Though in the post-COVID period, OTT saw a ginormous rise, it failed to replace the hype of prime television; it failed to replicate the perfection. Talking about the perfect series, though OTT manages to have some good contenders like “Suits,” “The Boys,” “Wednesday,” or “Dark,” none came closer to the popularity of television.
Especially for shows like “Game Of Thrones” or “Breaking Bad,” they not only scream success but still remain relevant in terms of the quality of the show; excellence was in the DNA of these shows.
Now, in recent times, no show has replicated the hype like “Shōgun.” It was last seen in the ages of “Breaking Bad” or “Game Of Thrones”; not even Marvel shows create this much buzz. When the trailer was released, it promised something big, but with time, the audience got a grasp of the grandeur of the show, and it slowly started to unravel.
As the reviews started to come, the show managed to gain similar hype to Game Of Thrones, promising such grandeur. The show also tries to be true to its roots; though it targets the global audience, it also makes an attempt to be culturally true to Japan.
Though the show has the tale of a white protagonist, the influence of white culture is very low, almost negligible. And talking about the Game Of Thrones formula, though the makers made some major errors, there are definitely some shortcomings. GOT manages to excel when it comes to character build-up, and Shōgun nails that fact too.
Even the longer episodes, almost an hour long watch, do remind us of the golden television time. Shōgun is definitely storing something promising.
Now, building an Asian character is very different, and in some sense difficult. But Shōgun doesn’t shy away from giving characters time on the screen and also takes some accurate notes from history, moving away from the fantasy route taken by Game Of Thrones.
One fatal mistake by the show is that GOT dragged its content for too long and the lack of preparation affected the show massively. Also, the yearly releases harmed the product quality in the final two seasons where George RR Martin failed to catch up with the writing.
Though its sequel, “House of the Dragon,” manages to learn from the mistakes as it is taking time to produce and isn’t focusing on the frequency of the show. And this is common when it comes to OTT shows, but talking about television, the model seems a lot impractical.
When it comes to popularity, Shōgun might have a tough time reaching the heights of GOT, but there are some factors regarding the conclusion. Firstly, when GOT streamed on television, though there were traces of OTT, the popularity was nowhere near the current situation, so, people have more options right now.
The retention period of any show is very low compared to a period 5 or 10 years ago, and that will definitely influence Shōgun. Secondly, GOT was made for the English-speaking audience, and though Shōgun targets the same audience, its Japanese usage might make some casual audience change the show they are streaming.
Thirdly, GOT had very less competition; though when the show started, “Breaking Bad” was still on television, it didn’t harm GOT viewership at all. Plus, fewer shows mean that people waited for the show for a year or even more than that; Shōgun will not have the luxury.
But when it comes to quality, Shōgun not only defeats Game Of Thrones, it hits homerun, and that too with ease. There lies the question, will it reach mainstream popularity or that massive fanbase? The answer is unknown, but 9.3 on IMDb and 100% on Rotten Tomatoes establish the fact that Shōgun is not just another GOT rip off; this show is here to stay, here to rule the OTT.
Shōgun is currently streaming on Disney+ Hotstar, and the social media says it is a must-watch.