The Abyss of Life – As this episode of Shogun begins, Yabushige (Tadanobu Asano) talks about Nagakado’s death with Omi (Hiroto Kanai) listening. Toda Mariko (Anna Sawai) tells John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis) where they’re going and how Toranaga will mourn. Blackthorne tells Toranaga he is sorry for his loss. Mariko gives Blackthorne his logbook back and reminds him he won’t have to join them when they submit to the Council. He doesn’t agree with this strategy and says Nagakado at least died fighting. Mariko tells him his men are in this city. Blackthorne asks her not to go to Osaka, but Mariko admits she doesn’t have a choice because of her allegiance. Ishido (Takehiro) tells Ochiba (Fumi Nikaido) that her ruse worked and Toranaga is surrendering.

Ochiba worries something may change during his mourning period. Ishido thinks they should make their intentions public. He goes on to say they should strengthen their bond through marriage. Ochiba doesn’t give him an answer right away. Yabu and the others talk about Nagakado with Omi nearby. They say he was courageous but also reckless. Omi believes Nagakado would’ve liked them honoring him. He explains that Nagakado could not accept Toranaga surrendering to Ishido. Later, Toda Hiromatsu and Yabu talk about the fact that Toranaga has fallen sick and isn’t at his son’s ceremony. Yabu says Omi was right about many things. He mentions that the Edo generals are wearing their armor in protest. Yabu questions why they don’t march to Osaka with guns and cannons. Hiromatsu tells him Ishido requested he return the guns and cannons to Osaka.

Mariko talks to a woman and holds a baby. She learns that Lord Toranaga hasn’t come to see her yet. Lady Rin has only heard from her sister in Osaka by letter. She’s been told her family will be spared. They talk about Ochiba. Buntaro (Shinnosuke Abe) joins them. He tells Mariko that she will join Toranaga this afternoon. Buntaro offers to make tea for his wife who agrees. Father Martin Alvito (Tommy Bastow) runs into Blackthorne. Martin is impressed that Blackthorne has made his own way out there. He reveals he has urgent business with Toranaga. Blackthorne tells Martin what he’ll do now that he’s been cut loose including visiting the black ship. Mariko and Martin meet Toranaga and the others. Martin explains that Lords Kiyama and Ohno refused the deal with the black ship.

Toranaga says the spies have already reported this so he questions whether Martin came all this way to say that. Martin reveals he came on his own. He tells Toranaga that Ochiba is controlling Ishido. Martin believes he should try to form an allegiance with Ochiba. Toda says Osaka is not their enemy and only Ishido is. He thinks it might be a good idea to form an allegiance with Ochiba. Mariko doesn’t think Toranaga is her enemy. Instead, she believes Ochiba’s enemy is fear. Toda tells him his face has the color of defeat and that’s not like him. Toranaga worries the cost of victory would be too high. He wants to quell any uprising against his decision. Toranaga agrees to keep his promise to Martin and let him build a new church in Edo. He just wants Martin to return to Osaka and tell them what he saw here.

Toranaga says he only wants a peaceful death. Next, Toda tells Yabu that Toranaga is going to fight. Mariko talks to her husband about the weather and plums. Buntaro admits he believes they’re going to die in Osaka before he mentions their first days together. He asks if she’s still under Blackthorne’s spell. Buntaro thinks they should go to death together tonight. He explains they can do it in protest of Toranaga’s surrender and their enemies. Mariko says he fails to understand that he didn’t deny her death. It was a life beyond his reach. Mariko would rather live than die with him like that. Blackthorne learns about his crew. He says hello to Salamon (Dakota Daulby) who says there are six left. Salamon alleges they wasted months there because Blackthorne has ambition of his own. They end up getting into a fight.

Blackthorne quickly ends it and leaves. Later, he goes to Yabu to say he’d like to form allegiances in this country. He asks that Yabu not join Toranaga in Osaka. Omi calls that disgraceful and Yabu agrees. Yabu doesn’t know what Toranaga has been up to, but he is not going to surrender. Blackthorne says the sword doesn’t belong to him and he doubts he can belong to this place. His own people seem more strange so he doesn’t know where that leaves him. He has to make his own fate. Yabu will overlook his mistake since he’s a foreigner, but he is not going to betray Toranaga. Omi and Kiku go with the brothel owner to see where she’s going to build her teahouse. Kiku talks about how much she enjoys serving her. Omi wonders if that could be a disservice or harm but she says no. He doesn’t know why he’s fighting anymore.

Martin checks out the plot of land for his church. Lady Daiyoin falls ill. Ochiba is told she had a stroke so she can only make her comfortable. Lady Daiyoin tells her to stop these games and release the hostages. Toranaga tells everyone that Yabu will deliver his guns to Osaka and a list of people who will join him in surrender. He asks for signatures and gets them. Some of them refuse to follow him on this path to defeat. Toda threatens to commit seppuku if he does not change his mind. Once Toranaga refuses to change his mind, Toda suggests he believes in pointless death. Toranaga tells him to die because he will not yield. Toda tells Buntaro not to give up on their lord. Toda stabs himself and Buntaro finishes him off. Mariko talks to Toranaga about it later.

She confirms Blackthorne spoke to Yabu who refused. Toranaga suspects he’ll change his mind after today. He cries for Toda and explains Osaka has to believe his defeat is real. Toranaga asks Mariko if she’s ready to do her part. She says she’s ready. Omi worries that Toranaga will find out Yabu has aligned with Blackthorne. Omi can’t change his mind. Yabu tells Blackthorne that what he said meant a lot to him so they will become allies. Mariko approaches because Toranaga has asked her to accompany Yabu to Osaka. Toranaga thanks his son for buying him some time. He insists he will not waste it.

 

Shogun Review

The eighth episode of Shogun was okay but a bit long-winded and uneventful. The big difference is how much the writers have altered the source material to try to create something better. Instead, they’ve created a lifeless, unentertaining replication of Shogun that is basically in name only. The episode flipped the characters making them something they weren’t earlier and something they weren’t in the original.

Buntaro is suddenly a nice guy who is willing to kill himself alongside Mariko, yet he fought countless warriors to escape Osaka earlier. The dumbest death in recent television gave Toranaga more time to ponder and create a plan that no one except Mariko seems to know about. Toranaga must be a fortune teller or capable of manipulating the future to guarantee everything lines up in his favor.

For instance, he just knew Blackthorne would go to Yabu and he knew Yabu would eventually side with Blackthorne. If he was really that much of a genius, he would’ve created a plan that didn’t include his son getting killed and letting one of his best friends kill themselves. The writing of Blackthorne is completely illogical to the point that it’s laughable. What exactly does he offer Yabu when he’s in a foreign land with a crew that’s turned on him?

This episode was overloaded with unnecessary scenes that add very little to the story, such as the stuff with the teahouses, Lady Iyo’s death, and Blackthorne’s fight. It’s trying way too hard while turning the once adventurous story into an absolute bore that couldn’t end soon enough. It’s crazy to say this series has been going on since the end of February, yet it’s progressed very little since then.

At the very least, any frustration and hatred for the product has subsided. Now, it’s all water under the bridge and only indifference remains. This episode scores a 5 out of 10. Recaps of Shogun can be found on Reel Mockery here. Find out how to support our independent site at this link. Learn more about advertising with us here. Discuss Shogun with others at the Reel Mockery Forum.