‘The Next Prince’ Netflix Series Review - A Visually Impressive but Uneven Royal Drama

The Next Prince has to be one of the most ambitious dramas I have watched in a while. Combining politics, forbidden love, and action, the plot focuses on the life of Prince Khanin and his love life with Charan. Prince Khanin, a university student, lives a normal life in London until he suddenly discovers that he is the heir to the kingdom of Emmaly. His peaceful life is shattered when Charan, a royal guard, arrives to escort him back to the kingdom. As Khanin reluctantly prepares to accept his fate, the duo becomes entangled in a dangerous succession battle filled with political conspiracies, assassination attempts, and the discovery of family secrets. Amidst all this, Prince Khanin and Charan develop a bond grounded in safety and love.

As I already mentioned, the show is a bit ambitious. And it tries its best to give us a romance that feels unique. Largely, yes, the makers have succeeded. However, the issue is that the plot is too predictable. The twists and turns are there, but not in the way one expects them to be. They don’t end up surprising you at all as and when they are revealed in the show. This makes the plot slightly bland when you watch it.

Another issue is the pacing of the show. The Next Prince moves at such a sluggish pace that it indeed ends up testing your patience when you are watching it. And no, the plot wasn’t the kind that required slow pacing. The makers could have made it a bit faster; however, they don’t do that. As a result, one might lose interest while watching it.

At some points, the plot is dragged unnecessarily. I didn’t understand that part either. They could have wrapped up certain scenes and certain other aspects of the plot faster than they did. Additionally, I felt that the character development is hardly there. Right from the first to the last episode, neither of the leads shows the kind of development that characters usually have. They feel just the same. Even the supporting characters, which could have been created well, don’t come out the way one expects them to. Their story arc feels highly unlisted. Some of the supporting characters are also not required, yet they are still here.  Maybe the writers of The Next Prince could have actually given some sort of layer to the characters. That would have made the show an intriguing watch.

But there are good things too. For example, the overall production and the scenes have been lavishly set up. They look stunning throughout the run time. You will be hooked on how beautiful everything looks in The Next Prince. Even the cast has done a great job in portraying their characters. Zee, as Charan, comes across as a devoted person, while NuNew, as Khanin, also delivers a solid performance as the coming-of-age prince. They are definitely the saving grace of the show. So while the overall show is heartfelt, there are some hiccups along the way of your viewing experience.

Final Score - [5/10]
Reviewed by - Neerja Ch
Follow @NeerjaCH on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times