Shōgun Eyes Two More Seasons at FX, Will Compete as Drama Series at This Year’s Emmys
No, that wasn’t an earthquake you just felt — but it is a pretty significant shake-up in this year’s Emmys race.
In a surprise move, FX is working to bring back its sweeping samurai epic Shōgun for two additional seasons, TVLine has learned. Series star Hiroyuki Sanada and showrunners Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo are on board to return for the new seasons, as is executive producer Michaela Clavell, the daughter of original book author James Clavell. A writers’ room is currently being assembled and will begin this summer.
As a result, Shōgun will be submitted as a drama series for Emmy consideration this year, TVLine has confirmed, rather than as a limited series. (Our sister site Variety first reported rumblings of this last week.) That means it’ll go up against continuing series like Netflix’s The Crown, Apple TV+’s The Morning Show and HBO’s The Gilded Age for top drama honors at September’s ceremony.
Set in feudal Japan and following an English sailor after he crash-lands on Japanese shores, Shōgun was always billed as a limited series, since the 10-episode season covered all of James Clavell’s bestselling novel. But Sanada, who plays Lord Yoshii Toranaga and also serves as an executive producer, recently inked a deal to return if the show is renewed. So it seems that future seasons will give us further chapters in Toranaga’s life penned by Marks and Kondo.
The category switch looks to be a cunning strategic gambit worthy of Toranaga himself: The drama series competition at this year’s Emmys is badly depleted, due to the exit of perennial nominees like Succession and Better Call Saul and the ongoing impact of last year’s industry strikes. The widely acclaimed Shōgun instantly shoots to the top of a drama series field that, aside from The Crown (whose final season received mixed reviews), has few returning favorites or strong contenders.
The Emmys’ limited series categories, on the other hand, are jam-packed with favorites like HBO’s True Detective: Night Country, Netflix’s Baby Reindeer and Ripley and FX’s own Fargo, whose recent fifth season earned some of its strongest raves yet. In fact, with Shōgun now in the drama categories, odds-on favorite The Bear back in the comedy series mix and Fargo still competing in limited series, FX could potentially pull off a rare trifecta, winning best series Emmys in all three categories in the same year. (That was last pulled off in 2015, when HBO won for Game of Thrones, Veep and Olive Kitteridge.)
Does Shōgun get your vote for best drama series at this year’s Emmys? And what do you want to see in future seasons? Hit the comments to share your thoughts.
I thought Shogun was the best show on TV this year. I never thought it could be renewed because this season did cover the book. But the idea of continuing the story of Toranaga is fascinating,& something I’d definitely watch. The participation of the authors daughter is very encouraging, & if the story could remain as historically true to the period & retain the same great production values & quality of the cast, I can see it being a winner.
This could be a massive mistake. Not only does the original book not have a sequel (unless you count Gaijin as a sequel, Which it isn’t), The original script for Shogun that this writer’s team submitted was a piece of trash that was torn apart by the Japanese cultural advisors. They had to start from scratch and rewrite everything again, it was so bad…. Because by their own admission, they were focused on being modern and progressive in their storytelling, and that didn’t work for 1600 Japan. Throwing that original script out no doubt saved the show (again, they admit this themselves). So now…. Are they going to remember that lesson? Or, But embarking on this new territory that they write themselves without Clavell’s book as a guide, Are they just going to fall into the same trap as before? Personally, I would rather they start to adapt some of his other books, like Taipan.
I will watch every episode of Shogun I can get my greedy eyes on, it was that good. Sanada (and really the whole cast) are excellent!
I’m curious if Mr. and Mrs. Smith will switch to limited to take Shogun’s place if the stars aren’t expected to return?
The main characters are returning and as long as the story line is as good as they made this one it will be fasinating I alwas wondered why ther was never a follow on to the original with Richard Chamberlin now I get to see if Hiroyuki Sanada can out do the Toshiro Mifune
no they are not it said in a press release that the leads are not expected to return
oops nm though you meant mr and mrs smith ignore my post
I’m just waiting for the execs at the television academy, to make a statement about this deceptive move from FX.
Anyone can see that FX waited to the last minute to declare that they will renew the series as a drama, after seeing how strong the contenders are in the the limited series, and how weak the candidates are in the drama category.
It’s deceptive, because there is no way a studio would make that kind of announcement, unless they already had source material to work with well before the series started.
I can’t see how the television academy stays silent, and refuse to step in.
It’s too blatant what FX is doing.
But then again, there is no guarantee, that shogun will win in the drama category.
It’s like if Chernobyl was submitted as a drama, in 2019, would they be able to beat game of thrones season 8?
I highly doubt it.
In my opinion, shogun should stay as a limited series, at least for 2024. And, if FX is adamant about continuing the series with new seasons, then they should be allowed to be submitted to the Emmys, as a bonafide drama series.
It would be funny if they are allowed to go into the 2024 Emmys as a drama and 3 body problem wins for best drama series and wins most of the awards.
I am quite sure that big execs, at FX, will get fired.
There is no guarantee that shogun will win in the drama category, no matter how people feel, that it’s a weak group in 2024.
Wow I always wondered what happened after the Shogon mini series ran the first time I saw it. Now we will all find out
Great news!!! Absolutely loved every second of this show.
Sho gun is the best epic movie in dacades I followed it every week to watch it the actors and actresses are very professional and really very authentic I can’t say anything except good job awesome jod to lead actor and mariko we are so happy there is second episode make more we loved them to watch thank u guys for an awesome movie congrats