Shogun Dodges White Savior Tropes at Every Turn, Despite Some Critics’ Claims

Shogun has skyrocketed to the top of the streaming ratings, a little over a month since its initial two-episode release, with millions of views in its first week.

This wasn’t an easy feat considering the debut success of other FX or Hulu hard-hitters, such as The Bear, The Handmaid’s Tale, and The Great.

Immediate comparisons to Game of Thrones were inevitable, given the show’s heavy political intrigues set in 17th-century feudal Japan.

As with most popular debuts that delve heavily into cultures foreign to our own, some critics pointed to the white savior trope, drawing lines between Shogun and Dances with Wolves, The Last Samurai, and even Avatar.

Fortunately, those lines failed to meet reality.

The sympathetic, apologetic nature of the white savior plot doesn’t stand up to scrutiny within Shogun’s carefully constructed mimicry of real-life Japan in the 1600s.

The attention to detail is bar none, with creators Justin Mark and Rachel Kondo (a husband and wife team), alongside Hiroyuki Sanada of John Wick: Chapter 4 fame, indulging in a painstaking recreation process.

The “stranger in a strange culture or land” archetype is often an integral storytelling device.

Often enough, the Graham Wellingtons of the world are inexplicably immersed into an alien and sometimes hostile environment, surrounded by average thinkers, bumbling supporting characters, and a savage, oppressive antagonist. You know how the story unfolds from there.

The white protagonist follows the typical hero’s journey, elevating the lesser races around him and ultimately saving them from either an outside force or their self-destruction.

Shogun embraces a more realistic vision of an ancient time, when most of the horizon was filled with lush greenery and mountains layered in blankets of mist, rather than the dull, dead metal and plastic machinery of modern industry.

It also reflects a time when almost every nation, Japan included, was leery of foreigners.

Before sakoku (a shogunate policy of trade isolation), Japan historically held a loose trade and religious relationship with Portuguese merchants and missionaries.

This is the timeframe in which Shogun falls, just as the English make their way into the picture, manufacturing a collision between multiple cultures, religions, and ways of life. 

In the series, John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis) is the Anjin (Pilot) of the Dutch warship/trading ship, the Erasmus. Shogun Season 1 Episode 1 opens with the Erasmus at a turbulent time, both within and without.

As a storm batters the ship, the captain finds the nearest exit to the afterlife, with Blackthorne assuming technical command.

A title card sets the scene, with the Erasmus eventually floundering on the sharp rocks of Ajiro, on Japan’s shoreline, before being captured by the local samurai.

We immediately see that the showrunners are taking things in a direction apart from the Shogun novel by James Clavell, the inspiration for the show.

Instead of the white outsider stumbling into a world of indigent peasants, there is a cultural collision of both hilarity and profound savagery. The latter term is used quite a bit, and for good reason. Instead of embracing the white savior trope, Shogun instead opts for a more inclusive tone.

Unfortunately, ‘inclusion’ comes with its own caveat. While the captured, emaciated sailors (Blackthorne included) are foul-mouthed, unwashed, shambling corpses in all but name, the Japanese are cultured, sophisticated, respectful, and solemn.

But don’t let the guise fool you. Soon, Kashigi Yabushige, the ruler of this local fief, is boiling a man alive. Blackthorne witnesses another man suddenly and viciously beheaded for the crime of standing in place for too long.

What could have been another rehash of Dances with Wolves, the Japanese version, is instead an intense revelation of the astonishing differences in ancient, mostly isolated cultures, along with the cruel similarities shared by all human beings over the centuries.

In feudal Japan, it’s best to mind your manners, or you’ll find yourself eight inches shorter in a hurry. Instead of immediately rising up the ranks in a foreign society, Blackthorne spends most of his time jumping back and forth between astonished befuddlement and terror.

Jarvis does an excellent job of conveying the horror of being taken prisoner by a foreign society, of which little to nothing is known; his every movement and gesture is potentially perceived as a killing insult.

The language is entirely foreign to him, and his life and death hang in the balance while he stands inside a cone of silence and confusion. 

One scene in particular sets the tone for the entire first episode and beyond. As Blackthorne kneels before Yabushige, a Portuguese interpreter is brought to the fore. This interpreter speaks mangled Japanese at best and has nothing but a ferocious antipathy towards the prisoner.

As Blackthorne tries to say his piece, the interpreter angrily translates, often inserting his own biases and hilariously (if not for the situation) terrible Japanese.

Eventually, Blackthorne descends into bouts of vulgarity and violence, born of the confusion and fear of the moment. It’s a crystal-clear view into the impact of two outsiders, foreign to each other, dealing with another foreign party whose interests are mostly hidden.

