The Next Prince: Uncut

The plot I never expected

This series is so giving. <3 I love how the supporting pairs got a part (although their end of exposure is brief, it's just right and satisfying for introducing them).

The giddy parts were so good and funny. I love how they did not only focus on the romance but also tackled the political issues somehow. The familial roles and responsibilities that goes with their status.

The camera shifts on the action parts were just about right. It doesn't have to be so elaborate as this isn't an action genre.

The musical part was on point that I added "The Next Prince OST Playlist" on my YT Music. Moonlit Magic by Amp Achariya feels like serenading me. I literally replayed the scene when the protesters were trying to block the lantern festival. I honestly love how Jay and Nunew sang in that part. Although I can't find a specific song from that, and if it is a creative writing from the writers, it was definitely so good and worth replaying.

Zee and Nunew staring at each other's eyes or just kissing is already an eye candy for me. Already satisfying and always plasters a smile on my face. But the NC was artfully jaw dropping and my imagination has ran so wild to off cam scenarios (forgive my delulu mind, I'm trying to contain it.LOL).

Thankfully Chakri didn't die. Prince Calvin, as he's not next in line to the throne, was given the freedom to somehow be with Jay. Prince Ramil learning defiance given the chance to be with Paytai too. And of course Princess Ava, being the princess that she is, accepted by her father and given the freedom to concede from the competition.

I'm in awe with the death of Prince Wasin and his brother-in-law Warun. Because what is a royal genre without bloodshed? I know they've modernized this series. But let's be real. Royals, rivals and misunderstandings could really cause a life.

I'd definitely recommend this series. And I'd rewatch especially the "whispers in the mist" song <3.

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Good, with Lackluster writing...

There is so much I can say, yet at the same time, what can I say really, that's how I'm thinking. I've read some of the other reviews and some have a good taken on this series, and some I didn't. Though that's how it is really when it comes to everyones thoughts on series they watch. I agree with some though not all, this series wasn't as bad as some say it was.

I liked this one, even though it had it's downs though-out it, but it also had it's ups don't get me wrong... I can say that there were things that really didn't get resolved all that great, or at all, well if they did they didn't show us by the end and I don't think it helped this series.

If you are going to start things it would be good to see it throu till the end so we as viewers can see how it is. I guess they want us to think for our selves as to what happens to crappy as Prince and the whole equal rights that Ava (?) brought about. I don't think it is nice of them, becuse my thoughts could by way off, who is to say.

I say if you want to see this go ahead, watch it, just know that there are some holes I guess would be a good way to put it, in here so don't think everything well be all great because that's not the case, you will see downs in here. Just keep your mind open as you watch don't always think to much.

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IS IT WORTH IT?

Simple answer: yes.
I genuinely loved and enjoyed the series with my whole heart. I'd say its not for everyone but the series stole my heart. I think it not only did a good job with the romance side of relationships but also other forms like friendship and family, it also did a great job of showing the 2 sides of a relationship- the struggles ands the deep connections built from them. The character development also exceeded expectations, one of the probles I've had with some shows was that the character development felt very fake and forced, but in here it felt natural and in a flow.

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Royal Bonds and Personal Battles

The Next Prince” is a beautifully crafted series that combines stunning cinematography with a well curated soundtrack, elevating the viewing experience from start to finish. The pacing is balanced, allowing each character the space to grow and fulfill their individual arcs in a meaningful way.
The series blends romance, drama, action, and a touch of mystery. One of its standout strengths is how it portrays the struggles within each royal lineage, emphasizing their efforts to challenge tradition and drive change. From Khanin’s determination to reform, Ava’s powerful representation of female strength and equality, to Ramil’s journey of self-discovery and independence, each storyline feels purposeful and engaging.
The chemistry among the characters is undeniable. Khanin’s subtle pursuit of Charan was charming and heartfelt, while Ramil and Paytai’s fiery dynamic added a compelling contrast. Their emotional reconciliation toward the end was especially impactful. Ramil’s eventual stand against his father was a long awaited moment of growth that added depth to his arc. Calvin and Jay’s limited screen time was appreciated, though it left me wishing we had seen more from them, especially with Ava, whose presence deserved greater exploration. But they are supporting actors/actress so I expected nothing less.
The set design/costume designs and choice of locations were exceptional, adding richness and authenticity to the narrative. Overall, the series concluded on a satisfying note, resolving conflicts, mending relationships, and giving each love story the space to blossom naturally.

