"A Stick of Time" (Japanese: 線香一本の時, Hepburn: Senkō Ippon no Toki) is the seventh episode of the American historical drama television series Shōgun, based on the novel by James Clavell.
John Blackthorne, a risk-taking English sailor who ends up shipwrecked in Japan, a land whose unfamiliar culture will ultimately redefine him; Lord Toranaga, a shrewd, powerful daimyo, at odds with his own dangerous, political rivals; and Lady Mariko, a woman with invaluable skills but dishonorable family ties, who must prove her value and allegiance.
In the episode, Toranaga meets his estranged half-brother to discuss terms of merging their two armies to invade Osaka as part of Crimson Sky.
During dinner, Saeki reveals he has been offered the fifth regency in place of Sugiyama, and Toranaga must either surrender to the council in Osaka or face imminent war.
In March 2024, Hulu confirmed that the seventh episode of the series would be titled "A Stick of Time", and was to be written by consulting producer Matt Lambert, and directed by Takeshi Fukunaga.
[3]: 7:58–9:12 In its original FX broadcast, "A Stick of Time" was seen by an estimated 0.540 million household viewers and gained a 0.09 ratings share among adults aged 18–49, according to Nielsen Media Research.
[4] This was a slight increase in viewership from the previous episode, which was seen by an estimated 0.523 million household viewers and gained a 0.10 ratings share among adults aged 18–49.
"[7] Jesse Raub of Vulture gave the episode a 4 star rating out of 5 and wrote, "And so we say farewell to a would-be warlord who never got the chance to experience the thrill of battle.
"[10] Johnny Loftus of Decider wrote, "Fate as it relates to life, as either guide or cruel master, is at the center of Shōgun's seventh episode.
But with the protective barriers Lord Yoshii Toranaga has constructed around himself, his vassals, and his forces crumbling – or being consumed by a massive earthquake, in the case of the latter – fate is top of mind for everyone.