How to watch Shogun: stream the historical samurai epic online or on TV

Shogun
(Image credit: FX)

Fans of action-packed historical epics have a new must-watch show hitting screens in the form of Shogun, with the samurai drama debuting on Tuesday, February 27.

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Shogun is set in Japan in the 17th century, as the country is in the midst of a large civil war. One of the lords vying for control, Yoshii Toranga, finds a European vessel shipwrecked on his coast, and the people and resources within could help him turn the tide of the war.

Based on a historical novel by James Clavell (which is itself based on real events), Shogun is the newest big-budget blockbuster show on the TV landscape, with an impressive cast and exciting story to sink into.

Less reading, more watching: here's how to watch Shogun, whether you want to do it online or on TV (where available). 

How to watch Shogun in the US

You've got two ways to watch Shogun in the US: on cable or via streaming.

If you want to watch it on cable, you'll need to use FX. On Tuesday, February 27, FX will air the first two episodes of Shogun from 10 pm ET/PT (with the second starting at the late time of 11:38 pm ET/PT), and then subsequent episodes at 10 pm ET/PT each week.

If you don't have a way to watch FX but want to, you can use several live TV streaming services to sign up including Hulu with Live TV ($76.99 per month), Fubo ($74.99 for its Pro Plan), YouTube TV ($72.99 per month) and Sling TV ($40 per month for its Sling Blue plan).

Your other option, which will be quite a bit cheaper, is to use Hulu. Episodes of Shogun will hit the streaming service on the same day as they air on FX.

Hulu costs $7.99 per month for its ad plan or $17.99 for its ad-free one, though many opt to sign up via the Disney Bundle which costs $9.99 per month and includes Disney Plus as well.

Shogun episode air dates

  • Episode 1 — Tuesday, February 27
  • Episode 2 — Tuesday, February 27
  • Episode 3 — Tuesday, March 5
  • Episode 4 — Tuesday, March 12
  • Episode 5 — Tuesday, March 19
  • Episode 6 — Tuesday, March 26
  • Episode 7 — Tuesday, April 2
  • Episode 8 — Tuesday, April 9
  • Episode 9 — Tuesday, April 16
  • Episode 10 — Tuesday, April 23

How to watch Shogun in the UK

You won't be able to watch Shogun on broadcast TV in the UK, leaving one option: streaming it on Disney Plus.

Episodes of Shogun will arrive on Disney's streaming service on the same day as they air in the US, and you can find the full schedule above.

Disney Plus starts at £4.99 per month for its ad-enabled plan and goes up to £7.99 for ad-free streaming and £10.99 for the Premium tier. The latter offers 4K streaming on select titles, but Shogun isn't one of them.

How to watch Shogun in Australia

As in the UK, and most of the world in fact, Shogun will be airing in Australia exclusively on Disney Plus, so you'll have to sign up in order to watch.

You don't have to worry about rival plans either, as the House of Mouse only offers one AU plan: it costs $13.99 per month or $139.99 per year (the latter saving you two months' worth) and doesn't have adverts.

Tom Bedford
Streaming and Ecommerce Writer

Tom is the streaming and ecommerce writer at What to Watch, covering streaming services in the US and UK. His goal is to help you navigate the busy and confusing online video market, to help you find the TV, movies and sports that you're looking for without having to spend too much money.