FOR THE TEAM of Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo, life falls into two distinct categories: before Shōgun, and after Shōgun. “We get to look back and remember, because we were just wildly different people,” Kondo tells Men’s Health. In the roughly five years it took for the married creative duo—both co-created and executive produced the show, with Marks leading the charge as showrunner—to bring the FX adaptation of James Clavell’s novel to life for a new generation, the pair had children and, in fact, “no clue” what was set to be in front of them. In fact, the show’s eventual reception was something Marks spent a good amount of time thinking about. “When you’re trying to design the car while driving it, it takes a lot out of you,” he says. Audiences now know what they spent all that time building toward. Shōgun’s conclusion just aired, bringing with it a definitive end, albeit in a different way than most possibly thought. There’s no massive battle; instead, it’s largely a series of quiet, character-driven moments as Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada) unfurls his grand plan to become the titular Shōgun, while John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis) accepts his place amongst the Japanese people after grieving the loss of Mariko (Anna Sawai).Blackstone Publishing Shōgun: The Complete NovelBlackstone Publishing Shōgun: The Complete NovelNow 36% OffMen’s Health has a small perspective into the after portion of Marks and Kondo’s lives, having attended an event for the show at the Winter Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour in… Click below to read the full story from Men’s Health
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