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Exceeds expectations

I had high hopes for this series and I am certainly not disappointed. I just watched the second episode and it was even better than the first. The overall feeling is a high quality production with excellent cinematography, sets and music. the lead actors Zee and NuNew continue to have compelling chemistry.It is more than a BL combining romance with action, political intrigue and leavened with humor. The fight scenes in Episode 2 are even better than the first episode. Zee is convincing in his role as stoic guard, Charan and also amusing as Charan grapples with his attraction to his bratty charge. NuNew also has a role different from previously. His demeanor as a somewhat spoiled London boy overwhelmed by the sudden changes to his life sets up the character Kanin to meet challenges ahead. I often fast forward on BL dramas, but for this one I didn’t want to miss a minute and am rewatching before the next episode. Aside from the lead actors, other members of the cast are also excellent in their roles, in particular the actor who plays the foster father and the friend who helps them escape. There are a few quibbles such as awkward product placement and unconvincing London setting. but not enough to seriously distract from an overall compelling drama. Beautiful sets, actors, music and costumes. Romance, action and humor make this a must see.

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⚠️ Warning: Fans might not like this. - Episode 1

⚠️ Warning: Fans might not like this.
What follows is a critical assessment of the first episode of The Next Prince. If you're a die-hard fan or expecting praise, consider this your fair notice.
Read on at your own risk.
*Episode 1*
1. It isn't a good idea to start a big series with montages of this type.
2. This really doesn’t help the audience immerse themselves in the story, right? Throwing a bunch of scenes without actually emotionally connecting people to it—no matter if what you're showing makes sense or not—doesn't work.
3. Just throw in faces of overly hormonal girls who are gonna end up with whom, before they realise they are not connected to character A in the first place. Mix gently, do not tilt, or spiders are gonna fall off of it.
4. Action scenes… that are pointless, where the most action comes from the cameraman (kudos to the cameraman, though) and the editor. Not even gonna refer to the boring modern fencing stuff. From a dramatic perspective, it is done badly.
5. Well, for such a long wait and for such an expensive drama, why not mention they did a poor job cutting the filler takes on the compass? The same goes for tension/mystery—they really tried hard, but you can learn to do that correctly only if not every answer you have for everything is a comic relief… (this one is a stab at all Thai series, not only The Next Prince.)
6. Overdramatize. Just close your eyes and stretch it as much as possible. Because that is a solution. Poor audience waiting for years for such a result. The first episode is a failure—maybe because of the obviously big production. Nothing about it is done smartly to make you want to continue watching, sadly. It is still as bland as Mandee Channel gets with their latest projects. So Cutie Pie still stands as their best series of all they’ve made.
7. A bunch of tropes thrown into the same spot—unfortunately in this case all in episode one, in the first half—will not make your series good. On the contrary. (Don’t get me wrong, by the way—without a doubt, there are gonna be many fans who will make sure this series doesn't drown. Unfortunately for all the parties involved—the company, the fans, and the series with these actors.)
8. Doing promo in such an obvious way for the food you sell elsewhere in the first episode is also not the brightest idea. Why not invite Engfa to chew it for you there? Would drag more people to watch it anyway.
9. I can’t say I am impressed with you using the training stick to get your actors to even get close for the first kiss on screen in this series either. I always feel bad seeing it in series. I wonder why you used it here, if it is such a big project.
10. You do not know how to work with a pause. Learn it—then you don’t have to overuse filler (and crap).
11. Even if I omit everything I said—which I won’t—for a first episode it is incredibly stuffed. Too stuffed for it to ever shine.
12. Oh, and in the next lifetime, can you please stop blurring the paintings and backgrounds and be more mindful about angles? You’ve learned how to move the camera—bravo—but don’t make goblins out of humans, thank you.
If it is done for 14-year-old girls, it can still hold some power, I guess. At least for some of them. If we compare it with other Thai BL series, it ranks somewhere around the worse end of the middle in quality.
I sincerely hope I will be able to give praise from now on, but as I doubt it, I guess there are only going to be a few points here and there this story can collect in the 4? months to follow. And as I have it on good authority, even the original work is bad… Well, that’s that. Still, pity the wait.

