‘The Princess Royal’ Netflix Series Review - Pretty Enjoyable

As far as opening scenes go, the one in The Princess Royal feels so rushed and so complicated that you immediately become disoriented. Characters' names and designations keep popping up so quickly that I spent the first two or three minutes madly writing down these details. After a while, I threw my hands up in the air - there were just too many names. Thankfully, the faces slowly become familiar, and you start recognizing everyone in the frame. Moreover, while watching the first five episodes, you only need to remember three names - Li Rong (Zhao Jin Mai), Pei Wenxuan (Zhang Ling He), and Su Rongqing (Chen He Yi). Wenxuan and Rong are married, but when we are introduced to them, she looks as weak as their marriage. Whatever romance was there between them, it all seems to have evaporated. Rong, instead, likes Rongqing and is merely waiting for the divorce to happen. However, Rong and Wenxuan soon meet their makers. She thinks he is poisoning her, so she orders Rongqing to kill him. As soon as the news of Wenxuan's death reaches Rong's ears, she, too, perishes. The End.

That's precisely what Rong must have thought while closing her eyes to depart for heaven. But life has other plans. She wakes up as an 18-year-old princess - healthy, unmarried, and with memories of everything that she experienced before her death. Rong, basically, time travels. Or does God want to give Rong and Wenxuan a second chance to fix their romance? The logic of this development doesn't bother you very much. You don't care how Rong and Wenxuan arrive in the past - you simply accept their fate. Why? Because what the characters do with all the knowledge seems more interesting than pondering over the logic of time travel or whatever. Rong and Wenxuan know who their enemy is and who is their friend. They also know what happens with the people around them - how they die or what schemes they apply to gain an advantage over their rivals. It's such a fascinating situation. Rong and Wenxuan automatically become smarter than other characters, though this doesn't eliminate suspense. It's pleasurable to see what the characters do to manipulate events to their advantage. And with their interference, it would be interesting to see how certain incidents in the future will be altered.

Apart from the political planning, there is much fun to be had in Rong and Wenxuan's bickering. They meet each other in the past (or call it present) with hostile memories, giving Rong every reason to humiliate Wenxuan in front of everybody. For instance, she doesn't say "stop" when the hibiscus comes near Wenxuan during a game where Rong's suitors must drink from it and show their talent to impress the princess. It's a nice, amusing ritual. Despite all the bitterness, it becomes evident that Rong and Wenxuan still have feelings for each other. This gives rise to what I call the "aww" moments. Rong tells a servant to offer Wenxuan a cloak and an itching medicine after forcing him to eat something that leads to allergic reactions. Wenxuan gives Rong his coat when he sees her shivering, and he leans on her outside the courtroom to rest for a while. I can imagine the audience responding warmly to these situations, as well as this couple. They are appealing because they are played by Jin Mai and Ling He. Their beautiful faces and cute expressions will work their magic on the couples in the audience and teenagers. The show is pleasing to look at, thanks to the wonderful costumes and sets. And the story has enough meat and lovely events to keep you invested. The Princess Royal is pretty enjoyable.

Final Score- [7/10]
Reviewed by - Vikas Yadav
Follow @vikasonorous on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times