FX's Near-Perfect Historical Drama Is So Good It's Already Renewed For 2 More Seasons

This FX historical drama was only meant to last for one season, but was so acclaimed that it will return for two more series. The best TV show finales feel like they were designed with their endings in mind, with the show always building towards them. That's why certain shows like Breaking Bad or Succession closed on such perfect notes and didn't try to stretch the story out.

On the flipside, that's also the reason Game of Thrones or Stranger Things had such wildly disappointing endings; the showrunners pulled the conclusions out of thin air. It's especially tough to craft a satisfying end for a show that was originally designed to only run for one season. While it rarely happens, some notable examples include 13 Reasons Why, The Sinner and, most famously, Netflix smash Squid Game.

Despite FX's Shōgun ending on a perfect note, this period epic was so well-received in 2024 that it was greenlit for a further two seasons. This is a risk on one level, but since it takes place in such a fascinating world, which is littered with great, complex characters, there is clearly room for more stories. There's a reason the first series nabbed 99% on Rotten Tomatoes, and with much of the same creative team returning, seasons two and three are in very safe hands.

Shōgun Will Return For Two More Seasons Despite Originally Being Designed As A Miniseries

Shōgun adapted the 1975 novel of the same name by James Clavell, which had already been turned into an epic miniseries in 1980. Dubbed the Japanese Game of Thrones by no less than Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima, the first season was unmissable TV. Everything from the writing to the performances and production design was superb, and even before the finale, it was clear audiences wanted more.

As mentioned before, this is a risky move. While there were a further five novels in Clavell's Asian Saga, the author didn't write a direct Shōgun sequel. However, both the critical and ratings success the adaptation received made another season (or in this case, two) inevitable. It helps that several major characters, like Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis) and Lord Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada), were still alive when the credits rolled on the final episode.

Sadly, that also means the show's breakout character, Mariko (Anna Sawai), won't be returning, given her fate in the first series. Plot details for Shōgun season two are largely top secret, though it is known that it is set a decade later and will explore how both Japan and Lord Toranaga have evolved in the years that have passed. There will also be more political intrigue, though it's unknown how Blackthorne will play into the story next time.

How Shōgun Season Two Will Continue The Story Without Having A Book To Adapt

It should be noted that while Shōgun ends with Lord Toranaga close to achieving his goals, he hadn't yet become the ruler of Japan. That was the ultimate fate of his real-life counterpart, Tokugawa Ieyasu, but season two will likely explore Toranaga's continued rise to power. It's also been confirmed by the showrunners that unused material and characters from the original novel will form the basis of the next season.

It feels unlikely any of the other books in the Asian Saga novels will be used, however, considering the leaps in time they all take. Like Game of Thrones before it, this lack of source material could end up hurting the next two seasons of Shōgun. Even if the 2024 adaptation wasn't a word-for-word faithful take on the book, Clavell's story definitely gave the first series its strong backbone.

The showrunners will need to both flesh things out while also making the new story feel organic to season one. They can also borrow liberally from history, as the late Clavell did while penning his book. Given how strong (and award-winning) their work was on season one, there's no reason to believe the next series of Shōgun won't be a banger too.