The first episode spends most of its time with Blackthorne but alternates between him and Lord Yoshi Toranaga, one of the five regents that rule Japan as a council.

This council exists at the behest of the late Taiko, as the heir is too young to rule in his own right. This is where the show’s political intrigue picks up. Again, the white savior trope is deftly turned aside.

Instead of a backward civilization needing saving, we witness a complex power struggle within a cultured, sophisticated society with its own advanced architecture and solemn, aesthetic beauty.

Four of the five regents are set to vote on the impeachment of Toranaga, arguably the series’ chief or, at the very least, co-equal protagonist.

In this case, an impeachment led by the Council of Regents means death. Toranaga, brilliantly played by Hiroyuki Sanada, is essentially the captive of Ishido Kazunari (Takehiro Asano), one of the regents who also happens to have the remainder of the council under his influence.

We’re also introduced to Toda Mariko (Anna Sawai), a Toranaga loyalist and recent Catholic convert.

While Toranaga and Mariko form the political foundation of the series, they also join Blackthorne as the three protagonists around which the entire series revolves.

Instead of sticking with the PoV of Blackthorne, like the book, the series delves deeply into the viewpoints of all three, bringing 17th-century Japan to roaring life in the process. 

One thing the series and the book share closely is the world that surrounds these characters. It is lush, vibrant, and teeming with life via characters, the buildings of the time, the rituals, and the colliding religious belief systems.

While Toranaga and Mariko navigate an in-depth political conflict, Blackthorne, as a Protestant, faces his archenemy in the Catholic church. Soon, however, Blackthorne finds himself within the presence and influence of Toranaga and Mariko.

Though Blackthorne exhibits an affinity for helping to save the day, he also falls victim to the political machinations of Toranaga and the romantic influence of Mariko.

Anna Sawai is fun to watch as she ties the threads of Toranaga’s political intrigues together, navigates her home life against a verbally abusive and dismissive husband (Buntaro), and serves as a translator for Toranaga. 

As the series progresses, the intense and delicate political situation is balanced by dramatic sub-plots and Blackthorne’s feelings towards the Portuguese Catholic presence.

Though Blackthorne is a significant character throughout, his elevation in Japan’s unique but familiar feudal system is entirely due to the good graces of Toranaga.

Not only does this work within the story’s fiction, but it also makes sense from a realistic standpoint. Feudal Japan was not some lost society, wandering in and out of caves, wielding clubs as weapons, and fingerpainting their country’s history on rock walls.

They were an established, complex society with internal and external struggles. Blackthorne is an outsider looking in, owing his rise to their generosity.

Toranaga is no fool; he recognizes the value of what Blachthorne brings to the table and uses him like a chess piece in his survival game.

His connection with Blackthorne leads to mutual respect, which pays dividends in Shogun Season 1 Episode 5, as Blackthorne comes to Toranaga’s aid out of allegiance rather than from the angle of a superior to an inferior.

From the standpoint of character growth, the white savior is, again, neatly deflected. Instead, we witness a fascinating arc that transcends the Hollywood of yesterday’s propensity towards the white salvation archetype.

Blackthorne goes from an alternately confused and shocked outsider to one that embraces many of the qualities that made Japan the mystical, impressive empire of its day.

Mariko balances a journey from the housewife, living under the yoke of a husband who clearly despises her, to a keen political ally while embracing and navigating a world outside the stricture of Buntaro’s shadow.

Toranaga plays the reluctant warrior, refusing the path that may lead to Shogun only to acquiesce reluctantly.

His instincts are top-notch, and his designs are complex and fun to watch. By the end of episode ten, there is no feeling of watching a society saved from its faulty designs by a white, honorable hero.

Though the vast engine of the entertainment industry once played the white savior card to both apologize to and sympathize with various cultures, it was always done at the expense of that culture.

It’s hard to apologize to someone while calling them a wasteful dullard with no hope of self-salvation. That said, Shogun does something that many of today’s popular and unpopular shows fail to do.

It manufactures a world that’s loosely based on historical reality, free of the white savior trope, without falling victim to becoming a preachy caricature of modern political arguments.

It entertains without insulting the audience’s intelligence or the culture of another country and its people.  

Thomas Godwin is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. You can follow him on X

Published
Categorized as Spoilers

Moment Garrison Brown’s Body Discovered Captured on Audio, Roommates Alerted

‘Descendants: The Rise of Red’ Teaser Introduces New Characters To Disney Villain Franchise; Release Date Set For Summer

There are some new faces coming to Disney’s Descendants franchise.

A teaser for the upcoming fourth installment, Descendants: The Rise of Red, was released Tuesday, giving a brief introduction to those new characters. The film will drop on Disney+ on July 12.

Watch the teaser above.

