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Great concepts, could've been a great show
The Next Prince has all the ingredients for a gripping royal drama. I love the modern royal setting, and there’s a great cast of characters with the potential for real depth. While the series shines in visuals and moments of strong storytelling, the writing doesn’t quite deliver on its promise.What stands out most is the cinematography. The show looks absolutely gorgeous, with stunning sets, locations, costumes, and props. The pilot introduced Khanin’s character well and set up some great stakes. Most of the acting is solid, too. Story-wise, one of the strongest moments for me was the reveal of Wasin’s betrayal and his reasoning behind it. It was a little predictable, but it made sense and added layers to why every region was complicit in the events, making his actions more understandable. I also enjoyed the political side of the series, which gave Emmaly more realism and complexity.
The most powerful scene for me came during Ramil and Paitay’s NC moment, where Ramil, whip in hand, is about to strike but stops as he remembers his father’s abuse. That hesitation spoke volumes about his character without a single line of dialogue. That was proof for me that the series is capable of incredible storytelling.
Unfortunately, much of the writing doesn’t give its characters or conflicts the weight they deserve. For a story that’s supposed to follow Khanin, we get surprisingly little of his personal journey. After the pilot—where he meets Charan, learns the man who raised him isn’t his biological father, survives an assassination attempt, and watches his father “die”—a few episodes later, he’s dancing like none of it happened. We rarely see how these events affect him or how he struggles to adapt to his life in the palace.
Instead, the series leans heavily on Charan and Khanin’s relationship. While that focus makes sense given the popularity of the pairing, it could have been balanced with Khanin’s inner journey. Once he’s in the palace, the stakes all but vanish. He’s not fighting for his own title, but for his biological father’s. Even if he fails, nothing will really happen to him. Ironically, Ramil has more at stake than the main character.
Performance-wise, Nunew stood out as Khanin, and Zee did well with the material he was given, though I wish Charan had a bigger personal storyline. Jimmy and Ohm delivered solid performances, and I enjoyed Net and JJ despite their underdeveloped characters.
Many storylines feel rushed, underdeveloped, or abandoned entirely, but despite these flaws, I still enjoyed the series. For its production value, strong performances, and flashes of excellent storytelling, I’m giving The Next Prince a 6/10. I understand why it didn’t work for some viewers, but if you’re curious, it’s worth a try. Just don’t expect all the potential to be fulfilled.
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They (mostly) stuck the landing!
Khemjira just wrapped up its final episode yesterday, and honestly, I think it’s one of the best shows Domundi has put out. Unlike many of their previous productions, Khemjira stands out for its strong writing and clear storytelling focus. Instead of trying to cater to fan service or BL shippers, the show prioritizes its narrative and characters—and that makes all the difference. It doesn’t feel like a “typical” BL show; it feels like a show that knew exactly what it wanted to say and how to get there.I don’t want to make this about comparing it to The Next Prince, even though they share the same director, but the contrast is undeniable. The Next Prince felt grand and polished, but its main characters were too flawless to be interesting. Khemjira, on the other hand, invests deeply in its characters and story rather than surface-level aesthetics. That’s the key to what makes it so good—it’s grounded, emotionally resonant, and character-driven. It's not perfect. There are some flaws here and there with the pacing, but it's very impressive nonetheless.
It might not be everyone's cup of tea, but it sure is mine. The OST for this show is also stunning, and the cinematography was as beautiful as always. Mandee knows how to make beautiful-looking shows.
If I had to nitpick, I’d say the ending dragged a little and the tone shifted from the rest of the series. I wish it had been shorter, so we could really focus on the aftermath of everything that happened. The climax also felt slightly anticlimactic; I was hoping for a bigger payoff. Especially since the build-up was really good. Still, it did justice to Ramphueng's arc. I really appreciate that the show didn’t go for an easy redemption or simple forgiveness for her. Instead, it acknowledged her pain and grief without erasing her wrongs.
Overall, Khemjira is a refreshing change of pace—a show that proves good storytelling will always outshine fan pandering and flashy production.
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A nice effort
Let me start by saying that the production value and cinematography are incredible. Zomvivor looks amazing, and that deserves to be praised. The effects and zombie makeup are also top-notch.The thing with zombie shows is that the zombies themselves aren’t usually the most interesting part. Sure, you can add some twists — as this show tries to do by asking whether the person is still “in there” — but in the end, they still behave like the zombies we’ve all seen before. What makes a zombie story compelling, at least for me, is how the living react: how they handle the situation, their dynamics with one another, and whether they’ll find a way out. Unfortunately, Zomvivor doesn’t spend enough time on those relationships before everything goes to hell, and that’s where it falls short.
It’s the same problem I had with All of Us Are Dead (which I admittedly haven’t finished, so maybe I’m missing something). That show throws you straight into the outbreak and the horrors the students face. People die, and it’s tragic, but not because we care about them. We barely know who they are or how they relate to each other. Zomvivor has that same issue. We’re told that Jean and Poa are like brothers because they grew up in the same orphanage, but the show never shows it. We’re told that San and Ning are dating, yet there’s zero romantic chemistry between them.
The one moment that really worked for me was when Ning looked around the room and saw Lily and Win holding hands, comforting each other; Thi and Thorn sleeping side by side as brothers; and Ning herself holding Non in her lap. That scene captured real warmth and connection.
I understand why the creators chose to throw us right into the chaos. It’s a refreshing change from the usual zombie formula, where everything starts before the outbreak. But personally, I prefer beginning before the fall. It gives us time to understand who these people are and why we should care when things go wrong.
Now, about the characters. First, all the actors gave strong performances. Whether I liked their characters or not, they did justice to the material. I especially want to praise Jimmy, Nat, Janis, Boss, and Tommy. I don’t have time to discuss everyone, so I’ll focus on the ones that stood out, for better or worse.
Poa is, to me, the most interesting of all of them. He doesn't get a lot of screentime, and his story arc needed a lot more depth, but this is how I interpreted the character. Ever since his whole family died in a tsunami, he's been living with this survivor's guilt that has caused severe depression, which has to medicate. Lately, he had been doing a lot better and had gotten off the medication, until the outbreak happened. Seeing people die right in front of him while he couldn't save them triggered that survivor's guilt and depression again, leading him to slowly lose himself and bring others down with him. He definitely got on my nerves a lot, but his character is fascinating. But this is how I interpret him. The show doesn't actually say this out loud. It doesn't have the time to develop him, which is such a shame.
Nat really surprised me. I wasn’t fully convinced by his acting in past projects, but he was fantastic here. I loved Night’s character and Nat’s performance, even if Night didn’t get enough focus in the main storyline.
As for the cheerleader squad, I found them ridiculous and unnecessary. I adore the actors, but their subplot was too silly to take seriously, though I suppose they’re there to lighten the tone once in a while.
And don’t even get me started on the whole San-Non-Ning situation. That’s a conversation for another day
Overall, I’m genuinely excited for a potential season 2. There are interesting storylines in motion, and I hope the writers take the time to invest in their characters, not necessarily through big arcs for everyone, the cast is too large for that, but through small, meaningful moments like the one I mentioned earlier. Those details go a long way.
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