‘Shogun’ Episode 3 Review - Escape Plan

At a time when cheap graphics and lazy storytelling are found in abundance on various streaming services, Shōgun announces itself as one of those rare series that feels like a breath of fresh air. This is a compliment I hope the show manages to earn till the end. After all, who likes to be disappointed by something that looks this promising? I remember how excited I became after watching the first three episodes of Ms. Marvel. The studios very cunningly provided these three episodes to the critics because they knew they were splendid. Due to this strategy (or call it deceit), Ms. Marvel has a 98% score on the Rotten Tomatoes website. The men in (Marvel) suits, like any other businessmen, just want their products to generate good numbers. Everything is content nowadays.

This is why my praise for Shōgun is tinged with nervousness. What if it crumbles before reaching its finale? For now, I will leave these fears to rest. There is nothing else I can do anyway. Let me just happily declare that the third episode of Shōgun is as superb as you expected it to be after watching the premiere. What's different this time, though, is the source of tension. In the previous two episodes, the suspense was produced through the manipulation of words and sentiments. You constantly wondered how interpreters would twist John Blackthorne's sentences. Will they honestly translate his words or manipulate them as per their desires? This question hung heavily on your head.

In Episode 3, however, what raises your enthusiasm is the highly charged, wonderfully executed sequences. The scene where Blackthorne escapes with his own small crew on a boat alongside Lord Yoshii Toranaga and his members is as thrilling as an adrenaline-racing car chase. There is a stunning shot that shows men with torches as a group of dots navigating a maze (it resembles a video game). The revelation regarding Toranaga's escape, too, is handled well. Many recent murder mysteries have failed to be this surprising during their revelations.

Amidst all this exhilaration, you get quiet, tender moments like when Mariko's husband stays behind to help Toranaga and his team escape. Mariko's eyes are so warm, so gentle. Kindness seems to emanate from her cells. Even her sexually suggestive remarks (she describes orgasm as "cloud and rain") sound innocent. Don't be surprised if, towards the end, you find yourself with a smile on your face. This feeling is only natural (and seems appropriate), given that the episode ends with Mariko's smiling face.

Final Score - [8.5/10]