Descendants: The Rise of Red follows the story of Red, the rebellious daughter of the Queen of Hearts, and Chloe, Cinderella’s perfectionist daughter. When the tyrannical Queen of Hearts incites a coup against Auradon, polar opposites Red and Chloe must join forces and travel back in time to undo the traumatic event that set Red’s mother down her villainous path. 

Kylie Cantrall stars as Red, while Malia Baker will play Chloe.

The cast also includes Rita Ora as The Queen of Hearts; China Anne McClain as Uma; Dara Reneé as Uliana; Ruby Rose Turner as Bridget/Young Queen of Hearts; Morgan Dudley as Ella/Young Cinderella; Joshua Colley as Hook; Melanie Paxson as Fairy Godmother; Jeremy Swift as Principal Merlin; Leonardo Nam as Maddox Hatter and Paolo Montalban as King Charming.

Jennifer Phang (The Flight Attendant) is the director and co-executive producer, and the script was written by Dan Frey and Russell Sommer (Magic: The Gathering). Returning to the franchise is production designer Mark Hofeling. Suzanne Todd and Gary Marsh are executive producers and the casting directors are Alexis Frank Koczara and Christine Smith Shevchenko.

While Descendants: The Rise of Red will be available on Disney+ in July, it will make its Disney Channel debut on August 9.

Published
Categorized as TV

Angie Harmon Dog Killing a Mystery, Cops Won’t Talk

Protagonista de “Freaks and Geeks” y “Happy Gilmore” muere a los 82 años

Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge: Cancelled; No Season Two Renewal for NBC Summer Series

Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge TV show on NBC: canceled or renewed for season 2?

(Photo: James Stack/NBC)

Another group of car enthusiasts won’t get a chance to fulfill their childhood dreams. Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge has been cancelled, so there won’t be a second season of the NBC show. The first season’s 10 episodes finished airing in August.

A competition series, the Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge TV show is hosted by car aficionado Rutledge Wood and inspired by Mattel’s Hot Wheels toy car collection. In each episode, two car superfans enter the Chrome Zone, where they will face off, transforming an ordinary vehicle into the life-sized Hot Wheels of their dreams, inspired by personal stories and pop culture touchstones. The two superfans, working alongside a team of automotive magicians called “The Car Pool,” create their designs in high-tech, decked-out garages. The winner of each episode takes home $25,000 and the chance to get into the season finale competition. In the finale, three lucky finalists transform another car in hopes of winning a legendary prize — an additional $50,000 and the honor of having their design made into an official Hot Wheels die-cast car.

Airing on Monday nights, the first season of Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge averaged a 0.26 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 1.70 million viewers in the live+same day ratings (including DVR playback through 3:00 AM). The show was NBC’s lowest-rated series in viewership last summer.

What do you think? Have you watched the Hot Wheels TV series on NBC? Are you disappointed the competition series was cancelled instead of renewed for a second season?

Check out our NBC status sheet to track the peacock network’s new series pickups, renewals, and cancellations. You can find lists of cancelled shows here.

Published
Categorized as Cancelled

Erin & Aaron: Cancelled; No Season Two for Music Comedy Series on Nickelodeon

Erin & Aaron TV Show on Nickelodeon: canceled or renewed?

(Photo: Nickelodeon)

Erin & Aaron will not be returning for a second season. Nickelodeon has cancelled the musical comedy series created by Dicky Murphy, per Deadline.

Starring Ava Ro, Jensen Gering, Larisa Oleynik, David S Jung, and Pyper Braun, the Erin & Aaron series follows teenage stepsiblings as they deal with their parents’ new marriage and share their mutual passion for music to get them through it. Original songs were used throughout the season.

No additional details about the cancellation of the Nickelodeon series were revealed, but low viewership is likely to blame. The twelve episode season debuted in April 2023 and had less than 100,000 viewers, per TV Line.

What do you think? Did you watch this Nickelodeon series? Did you want a second season of Erin & Aaron?

Check out our status sheets to track new TV series pickups, renewals, and cancellations. You can find lists of cancelled shows here.

Published
Categorized as Cancelled

Tori Spelling Breaks Divorce News to Dean McDermott on Podcast

Protagonista de “Boardwalk Empire” es atacado por un habitante de calle

The Rookie: Broadcast TV Needs More Complex Villains Like Elijah Stone

Having a hissable, recurring villain adds that special something to any TV procedural.

Elijah Stone has been filling that role on The Rookie, tormenting members of the LAPD’s Metro Division over the past two seasons (although it feels longer).

Sadly, complex villains such as Stone have recently become less of a thing on broadcast TV.

Let’s look at the famed Hawaii Five-0 villain, Wo Fat, as a case study.

During the series’ original run, Wo Fat was a crime boss, a red Chinese spy who answered to Peking (it was a different time) and served as the primary enemy of Steve McGarrett (played by Jack Lord).

