanese apart from the actor who plays Blackthorne.
What to Know: The show is based on James Clavell’s 1975 novel of the same name. The show is largely in era-appropriate Japanese with English subtitles, except for the scenes between John and Mariko. This show has been compared to Game of Thrones, but without fantasy elements, the showrunners have used Succession or House of Cards as a better comp.
Thoughts: If you don’t want to have your show compared to Game of Thrones, don’t set scenes in brothels! This is a “lean in” show – it requires you to pay attention. There’s a lot of characters and a lot of cultural nuance. It took me two episodes to get my footing, then I was hooked. This is a show that benefits from the weekly release schedule – it’s as close to a water cooler show as I think we have at the moment. I’m really enjoying feeling like a fish out of water with John as we navigate feudal Japanese culture – it keeps me guessing.
Extraordinary (S2)
Format: Series (8 eps)
Streaming Service: Hulu (US), Disney+ Star (International)
Genre: Superhero Comedy
Length: 27-33 minutes
Release: Series drop March 6, 2024
Logline: In a world where everyone gets their unique power set on their 18th birthday, twenty-something Jen struggles with not having any powers. Her boyfriend, Jizzlord – who spent several years as a cat – readjusts to life as a human, and that’s before discovering he had a family. Jen’s best friend Carrie deals with the fallout of her breakup with Cash, who still lives with her and Jen.
Key Creatives: The series was created by Emma Moran, who wrote the pilot as a spec while in school. This is literally her first credit – I’m excited to see where she goes from here!
Stars: The ensemble cast is largely unknown British actors, who will charm you immediately.
What to Know: I know there’s superhero fatigue, but this was originally written as a flatshare comedy. The superhero elements are a great hook but having powers doesn’t solve everything – in fact, more often than not, it complicates things. This is a completely original comedy, which is a relief to not have to do any homework to understand the world. Thoughts: Watching this in close proximity to Gen V is a bit weird – but both are irreverent takes on what a superpowered world could be, albeit in vastly different tones. The creativity of the world is just fantastic – Jen starts seeing a therapist to help with her lack of power, and he literally can get into people’s heads. I appreciate how this show is willing to get sentimental – from dealing with grief to burgeoning bisexuality, the absurd meshes seamlessly with the emotional beats. Mileage may vary from character to character, but this is such a fun, breezy watch!
Arielle RePort 
Leave a comment