approx: 1/10

*Episode 2*

Ahhh, finally, I finished watching episode two. 😫

In Episode 1, I honestly didn’t think the series could survive on 3.5 potentially decent minutes—especially when both scenes were copy-pasted from other films. One from underage romance tropes, the other from adult real-life dramas—randomly stitched together.
I doubted the series could make it.
What I didn’t doubt is humanity’s endless need for therapy (and for good taste), but let’s talk about that another time.

Now, in Episode 2… they’ve shown that they might still have the potential to return to the level the company had in 2022. Overall, if you survive the first ~25 minutes (you are a hero), you will finally land somewhere… better. (Namely, the first 4 minutes are just plain horrible—only looking good visually in terms of production. Sadly, they messed up the first segment of the plane scene logically; it could have been good and nice, instead of just… nice. And don’t get me started on the idiotic fight scenes again.)

There’s more to work with here. That said, the main issues remain:

a) Characters are still not emotionally connecting to the audience. Instead of building those bridges, the story just skips ahead without foundation.

b) It’s still bland and boring.

c) It’s still illogical.

d) It is still indigestible—the toxic level of unnecessary overdramatization.

e) Characters do illogical things, and the narrative just pushes them together for the sake of pushing them together—disregarding how human beings actually act in such situations (if the situations ever happened like that).

f) The main narrative between the two leads is unwatchable and unengaging. (Though Jimmy… you managed to mess up his parts too, but we are glad to see him back.)

But: redeeming qualities are back—finally—in the form of the sweet side narrative! Looking for a needle in a haystack, it is, but finally, at least that. We got there. Yay, I guess?

In conclusion:
Unlike Episode 1, Episode 2 actually offered something interesting. And for me, interesting > well-done or beautiful. So yes, I’m improving the rating based on this episode.
And I suggest you pay close attention to what I’m saying.

I didn’t blame the actors for most of the issues in Episode 1—because much of it likely wasn’t their fault. They were either directed to act that way or were working with what they were given.
However, I won’t turn a blind eye to the shortcomings of such an expensive project that took so long to execute. It’s in my best interest for future episodes to at least meet Episode 2’s standard—or go beyond it.

Still, it’s not to my disadvantage if the series continues to decline—because either way, it becomes a learning material for me.
So no—I’m not afraid of giving lower or higher ratings, depending on the quality I see.
Again, I benefit either way.

Pain N°1: This is probably going to be considered one of the better or best series of this year.
Why?
A1: Production.
A2: Fanbase.
A3: Lack of better projects.

Does it make this series one of the best? No.
Is it going to be enough? Yes.
In the department of kink and preferences, is it going to stand out (royal topic)? I fear yes, it will—and for quite some time.
Is it going to be trash from hindsight once better projects with this kink/preference/topic come out? I don’t predict so.

approx 7/10

*Episode 3*

In episode three, we repeatedly run into the same problems we've had since episode one.

Pain No. 2: The very degrading CGI everywhere is overwhelmingly annoying. It is indeed starting to become part of the bigger problem of this series. That high production value and choice of actors — that sheen — often mask what is essentially still a cheap, predictable, tropey, hollow political drama that tries to resemble Western royal dramas, without the socio-cultural weight, seriousness, and taste in design (or in drama).
The plot relies too heavily on bits and pieces of fan-service tropes and clichés, calculating drama rather than earning emotional arcs. Attempts at gravitas buckle under the weight of melodramatic scenes. Yet, where the real drama stands and could have a serious adult impact, we conveniently (and probably in tune with attention-lacking and memory-less writers, audience, and readers) skip it.
Shortcuts are our strengths, so mix Khanin’s non-existent royal awakening with a little spicy scene, while making the political intrigue meaningless.

