Reception
Viewers
In its original FX broadcast, "The Abyss of Life" was seen by an estimated 0.436 million household viewers and gained a 0.08 ratings share among adults aged 18–49, according to Nielsen Media Research. This means that 0.08 percent of all households with televisions watched the episode. [9] This was a 20% decrease in viewership from the previous episode, which was seen by an estimated 0.540 million household viewers and gained a 0.09 ratings share among adults aged 18–49. [10]
Critical reviews
"The Abyss of Life" received critical acclaim. The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 100% approval rating for the episode, based on 6 reviews, with an average rating of 9.4/10. [11]
Meredith Hobbs Coons of The A.V. Club gave the episode an "A" and wrote, "The rest of Toranaga's men will sail on with Anjin (and none of Blackthorne's men, because their loyalty to him landed them stranded in Japan and mad at him). Mariko is going, too, in a signal to the guys that they must have their lord's blessing, since he sent her. Man, if they weren't dead, Hiromatsu and Nagakado would be so pumped." [12] Keith Phipps of Vulture gave the episode a perfect 5 star rating out of 5 and wrote, "Shōgun has been compelling from the start, but it's picking up some serious closing speed in the back half of its run. Two weeks ago brought the (apparently deferred) promise of Crimson Sky. Last week's episode ended with a powerful shock. "The Abyss of Life" ends with a series of question marks, none more prominent than this one: What is Toranaga doing?" [13]
Sean T. Collins of The New York Times wrote, "The central scene of this week's Shōgun — perhaps the scene from the series so far — confronts vassal and viewer alike with an even more troubling question, one that it draws out for minute after excruciating minute: Is Lord Toranaga sick in his mind as well?" [14] Josh Rosenberg of Esquire wrote, "Lord Toranaga is in a pickle. Actually, no — I don't want to downplay the severity of this situation. He's in something far worse than a pickle. Toranaga is in a giant pickle made of glass, and this glass pickle is dangling precariously from the edge of a kitchen counter, seconds away from shattering." [15]
Johnny Loftus of Decider wrote, "the threat Lord Toranga now faces in Shōgun Episode 8, to the realm and to his clan, has inspired the most relentless, physically costly version of his famous guile." [16] Tyler Johnson of TV Fanaticgave the episode a 4.5 star rating out of 5 and wrote, "Thus far, Shōgun has been so flawlessly executed, so brilliantly realized that we're getting nervous about its ability to stick the landing. Episodes like "The Abyss of Time" inspire confidence, but it's hard not to feel a little apprehensive when you're aware that you're watching a new classic unfold." [17]
Accolades
TVLine named Hiroyuki Sanada the "Performer of the Week" for the week of April 13, 2024, for his performance in the episode. The site wrote, "Yes, this was all part of the plan, and as Toranaga mournfully prayed over his son's ashes and vowed not to waste the opportunity he'd been given, we were once again reminded of what a clever and cunning leader Toranaga is — and what a powerful and mesmerizing performance Sanada is giving us." [18]
