MIDNIGHT REVIEW Shōgun Episode Four
Midnight Reviews features reviews and thought pieces written and edited by a parent, at night, after bedtime.
Shōgun Episode Four: ‘The Eightfold Fence’
Series created by: Rachel Kondo, Justin Marks
Featuring: Hiroyuki Sanada, Cosmo Jarvis, Anna Sawai, Tadanobu Asano
Synopsis: Blackthorne (Jarvis) is brought back to the village he started at, this time as a respected Hatamoto. He relies on Lady Mariko (Sawai) to help guide him as their own friendship is tested. After the bravery and shenanigans on display in the previous episode, Lord Toranaga (Sanada) has given Blackthorne the job of training his men in the ways of gunmanship and tactics but leaves him under the watchful eyes of Lord Yabushige (Asano), the man Toranaga knows is actively playing both sides.
Review: There is a piece of nineteenth-century Japanese poetry that talks of the eightfold fence. ‘Naiyū gaikan,’ ‘Troubles within, dangers without.’ This piece of poetry talked of the fears of European powers encroaching and eventually invading Japanese territory, but also that dangers were to be found from inside Japan as well, from those who would perhaps pretend to be an ally whilst acting otherwise. This is a country known for being isolationist for hundreds of years leading up to this phrase’s ubiquity. In Shōgun, we’re presented with an island nation who’ve only just gotten over their interactions with Portuguese; now some English pirate turns up to add himself to the mix.
Here, in episode four, we see these dangers spelt out for us in clear tones. The Portuguese, forever an ally, now seem to be the enemy and war seems inevitable. John Blackthorne was first seen as a pirate; now he’s training armies. Lords and regents are stabbing each other in the back and somehow, Lord Yabushige is the only person in power who seems to be acting remotely sensibly.
Asano is perfect as the man who plays both sides.
Despite the political back and forth, this is a much more sedate episode. Blackthorne is given ample time to take in Japan’s beauty and we are given ample time to do the same with Shōgun’s. This is less the time for sneaky interplay and amusing banter. This is left to the side a few minutes into The Eightfold Fence and in its place we have a focus on character interaction, with much less plot in lieu of emotional advancement. It is just as enthralling as any amount of cannon firing and last-minute ship play.
Blackthorne wants to be alone but is routinely followed by his consort. He is then taught a lesson in being far away whilst seeming present; being away from the moment whilst being in your own moment, perhaps. This extends to the entire episode. Blackthorne is sentenced to six months of living in a lovely house with servants and must learn to live inside his own timeless moment. This extends further to the episode’s structure. We are gifted a serene yet steady montage with Blackthorne’s eyes focused on the horizon. One location stuck in time, an endless moment given time to breathe. Is he giving in to Japan’s beauty completely, or is part of him dreaming of the English ships that could come his way?
Speaking of being present but not present: Toronaga is away, yet his influence is felt throughout. The grip he has on Lord Yabushige leaves the consummate salesman in a sticky situation. Asano is perfect as the man who plays both sides, who dares to try to climb up the dirty path and is mired in muck and filth because of it. Each groan, each grimace we feel. Part of you almost wants him to succeed just because of the sheer ballsiness on display.
The only part of the show that seems at all arbitrary or fake is consummated here.
The baby earthquake felt early on, something that shocks Blackthorne, represents the shaky foundations of his and Mariko’s friendship. Blackthorne is completely unaware of what an earthquake even is; Mariko, having read his books detailing his atrocities against catholics, knows full well that things might go badly.
However, things don’t go badly because we get the character relationship that’s been set up from the get-go. The only part of the show that seems at all arbitrary or fake is consummated here, and the episode continues afterwards. Whilst there could’ve been an interesting and dynamic investigation into Mariko being pulled in two directions (something partly explored in the previous episode), she seems to completely forget Blackthorne’s violence against her religion. Perhaps this is her finally deciding where her true loyalties lie. Perhaps it is an uninteresting side plot that requires no time whatsoever.
The calmness is interrupted by something quite the opposite: short, abrupt and bloody, with malice and forethought. Shōgun sets its stage for what seems to be a big final battle, but hopefully knowing this show, there is something more in store.
Shōgun is available to watch on Disney+, with episodes due once a week every Tuesday.
