FX’s historical epic Shōgun breaks an impressive streaming record after earning 9 million views across Hulu, Disney+, and Star+ during its first week.
FX’s new historical epic Shōgun breaks impressive streaming records after earning 9 million views across its streaming platforms during its debut week. Taking place in 1600s feudal Japan, the show tells the story of Lord Yoshii Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada), who comes across an English pirate, John Blackthorne, while facing a political struggle against his opponents. The series is largely a fictional retelling of the rise of the Tokugawa Shogunate, with Toranaga based on Tokugawa Ieyasu. The historical show has earned Games of Thrones comparisons with its epic scope and positive reception and recently garnered impressive viewership numbers.
As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, Shōgun‘s premiere episodes broke several streaming records for Disney and FX. According to the report, the show’s premiere episode earned 9 million views worldwide across Hulu, Disney+, and Star+ during the first six days after its release, making it the best worldwide debut of any Disney General Entertainment scripted series, which excludes Stars Wars, Marvel, and Pixar banners. On top of that, the series beat The Bear season 2 for the best streaming debut of any FX show on Hulu.
| Every Shōgun Adaptation | Rotten Tomatoes Critical Score | Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|---|---|---|
| Shōgun (1980) | 80% | NA |
| Shōgun (2024-) | 99% | 94% |
Shōgun Streaming Success Explained
The FX/Hulu show received critical acclaim ahead of its premiere.
The latest Shōgun adaptation would only improve from the 1980s version by displaying a more authentic look and showing the historical accuracy of feudal Japan.
Reviews for Shōgun have been generally positive, with praise for its detailed historical Japanese setting, cast performances, and epic storytelling. Furthermore, the show has been well-received in Japan and the United States for its cinematic quality and authentic representation of Japanese culture. On Rotten Tomatoes, the FX/Hulu series is sitting at an almost perfect 99% critical score based on 79 reviews and an audience score of 94% with 250 reviews.
As word of mouth likely contributed to its streaming victory, this is not the first time the show’s story has been adapted to the screen since it is based on James Clavell’s 1975 novel of the same name. The four-part miniseries Shōgun was released in 1980 and marked the first attempt to bring Clavell’s work to life. Similar to the new adaptation, it was a critical success. The original adaptation gained attention for pushing the boundaries of network TV with its often graphic depictions. Additionally, the miniseries nabbed several prestigious accolades and made the paperback edition of Clavell’s work a bestseller.
The latest Shōgun adaptation would only improve from the 1980s version by displaying a more authentic look and showing the historical accuracy of feudal Japan. Many reviewers also note it’s quite unlike anything on TV today due to its scope and ambition. The attention to detail, artistic cinematography, complex Shōgun characters, and tackling of broad political ideas give it a depth and level of sophistication not typically seen on contemporary television. Clavell’s work is quite expansive, and the Hulu/FX show gives all 1,200 pages the grandeur it deserves with a remarkable and authentic adaptation.
