Shōgun

Patient viewers who like political chess, where a glance across a room does the threatening, will settle in at once. Hiroyuki Sanada plays Toranaga so calm that you read his plans in tiny shifts of his face. Early on, he has the foreigner jailed on purpose, just to set the regents against each other, and you start watching everyone's hands and silences.

The first two episodes take their time laying out who wants what before the pace picks up; it is one story, so watch in order.