Fans of Shōgun, the hit historical drama starring Hiroyuki Sanada, might feel a mix of emotions, with reports suggesting there won’t be a second season. FX’s Shōgun has really made waves, being hailed as the top new TV series of 2024. Some even say it’s outshining the drama and action of Game of Thrones.
While many hoped it would kick off a big franchise for FX and Hulu, that might not happen. The decision not to continue might actually mean the story wraps up nicely, giving fans closure. However, for now, why no season 2? That’s the big question on everyone’s mind.
Why Shōgun Won’t Be Renewed For A Second Season
Fans of Shōgun, that epic show with Hiroyuki Sanada, might feel let down hearing that there won’t be a second season. It was a big deal when it premiered on FX, breaking records and snagging 9 million views in just six days on Hulu, Disney+, and fubo TV.
Critics loved it, too, praising its spot-on portrayal of Feudal Japan. But despite all the love, a second season might not happen. The folks behind the scenes, Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo, spilled the beans to The Hollywood Reporter. They wrapped up the story in ten episodes, saying they took it as far as it could go. Adapting James Clavell’s hefty novel wasn’t easy.
It took almost a decade to make, with Marks and Kondo leading the charge since 2018. They poured their hearts into making sure every detail was just right, but now they think it’s time to call it quits.
Kondo compared it to parenting, where you get good at something, but then suddenly, you don’t need it anymore. She said,
“Maybe you’ll connect with this as a parent. It feels a lot like parenting, where you get really good at, like, washing bottles, or all the other things that babies require, and then suddenly they don’t need any of that anymore. And you’re like, Aw, I got so good at that.”
While some shows go beyond one season, Marks says Shōgun is different. They’re happy with how it ends in the book, and they hope all the work they put into recreating 17th-century Japan can be used elsewhere. Marks stated,
“We took the story to the end of the book and put a period at the end of that sentence. We love how the book ends… It’s a bummer…I just hope someone else — maybe a friend — needs a production primer on feudal Japan at some point, so I can be like, ‘Here you go, use this book. That will save you 11 months.”
Surprisingly, fans seem okay with the news. Maybe it’s because there won’t be a sequel, or maybe they’re just happy with how things turned out.
Fans Rejoice, No Need to Wait For A Sequel Anymore
Fans are pretty excited about the latest news: there’s not going to be a sequel to Shōgun. With all the uncertainty swirling around the show’s future, fans are just relieved they won’t have to wait for another season. While some folks might feel a bit let down by this decision, for many, it’s a sense of closure.
But here’s the thing: Marks isn’t completely shutting the door on Season 2. He mentions that if they ever come up with a killer idea, they might reconsider. But let’s be real, if it did happen, it wouldn’t be anytime soon.
Making a show like Shōgun takes a ton of time, and they’re not exactly set up to jump right into another season. He revealed in the same interview,
“We also made this show so long ago because of the long tail of post-production on it. It’s not like a normal TV series, where if we were in a situation like this promoting it, we wouldn’t just be in the writers room already, we’d be on set shooting season two by now.”
For now, fans can kick back and enjoy Shōgun as a complete story. They’ve been on social media, sharing their thoughts on the show.
One Book + One Season + Perfect Adaptation = Greatness. 🤝 pic.twitter.com/y4WBejxAYf
— El Guille 🎧 (@Guille21MB) March 8, 2024
Amazing show.
Respect the decision, look how what happened to Game of thrones when they stopped following the original materials.
— Pharaoh On 𝕏 (@PharaohOnX) March 8, 2024
I agree with this, good shows need not have many seasons.
— Stanley tamz (@StanleyTamz) March 8, 2024
I‘m fine with it tbh. The first two episodes had me on the edge of my seat. Highest quality in a show I’ve seen in years. I rather have it good but short instead of game of throning around in the end.
— GameSkrooge (@GameSkrooge) March 8, 2024
i mean, it's a full story with a distinct historic end, i'm just glad they're committing to telling the entire story front to back in a season instead of dragging it out and filling it with shit.
— Scott (@ScoootsMcGoots) March 8, 2024
Meanwhile, in case you’re not up to speed, Shōgun follows two men, Lord Yoshii Toranaga (played by Sanada) and John Blackthorne (played by Cosmo Jarvis). Their paths cross after Blackthorne’s ship from Europe crashes in Japan.
Toranaga’s got his hands full with political enemies, and Blackthorne might just be the help he needs in the power struggle ahead.
