Shōgun Review: 11 Ups & 2 Downs

In order to sell all of its moving parts - from the complex character arcs to the bracing action scenes, from the brief forays into romance and the constant backstabbing - Shōgun adopts an episode structure of extraordinary focus. 

Although, at ten episodes, the drama is telling one, long tale, there's a sense in the second half of its run that these episodes are almost self-contained chapters, choosing one character and allowing their stories to dominate. 

The first two episodes are focussed on Blackthorne, but it's not long before he sinks slightly into the background, with focus shifting to Toranaga, Mariko, Yabushige, Ochiba and Father Alvito (amongst others) at various points to add impressive depth to their stories - and the conflict they're entwined in. 

This sharp narrative focus also leads to perhaps Shōgun's greatest trick: ending each episode with such a measured gut-punch that you realise every shot, every line of dialogue, every twist has been leading to it, teasing it from the beginning. It makes for quite the achievement, right up to its stunning final episode.