The Recap: Shōgun – “Chapter 2: Servants of Two Masters”
Another episode of FX and Hulu’s new Shōgun series and another reason for me to sit back with a cold drink and enjoy some modern day re-telling of some fascinating feudal Japanese excellence. Believe me when I say that this series is only two episodes in and is already hitting its stride. If you finish this one and aren’t excited about what may come next, you probably aren’t the targeted demographic.
We meet back up with Lord Toranaga as he sits at the deathbed of his friend and ruler. The Taiko gives Toranaga the chance to take over as regent until his young son can come of age but Toranaga rightly says that it would most certainly bring war and his death. Instead, a council of regents is set up to rule for the young boy until his 16th birthday. A council that Toranaga is on, but one that could easily vote him DEAD!
Blackthorne is still kind of bouncing around between jail and discussions with high ranking Japanese officials. A different Portuguese Priest is brought in to translate and he appears to be more truthful. It also helps that Mariko (Anna Sawai) is there as she speaks Portuguese as well. Toranaga is backed into a corner and clearly looking at how he can use the “barbarian” to protect himself from the Council of Regents.
This second episode has many storylines intersecting and crossing over. Toranaga is in the crosshairs of the rest of the Council. The Portuguese are making lots of money being in this region and want nothing more than for Blackthorne to be gone. The rest of the Council are concerned about the “heretic” and want him dead, as well, but some have different thought and some division is being sowed in the Council. It’s all very interesting to watch and then we get a couple moments of action in the episode as fan favorite Lord Yabushige rescues Blackthorne from death and we get an assassination attempt to round out the episode! It’s clear that things are only getting more tense!