Pain No. 3: Nunew's new colour. I just remembered my disagreement with this choice from before, when I saw him standing beside the ugly yellow curtain. EVERYTHING HERE is ugly yellow-orange. I would change my colour immediately after this scene back to the original.

Pain No. 4: Difference between a flag and a crest, please? Anyways, really? Not even trying to hide the roots of this?

Pain No. 5: Where cheapness again shows its horns is in the editing and camera work. This abundantly expensive project is supposed to be visually striking, and while I can't complain about the camera work in general or the wide shots, it embarrassingly struggles with close-ups and details.

+1* for the scenes and acting this time, -4* for... well, the design.

Side Dish: I must say, I’ve reflected on how people tend to criticize Zee’s performances and perceive him as someone who acts woodenly. On the other hand, NuNew is often admired for his expressive abilities. Well, we’ll discuss that later.

As someone who can recognize these nuances, I can confirm that Zee is often typecast into cold, reserved, unapproachable, aloof, stiff, and “wooden” (adult) roles—especially since working with Domundi. I understand that younger audiences, or those who aren’t particularly interested in acting, might interpret these as signs of stiffness or poor acting in general—whether they think it’s because he can’t act better (which he can) or because he’s being chosen for these roles precisely because the creators know he can’t act anything else better. I have seen him do more, so it’s either intentional or there’s another issue we won’t solve here and now by talking about it. However, I’ve seen some of his performances, and in terms of expression—he is actually very expressive. Personally, I don’t consider him a wooden actor at all. But let’s dissect this:

Facial Expression (Mimicry)
Zee is not stiff in this department. He is very expressive, particularly through his eyes.

Gestures and Physical Expression
Here, I could agree more—Zee can appear stiff. But really, this might just be due to his height. Many tall people who grew quickly tend to be more aware of their surroundings and therefore may not move as smoothly. Another factor that doesn’t help with elegance and smoothness in movement is… well, weightlifting and all the heavy training stuff. Just saying.

Intonation and Voice Work
Monotonous or unconvincing intonation... the delivery sometimes sounds like memorized text without genuine emotion. This is 50/50. I struggle with this issue in almost every actor from Thailand. They tend to be either overly emotional or entirely flat—both extremes are problematic. So yes, you might accuse Zee of that, and I could say the same about NuNew. Just because they’re on opposite ends of the spectrum doesn’t mean it isn’t the same issue. In fact, this applies to every Thai series... every actor. Send me examples of older Thai actors you think are strong in voice expression—I’ll thank you later.

Reacting to Other Actors
Because he appears wooden in other aspects, Zee often comes across as calm, composed, and attentive to others’ performances. So I’d say he reacts well and listens actively—or at least appears to do so. For this specific role, and his type of roles with NuNew in general, that works quite well.

Role Context and Direction
Here lies the greatest sin: poor direction, weak scripts, and characters that lack conflict and depth—roles pushed onto him rather than chosen (all are just possible examples)—are more to blame than any lack of acting skill. If a character isn’t well-developed or is designed only to make others look better, the actor isn’t given much to work with. In short, there might be a problem in the way he is being directed.
For these reasons, I don’t view Zee’s performances as stiff or wooden. But depending on what you focus on when evaluating acting, you might interpret it differently.

On the other hand, the widespread admiration for NuNew—while I understand your appreciation and acknowledge his likable personality in today’s Thai entertainment scene—isn’t, in my opinion, solid proof of high-quality or non-wooden acting. The fact that he’s often cast in feminine, tearful, hysterical, or overly emotional roles (which almost always end in crying as a form of - non+intentional - manipulation) speaks more to the limited imagination of the creators than to his actual range. Again—typecasting. The fact that one actor repeatedly gets a certain type of role and another gets a different type (and yes, these two are complementary together) doesn’t reflect their talent—or lack thereof—but instead reveals the uncreative thinking of creators obsessed with preserving the formula for financial success. It says nothing about what these actors are truly capable of.

