06 March 2024 , 06:00
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Disney Plus’ samurai epic Shōgun is now in full swing and fans have hailed it as “the best show since Breaking Bad” following its “mind-blowing” third episode. Available to stream now, the sprawling action-drama centres around a military leader in 17th-century Japan who fights for his life at the dawn of an era-defining civil war.
It is told from the perspective of English sailor John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis), who rises from outsider to samurai while being used as a pawn in Lord Yoshii Toranaga’s (Hiroyuki Sanada) struggle to reach the top of the ruling chain – or Shōgun. Released on Tuesday (March 5), its third episode – titled Tomorrow is Tomorrow – picks up with Blackthorne after surviving a brazen assassination attempt, while Toranaga realises he must ferry his allies out of Osaka or risk certain defeat.
The 10-part series is adapted from James Clavell’s 1975 bestselling novel of the same name – itself a fictionalised version of historical events – which also spawned a 1980 US TV miniseries. Shōgun debuted with a 100 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes – though this has dipped slightly to a near-perfect 99 percent – and currently boasts a 9.2 rating on IMDb, equalling HBO’s acclaimed mobster drama, The Sopranos.
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Shōgun is available to stream now exclusively on Disney+, which TV lovers can join from as little as £4.99 a month. This includes loads of hit shows like The Bear, Modern Family and superhero comedy Extraordinary, plus blockbuster films like Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour (Taylor’s Version) and Emma Stone dramedy Poor Things.
Peaky Blinders' Cosmo Jarvis (L) stars as English sailor John Blackthorne alongside Lost's Nestor Carbonell as RodriguesDisney+ is also the home of Star Wars and offers the biggest films and shows like The Mandalorian and The Bad Batch, plus the biggest and best Marvel content like Loki, The Marvels and X-Men ‘97. There’s no hidden cost with a monthly Disney+ subscription and it can be cancelled at any time, while customers can get the equivalent of two months free with an annual subscription.
Shōgun earned stellar reviews from critics ahead of its launch, with TIME Magazine hailing it as “a genuine masterpiece” while Variety called it the “most transportive TV epic since Game of Thrones.” New episodes drop every Tuesday exclusively on Disney+ and fans have been gripped by its latest instalment.
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters star Anna Sawai as translator Toda MarikoMany have taken to social media after the “mind-blowing” third episode and said it could be the best TV show “in a long time”. Writing on X, @KhozaLeroi said: “Episode three of Shōgun was so good, we are witnessing peak television here.”
@Someone31411943 said: “Shōgun is lining up to be the best show since Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad. Every single thing about it is top tier.”
@misterfilmstock said: “Wow episode three of Shōgun is mind blowing. How does a show like this do it? I mean the tension, the story and acting is top tier in every scene of this series. You thought the first two episodes were good. Episode three is even better.”
@MuringaiRonald said: “Watched Shōgun and must say this could possibly be the BEST TV production I have seen in a long time. Deserving of five stars for the storytelling along with the acting.”
@sudeep_vytla said: “Episode three of Shōgun is a masterpiece.”
Click here to watch Shōgun on Disney+. Alternatively, a host of new films and shows are streaming on Amazon’s Prime Video and Apple TV+. Mobile phone retailer Mobiles.co.uk is handing out a free one-year Disney+ plan to any Samsung Galaxy S24 shoppers.