Shōgun isn't on Netflix, but here's where to watch the new FX show

One of 2024's best new television series premieres on February 27 and its already gotten significant buzz as well as universal acclaim from critics. The upcoming historical drama series Shōgun, adapted from the 1975 novel by James Clavell, is an FX series and will join the network's prestigious catalog of acclaimed series like The Americans, Fargo, Justified, and more.

For those unfamiliar with the book, Shōgun combines real-life history with fictionalized events. It primarily centers on two men and a female samurai as their worlds collide in a story of political intrigue and danger.

The historical aspect of the series is in its inclusion of John Blackthorne, a character loosely based on the real English navigator William Adams. The other main male character, Yoshii Toranaga, is based on founder and first shōgun of the Tokugawa Shogunate, Tokugawa Ieyasu.

The first two episodes of Shōgun will debut on Tuesday, February 27 at 10:00 p.m. ET, wrapping after midnight since they are each an hour in length. Additionally, the episodes will also stream on Hulu as part of the overall FX on Hulu deal, so if you don't have linear cable anymore, you'll still be able to watch the series the day of on the streaming service. Episodes will air weekly on Tuesdays through April 24.

For more information, here's the official synopsis shared by FX:

"FX’s Shōgun, an original adaptation of James Clavell’s bestselling novel, is set in Japan in the year 1600 at the dawn of a century-defining civil war. Producer Hiroyuki Sanada stars as “Lord Yoshii Toranaga” who is fighting for his life as his enemies on the Council of Regents unite against him.

When a mysterious European ship is found marooned in a nearby fishing village, its English pilot, “John Blackthorne” (Cosmo Jarvis), comes bearing secrets that could help Toranaga tip the scales of power and devastate the formidable influence of Blackthorne’s own enemies — the Jesuit priests and Portuguese merchants. Toranaga’s and Blackthorne’s fates become inextricably tied to their translator, “Toda Mariko” (Anna Sawai), a mysterious Christian noblewoman and the last of a disgraced line.

While serving her lord amidst this fraught political landscape, Mariko must reconcile her newfound companionship with Blackthorne, her commitment to the faith that saved her and her duty to her late father.

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Movies and shows similar to Shōgun on Netflix

Unfortunately, Shōgun will not be on Netflix anytime soon because it is an FX series and therefore licensed to Hulu. But Netflix does have some other programs that might interest fans of the series if you don't want to buy Hulu right now (or maybe you want to wait until Shōgun is done airing to binge the whole thing, in which case these shows and films on Netflix should tide you over!).

• Kingdom
• Kingdom: Ashin of the North
• The Outsider
• House of Ninjas
• Age of Samurai: Battle for Japan
• Rurouin Kenshin: The Beginning
• Blue Eye Samurai