Ruddo, can you merge this with the My Pillow thread?

Well shit.

Last week was “holy shit.” I agreed. Can’t wait to see if I agree with this review and what lies ahead for the finale. Hot shit would be ideal.

What a boner killer.

Was this week the finale? If so that was... interesting and unexpected. I kind of liked it.

I liked the finale a lot. Overall, I think the show would’ve benefitted from another 5-6 episodes. The pace often felt rushed for something that should be a years-spanning epic and the connection to the characters isn’t quite as strong as it could have been. I’m looking forward to reading the book.

The show looked great but I would have liked a little less green screen throughout and some wider shots / better aspect ratio.

Yeah it’s kind of wild that the finale will almost certainly be seen as radical in terms of how it didn’t need to end with a big action set piece, but it’s certainly one of the more coherent and satisfying finales I can remember. The flash-forwards in the finale worked real well for me, especially Blackthorne’s, since it’s clear (spoilers I guess) that he didn’t stay in Japan, and actually had a full life back in England with children and grandchildren, but I really didn’t need to know anything about that life. I don’t think I explained why I liked it so much, probably just that it was incredibly suggestive without being vague, if that makes sense.

I remember liking the book waaay back when. Could never get back into this after the pilot

I read the book about 20 years ago. Loved it. I’m way behind on the show but I remember what I’ve seen being very faithful.

Flowers are only flowers because they fall

It was fine. I don’t think a big battle would have made a difference to me. Mariko dying in the penultimate episode took all meaningful stakes out of the finale for me. This was a good show I’ll forget I ever watched within two years.

Re: the Flash forward. I think that was all in his head, imagining how he thought his life would end if he left Japan. That's why he was willing to kill himself; he didn't really want that. You can almost see him physically dismiss it with a move of his head as he makes the decision in front of Toranaga.

Regardless of that, the main clue that it's all in his head is he has the cross in his hand in the flash forward. The very same cross he drops in the sea in present day.

Yeah this is what I got out of it as well. Good catch on the cross thing.

I sat on this for a night and now I really love how they ended it. I think I may watch the finale again to pick up on some little things I may have missed. I sure hope they don't decide to do some kind of second season just because this was popular. I thought it was a beautiful conclusion, very well done.

Started watching last night.
Immediate buy in. Up to episode 4 now.
The look and feel of this is next level. Production design and all of it just god tier.
I’m almost missing the story not reading the subs looking at the costumes and sets and backgrounds.

I hope the Spanish guy comes back into it. He and the Anjin guy had good chemistry in the positive and negative sense. Could be great partners, could be great rivals.

This is great tv. Hope to binge the rest of it tonight and tomorrow.

Jesus Christ


If you cut out all the bowing in this series it would only be 3 episodes long. Max.

If you cut all of the jerking off out of Ulysses, you could read it in an afternoon.

I only made it to page 37 of that damn book.


Being a Dubliner isn’t an automatic passport into it apparently.


His book Dubliners is better by far anyways.

There is obviously going to be a second season to this right?

I googled the guy who plays Blackthorne and found a good short interview about that. He’s skeptical given the book has been used up. But the history of the guys based on it’s still there and he had an amazing life in Japan while never being allowed leave


https://www.esquire.com/uk/culture/tv/a ... mo-jarvis/