That being said, I’m not criticizing NuNew the singer, the person—or even NuNew the performer, not here, not yet. But I do suggest that you stop crying along with him (God knows every Thai model trained for three months to act is a professional weeper—because it works, especially with... well, large audiences), and start to see behind the veil: is all this actually a sign of good acting? Is the crying even necessary? Or is it just something redundant done to cover other shortcomings with loud, hysterical, and over-the-top bouts of petulance/stubbornness?


approx 6/10

*Episode 4: Part One*
OK, side note, and I can't stress this enough. There is not a universe where you can promote this series as not a musical and not make it look incredibly cheap starting an episode like this. You can either promote it as a musical—or a heavily music-influenced movie/series, where you search specifically for those reasons a singer as MML—or you don't do this at all.

---- ok, because limits, the rest goes to review for the episode, maybe i will clean this all up after final episode, who knows -----

*Episode 4: Part Two*

aprox ?/10

ep.1 1/10
ep.2 7/10
ep.3 6/10
ep.4 4/10
ep.5 3/10
ep.6 3/10
ep. 7 3/10


current avr: 3.86/10

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It’s completely different from any bl thai drama

Everything from the cinematography, characters, action scenes and story line was curated in detail and depth. The quality is amazing, the introduction of the plot and characters spot on. Really enjoyed watching despite being the first episode and a large part of it was dedicated to above mentioned introductions. The budget is clearly big and they used it wisely. An orchestra for the music and manually crafted props ( rooms, paintings, statues…). The acting is on point too. All in all I cannot wait for the rest, the cliffhanger was perfect too. Did I mentioned the fighting scenes? Because those too were chef’s kiss.

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The Power of a Kiss

With a rider on a white horse arriving at the Royal Palace in Davin City, 'The Next Prince' opens with a dizzying premise and has the audacity to succeed.
The plot is as follows: Since being appointed captain of the Royal Guard, Charan Phithakdheva's (Zee Pruk Panich) life has focused solely on duties, which he gallantly performs after laying down the brush with which he paints beautiful paintings. This includes secretly flying from Emmaly to London to find and bring back Khanin (NuNew Chawarin Perdpiriyawong), one of the heirs to the throne of a kingdom ruled by a monarchy divided into four regions and leaders.
However, Khanin is unaware of his origins as a member of the Atsawathewathin Royal Family, belonging to one of the regions that divide Emmaly. After his mother's assassination, his grandfather, King Thipokbowon (Nhing Nirut Sirijanya), decided to protect him by sending him outside the kingdom's borders. He must return to comply with the law that requires a new successor to be chosen periodically, and therefore the heirs must compete to win the throne for their families. According to royal law, since reigns are not for life, the father of the winning heir becomes the new king of Emmaly.
The story shows how love can blossom between a crown prince and a subject, someone who, precisely, must protect him and bring him back to his homeland.
'The Next Prince' is the third BL series in which Zee and NuNew have acted together, following their successful debut as a couple in 'Cutie Pie' and its special episodes 'Cutie Pie 2 You', and in 'Naughty Babe' in 2023. Both directed by Aoftion Kittipat Champa, who here makes us cheer on the daring couple's transition from strangers to lovers, from crown prince to subject, with the support of cinematographer Sarawut Chuparkpanich, who photographs the protagonists with such adoration that you almost expect them to turn to the camera and offer a bottle of cologne.
Additionally, Zee and NuNew starred in the 2023 horror romance film 'After Sundown'.
Based on the novel of the same name by CEO. ft. ENNICE features some familiar names in the cast of this series, which blends equal parts action, drama, and romance, many of them in supporting roles. These include Tom Phollawat Manuprasert as Prince Tharin, Khanin's father; and Saksit Tangthong, who plays Thatdanai Keerakul, the man who, following the king's instructions, brought the heir to the throne to Great Britain to educate and raise the young man as if he were his own son.
Instead, the two lead actors, winners of major awards in 2022, including the "Y Universe Award for Best Leading Actor", the "Shining Star of the Year" Award, and "Most Outstanding Artists" at the Kazz Awards for their participation in the BL series "Cutie Pie", are at the center of attention, and both are undoubtedly seductive, both individually and as a couple. Basically, the chemistry between the two is also good, so a receptive audience in this regard has much to talk about and dream about.
It will be extraordinary when the captain of the Royal Guard and the crown prince become lovers. And while this happens later, what is clear to the audience is that when the two kiss while playing a game at a party —unbeknownst to Khanin, according to an Emmaly legend, when one person kisses another it is considered a promise of love with that person— you know they are meant for each other, even if they themselves don't know it. It doesn't take much to understand that.
Within minutes of the first episode, these two very different people have become two people who desire each other; after that, there's talk of a great love. This can also make you dream.
Produced by Domundi and Mandee Work, with the initial situation (two young people, one destined to be the heir to the throne of Emmaly and the other the person who must protect him from those seeking to assassinate him and, with his death, prevent the Royal Family of Atsawathewathin from remaining on the throne for any longer), 'The Next Prince' already has all BL romance fans in the palm of their hand. A more forbidden love can hardly be imagined.
With a script by Jungjing Wanna Kortunyavat ('After Sundown'), directors Aoftion Kittipat Jampa and Den Panuwat Inthawat ('War of Y') almost manage to square the circle of romantic dramas. Strange, diverse, and charming, just like its two highly engaging protagonists, this romantic series about a nonexistent kingdom impresses with its clever staging and is particularly notable for its wit, lively dialogue, and combat action.
The two directors keep "The Next Prince" in a solidly fantastical space. You never believe anything you're seeing, from the inability of a skilled fencer to defend himself against a knife-wielding assassin, to the fact that someone so well-informed about Emmaly's history, culture, and traditions is unaware of the legend of that kingdom's kiss. And yet, like a summer read, it's easy to understand and has enough wit and insight to rise above many mediocre BL films.
I'll return to the review later.

