Shogun’s Huge Streaming Win Makes Season 2 A Necessity For FX & Hulu

Shōgun is getting a lot of attention since its premiere, and after its huge streaming win, season 2 will be a necessity for FX and Hulu. An adaptation of John Clavell’s 1975 novel of the same name, Shōgun chronicles a power struggle unraveling in feudal Japan after the death of The Taikō, or the “retired regent.” The arrival of Englishman John Blackthorne makes this dispute even more complicated, leading to plenty of drama between Japan’s lords.

With its high-stakes political drama and no-nonsense approach to the violence unfolding, Shōgun has been likened to Game of Thrones — and its initial viewership numbers suggest the comparisons are warranted. Shōgun’s premiere boasts record-breaking streaming numbers for both Disney and Hulu. With the show’s huge streaming win, it seems like Shōgun season 2 will be a necessity for FX and Hulu — though it may be difficult to make it actually happen.

The Shogun Premiere Marked A Massive Streaming Win For Hulu

Shōgun is only three installments into its 10-episode first season, but the FX series is already seeing massive streaming success. Its two-part premiere debuted on February 27, and according to Variety, it drew a total of 9 million viewers across streaming platforms like Hulu, Disney+, and Star+ within the first six days of its release. This is a huge accomplishment for the FX show, making it Disney’s biggest scripted debut outside franchises like Marvel, Star Wars, and Pixar. Such numbers prove there’s interest in the action-packed historical drama. And its streaming win doesn’t stop with its impressive viewership numbers, either.

Shōgun now holds the title of FX’s most-watched premiere on Hulu, surpassing The Bear season 2. Considering The Bear‘s massive streaming success — and its many accolades during the 2024 awards season — this is no small feat. While Variety notes that Shōgun reached this milestone through both Hulu and Hulu on Disney+, it’s still living up to its “next Game of Thrones” comparisons with all the excitement surrounding its debut. If the hype continues to grow, there’s little doubt FX and Hulu will want to capitalize on it — and that means Shōgun may go beyond its original plan.

Shogun Season 2 Has To Happen After Season 1’s Success

Shōgun’s huge streaming win straight out of the gate is a big deal for FX and Hulu, and it makes a second season of the historical drama seem inevitable. While Shōgun still has seven episodes left before it can be called a definitive success, the series will be one of FX and Hulu’s biggest shows ever if it continues its current trajectory. There’s no word on whether Shōgun episode 3 saw similar or higher viewership numbers to the first two episodes. However, with things heating up for Lord Yoshi Toranaga and John Blackthorne, it’s hard to see it performing any less well.

If Shōgun continues to break streaming records for Disney and Hulu, both companies would be wise to capitalize on the opportunity this series offers. Given several more outings to get to know these characters, Shōgun really could become a cultural phenomenon on par with a series like Game of Thrones. While it technically can accomplish this in one season, FX and Hulu would no doubt benefit from expanding on the world and characters. Unfortunately, it could be difficult for the two companies to do so without it feeling disingenuous.

Why Season 2 Will Be Difficult For FX & Hulu To Pull Off

Although Shōgun season 2 would be great for FX and Hulu’s bottom lines, it would be difficult for the companies to pull off a second outing of the historical drama. That’s because Shōgun season 1 follows the events of the source material — and according to the show’s creators, the current outing concludes where the novel does. Speaking to The Direct, co-creator Justin Marks admitted that they “tell the complete story of the book,” meaning there won’t be anything left to adapt in another batch of episodes. That doesn’t mean there aren’t more stories in this world, but it will make them more difficult (and risky) to tell.

Shōgun season 2 may not be totally off the table, though. Michaela Clavell, the daughter of James Clavell and an executive producer on the FX series, addressed the possibility of continuing it beyond season 1. On that topic, Clavell said, “The audience will let us know whether there’s, there is their appetite for that. We shall see.” With that in mind, it seems like a continued positive response from viewers could turn the tides in favor of Shōgun season 2. Whether that’s a good thing remains to be seen — but if there’s an opportunity for further success, it’s hard to see FX and Hulu not taking it.