Thumbs way up for the new version of Shōgun, which I finished watching last night.
I have never read the book, or seen the 1980 miniseries (even though I helped with the 3CD Intrada set of the Maurice Jarre score). So I don’t know what was changed vs. original to the book...but it is absolutely magnificent production and piece of human drama.
Incredible period detail, casting, plotting—everything. I was not familiar with Cosmo Jarvis but he is wonderful. I love hearing his old-school kind of Richard Burton/Patrick McGoohan voice.
I had high hopes because the co-creator, Justin Marks, did one of my favorite little-seen TV shows in recent years, Counterpart, which was a kind of John le Carré Cold War version of sci-fi parallel worlds. It was so smart that it was a miracle it lasted two years.
This one will be worth rewatching to pick up on all the subtleties.
And I saw some people complaining about the modern, electronic score (by Atticus Ross & co.), but I thought it was great. It set a kind of timeless mood.
Bravo!