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NuNew, a Rare Gem?

I’m overwhelmed with so many emotions, especially when it comes to NuNew’s scenes. His acting feels so raw and natural—it doesn’t feel like he’s playing a role, but rather living the character. I can truly feel every layer of his performance: the sincerity in his eyes, the weight of his pain, the purity of his joy. It’s captivating. He makes every moment feel personal, and that’s such a rare gift in an actor.

I’m incredibly excited to dive deeper into his world. I can’t wait to truly meet Prince Khanin and understand what drives him. At the same time, Kenneth will always hold a special place in my heart—his charm, vulnerability, and warmth are unforgettable.

NuNew has this quiet power to make you feel seen through his characters, and that’s what keeps me coming back, again and again.

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Resenha

Amei, de verdade. Foi um daqueles BLs que me prenderam do começo ao fim, mesmo com algumas falhas aqui e ali. O casal principal é tudo pra mim, tem uma química muito boa e aqueles momentos fofos que fazem a gente sorrir feito boba. Achei que construíram bem a história dos dois, e mesmo que algumas coisas pudessem ter sido melhor desenvolvidas, nada me tirou do clima da série.

O que mais gostei foi como eles conseguiram equilibrar os momentos leves com um pouco de drama, mas sem pesar demais. Era divertido, gostoso de assistir, dava vontade de maratonar. Teve partes que me deixaram ansiosa, torcendo muito pra que tudo desse certo entre eles. E mesmo com os defeitinhos, ainda assim senti que o casal foi carismático o suficiente pra carregar tudo.

Recomendo muito pra quem curte BL, especialmente se você gosta de casais com química e histórias que não tentam ser muito mirabolantes, mas ainda assim aquecem o coração.

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Royalement décevant...

Les décors, la photographie et les costumes sont de qualité, mais pour le reste… L'histoire est un pétard mouillé, reléguant la plupart des intrigues au second plan, sauf si elles servent le couple principal. Côté romance, il est clair que l'histoire n'a jamais été pensée pour trois couples, je doute même qu'elle ait été correctement pensée pour deux couples, c'est dire ! Si le premier épisode a présenté un univers innovant et rafraîchissant, amenant avec lui de belles promesses, ces dernières n'ont pas été tenues.