Wo Fat (portrayed by Khigh Dhiegh) hung like a dense fog over that version, appearing in 15 episodes over nine of the show’s 12 seasons.

In the rebooted series, Wo Fat (Mark Dacascos) was a crime boss and former Chinese Ministry of Interior agent. appeared in 11 episodes over five seasons as the archrival of Steve McGarrett (Alex O’Loughlin), then returned in two posthumous episodes as well.

Dacascos’s modern incarnation was a more layered, scheming villain. But he lacked the menace the original projected (although that may be coming through a nostalgic haze). He was gone at McGarrett’s hands on Hawaii Five-0 Season 5 Episode 7.

Why are there fewer recurring villains on network TV today? Here are a couple of possible reasons.

First, cable and streaming programs can get away with so much more in terms of character development. Because of censorship standards, network villains are bound to pale in comparison.

Second, with networks canceling series willy-nilly with little warning, why put too much effort into developing a long-running, recurring villain? Instead, a villain will appear for a season, tops. There is no sense in getting attached to one.

That’s why the emergence of Stone has been such a revelation. He’s an old-school villain in a modern world.

Much of that credit should go to the actor who portrays him: Brandon Jay McLaren.

The always enjoyable Canadian actor has been best known for good-guy roles on shows such as Graceland and Ransom.

That’s why playing Elijah represents a 360-degree turn for McLaren. And he attacks the role with relish.

Perhaps running through Stone’s clashes with Metro will help to reveal more about his character.

The actions of a desperate Wesley Evers on The Rookie Season 4 Episode 1 began Elijah’s increasingly frequent interactions with Metro.

Angela Lopez, Wesley’s wife, had been abducted by cartel leader Sandra de La Cruz and taken to Guatemala.

Evers asked Elijah for help in locating her. Stone agreed in exchange for Wesley becoming his dirty lawyer.

During Stone’s subsequent three appearances, Evers attempted to fulfill his promise to Elijah while staying on the right side of the law. Stone made this more difficult by threatening harm to Wesley’s family.

Their relationship was severed on The Rookie Season 4 Episode 9, when Evers tried to wear a wire to implicate Stone. Elijah realizes what’s happening and threatens Lopez and the LAPD.

In that same episode, Stone was arrested after most of his crew by Abril Rodas, de La Cruz’s second in command, who sought vengeance on him for revealing Angela’s location to Wesley.

But the case against Elijah fell apart on The Rookie Season 5 Episode 6.

Also introduced in that episode was the public face of his empire, lawyer Monica Stevens, portrayed by the always watchable Bridget Regan. Monica was also Wesley’s ex-fiancee, adding to the palpable tension among the trio.

To avoid a lawsuit, Evers reluctantly issued a public apology to Stone in front of the media on The Rookie Season 5 Episode 7.

Elijah got away with machinations a couple of more times despite the best efforts of Angela and her detective partner, Nyla Harper.

Lopez hatched a scheme to take down both Stone and Abril on The Rookie Season 5 Episode 15. This went awry after Aaron Thorsen accidentally tipped off Elijah, and the two gang leaders became partners instead.

Things fell apart for this new partnership on The Rookie Season 5 Episode 17 when the LAPD interrupted a drug deal between Stone and Abril, and Monica got wounded in the shootout.

It takes the combined efforts of Lopez and Harper to take down Elijah, who boasted that he’d sent a hitman to kill Evers. But Wesley survived, largely thanks to bodyguard Charlie Bristow.

A battered Stone ended up in prison with the ever-talkative Oscar Hutchinson, who has had his share of adventures with Metro, as his neighbor. That can’t be a positive development.

So, a savvy villain is now imprisoned. Does that mean that Elijah has flamed out?

What’s the first rule of imprisoned villains on TV? Just because they’re inside doesn’t mean they’re out of the game.

Monica, who seems to be repping every baddie (including Oscar now), is still on the outside.

Stone may not have appeared onscreen on The Rookie Season 6, but that doesn’t mean his influence hasn’t been felt.

One, Monica makes a phone call to an unidentified someone, and one of the Fed bank robbers ends up dead.

Also, why does Monica represent Oscar if not on Elijah’s command after he receives valuable intel?

Coincidences? Who knows? But likely not.

Let’s hope Elijah, one of the most intriguing villains on broadcast TV, still has his hand in it.

Because the medium could use more memorable villains such as him.

Dale McGarrigle is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow him on X.

Published
Categorized as Spoilers

Palm Royale Review: Kristen Wiig’s Fizzy Soap Leaves a Sour Aftertaste

WordPress › Error

There has been a critical error on this website.

Learn more about troubleshooting WordPress.