‘Shōgun’ nearly made history with 18 Emmy wins, becoming one of the most celebrated dramas of the year!
The 76th Annual Emmy Awards are lighting up Los Angeles, celebrating the shows that made us laugh, cry, and scream over the last year. Remarkably, it's the second time in just a year that the Emmys have rolled out the red carpet. Leading the charge is ‘Baby Reindeer,’ the wildly popular yet controversial British series, which dominated the night with four wins. In the comedy genre, ‘The Bear’ claimed three acting trophies, including best comedy actor for Jeremy Allen White, who won for the second consecutive year as Carmy. Meanwhile, Australia's Elizabeth Debicki snagged her first Emmy, taking home the best drama actress award for her portrayal of Princess Diana in ‘The Crown.’ While many other shows basked in the spotlight, it was the record-breaking achievements of the historical fiction ‘Shōgun’ that truly stole the show. Let’s dive into the details!
‘Shōgun’, the sweeping historical drama set in 17th-century feudal Japan, came incredibly close to making Emmy history this year with an astounding 25 nominations. Only ‘Game of Thrones’ has ever topped that, with 32 nominations in 2019. Entering the ceremony with nominations spanning 22 categories, ‘Shōgun’ not only exceeded expectations but shattered records, winning a staggering 18 Emmys. This achievement broke the previous record of 12 Emmys won in a single season, held by ‘Game of Thrones’ in 2015, 2016, and 2019. Additionally, ‘Shōgun’ outdid the previous high for most Emmys won by a series in its debut season, a record set by ‘The Bear’ with 10 wins in 2023. It also toppled the record for the most Emmys ever won in a single season by any series, surpassing the 13 awards won by ‘John Adams’ in 2008.
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‘The Crown,’ ‘Fallout,’ ‘The Gilded Age,’ ‘The Morning Show,’ ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith,’ ‘Slow Horses,’ ‘3 Body Problem,’ and ‘Shōgun’ were all contenders for the coveted Outstanding Drama Series award. Heading into the ceremony, ‘Succession’ held the title as the reigning winner in this category. However, it was ‘Shōgun’ that ultimately claimed the top honor. Beyond its impressive awards haul, ‘Shōgun’s victory was groundbreaking—it became the first non-English-language drama to win Best Drama Series, although it features a significant amount of English dialogue.
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This television drama, created by Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks, is based on James Clavell's 1975 novel, previously adapted into the iconic 1980 miniseries. Featuring a predominantly Japanese cast, ‘Shōgun’ stars Hiroyuki Sanada, Cosmo Jarvis, Anna Sawai, Tadanobu Asano, Takehiro Hira, Tommy Bastow, and Fumi Nikaido, with most of the dialogue delivered in Japanese.
Set in the year 1600, the series centers on the intricate political chess game of Lord Yoshii Toranaga, played by Hiroyuki Sanada, who must navigate the dangerous power struggles of feudal Japan. His pursuit of power and peace becomes even more complicated with the arrival of John Blackthorne, an English sailor portrayed by Cosmo Jarvis, who aims to establish a trade route between England and Japan. As their fates become intertwined, the series explores the complexities of their ambitions and alliances in a richly layered narrative.