Khanin (NuNew Chawarin Perdpiriyawong) et Charan (Zee Pruk Panich) sont les personnages principaux, personne ne va l'oublier. Si cela devait être le cas, le scénario se chargera de les replacer au centre de l'intrigue. On ne sait jamais, au cas où on aurait plus d'intérêt pour d'autres personnages… Pour moi, le duo formé par NuNew et Zee illustre parfaitement le problème que peut devenir un pairing au bout d'un moment. Si le culte (incompréhensible (selon moi)) autour d'eux est déjà une épine dans le pied, ça biaise également le reste. Ils ne sont plus un couple de personnages, à la place, ils sont une paire fictive qui ne laisse aucune surprise quant aux rôles qu'ils pourraient incarner. NuNew sera le mignon au sourire niais, tandis que Zee sera le preux chevalier prêt à tout pour sauver son bien-aimé. J'ai fini par avoir l'impression de regarder Cutie Pie, version royale. Le problème, c'est aussi qu'ils stagnent dans leur jeu, donnant presque l'impression de ne pas savoir jouer autre chose. Notamment NuNew qui semble avoir régressé ici.

Le deuxième couple, Ramil (Jimmy Karn Kritsanaphan) et Paytai (Ohm Thanakrit Chiamchunya), avait une idée de base intéressante (cela l'est davantage compte tenu que ces pratiques sont peu (voir pas) explorées sur grand ou petit écran). Pourtant, la mise en scène et l'atmosphère étaient artificielles. De ce que j'ai vu dans les commentaires, le roman est diamétralement opposé les concernant, et c'est regrettable de voir un tel gâchis. Si Jimmy et Ohm savent jouer, il est clair que le fil conducteur de leur relation était beaucoup trop survolé et médiocre dans son scénario pour donner matière à y croire et s'impliquer. Les ayant déjà vu dans d'autres projets, il me paraît évident que les personnages ont été mal écrits et dirigés.

Pour finir par le troisième couple, Calvin (Net Siraphop Manithikhun) et Jay (JJ Radchapon Phornpinit) qui a été négligé de la pire des façons. Leur arc est si faible que si le scénario avait mis encore moins de bonne volonté, Calvin et Jay ne seraient pas là. Le manque de soin dans l'histoire de ce couple est une insulte pour les deux acteurs, leurs fans et les spectateurs. Alors qu'en se posant une seconde, ce couple avait de quoi prendre le dessus sur absolument tout le monde en termes d'intrigue. L'identité cachée de Calvin était du pain béni pour qui le voulait. Est-ce que le scénario a fait le moindre effort ? Non. Personnellement, j'attends de découvrir ce duo depuis un moment, mais il est évident que The Next Prince ne leur fait ni honneur, ni justice. J'étais désolée et contrariée pour eux chaque semaine.

Je ne comprends pas comment un univers aussi riche peut livrer un scénario si creux. La royauté fait rêver. C'est un monde qui représente la beauté, l'élégance et le raffinement. Pourtant, on ne trouve pas grand-chose. Bien que les décors soient de bonnes factures (ainsi que quelques costumes), les personnages et l'intrigue finissent par ternir l'ensemble. La première partie était intéressante puis tout s'est effondré après quelques épisodes. L'histoire n'a été qu'un bruit de fond entre petites manigances politiques, rikiki révoltes des classes sociales, tentatives d'amours interdits (mais pas trop non plus) et un couple principal ennuyeux.

Finalement, je n'attendais que de voir Net, JJ et Kris, revenant que pour eux trois et jouant de l'accélération le reste du temps. Et même sur ce point, je ne suis pas satisfaite. De mon point de vue, ce drama peut plaire si vous êtes un(e) fervent(e) fan du pairing principal. Pour le reste… Cela faisait un moment qu'un drama ne m'avait pas autant contrarié. Est-il mauvais ? Non. Certaines choses valent le détour, ne serait-ce que visuellement. Est-il ennuyeux ? Oui. J'en attendais trop, mes espoirs étaient trop grands.

Oh, et les deux dernières scènes sont probablement les pires choix à faire, mais ils l'ont fait !

En bref, The Next Prince n'est qu'une tombée de paillettes aveuglantes qui ne sert qu'à mettre en scène les favoris de Mandee, reléguant les autres personnages au rang de faire-valoir dans une histoire sans grand intérêt, malgré son potentiel d'origine.

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