Shogun

SHOGUN

Historical drama | USA | 1980

A miniseries that kept Americans glued to their armchairs — and also got them interested in all things Japonaise

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Cast: Richard Chamberlain, Toshiro Mi fine, Yoko Shimada, Furanki Sakai

Original broadcaster: NBC

Awards: 3 Emmys, 3 Golden Globes

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“Based on the best-selling novel by James Clavell and the adventures of English navigator William Adams, who journeyed to feudal Japan in 1600 and rose to a high rank in the service of shogun, this miniseries followed Englishman John Blackthorne’s experiences and intrigues in Japan in the early seventeenth century.

After his Dutch trading ship ran aground in a violent storm on the east coast of Japan, Blackthorn (Richard Chamberlain), the ship’s navigator, was taken prisoner by samurai warriors. When he was released, he had to adapt to the alien Japanese culture in order to survive.

A Protestant, Blackthrone forged an alliance with Lord Toranaga (Toshiro Mifune), who mistrusted the Catholics gaining a foothold in Japan. In order to help Blackthorne assimilate into Japanese culture, Toranaga assigned him a teacher and interpreter: the beautiful Lady Mariko (Yoko Shimada). Blackthorne became infatuated with her, but Mariko was already married, and their budding romance was doomed.

NBC had the highest weekly Nielsen ratings in its history with Shogun. Its 26.3 average rating was the second highest in TV history after ABC’s with Roots (1977). In fact, so many viewers stayed home to watch the miniseries that restaurants and movie theatres reported an enormous decrease in business. An average of 32.9 percent of all TV household watched at least part of the series, and its success caused the mass-market paperback edition of Clavell’s novel to become the best-selling paperback in the United States.”(RP)

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