We cut through the dangerously thick brambles of a magical forest to discover Gimlet Media’s podcast series The Two Princes directed by Mimi O’Donnell—enchanting all listeners into a family-friendly and LGBTQIA+ inclusive story.
With three seasons and an upcoming 60-minute animated adaptation on the horizon, The Two Princes is a podcast series that follows two princes on their journey to save the land from the dangerous forest that threatens their kingdoms’ lives. In the midst of fights between West and East kingdoms, these princes must find a way to break a curse they were destined to encounter head on.
Trimming it down
Although they started off as enemies, through thick and thin, our protagonists Prince Rupert (Noah Galvin) and Prince Amir (Ari’el Stachel) find warmth in each other’s company. These two will slay monsters and defy prophecies, yet still find time to play around at a nearby lake for some fun and a smidge of a possible romance.
While our two protagonists are as wholesome as they are young, the world is set with stakes made by the greed of those that came before. As years pass by, both West and East kingdoms see the threat of the forest initiating fights, breaking into peaceful lands, pushing both Rupert and Amir to act fast.
The first season was a perfect launching pad for the entire series. Larger-than-life characters, heart-pumping tension, and the sweetest moments among Rupert, Amir, and the colorful cast set up a world and a story worth binging.
What’s true is true
What’s next for the series doesn’t only show how entertaining it can be but how deep and grounded the very essence of The Two Princes really is. Mirroring actual events that sparked controversy around fair treatment of the LGBTQIA+ community, the series takes a progression into taking the message one step further.
Despite already being prominent in the first episodes, Joan (Samira Wiley) and Lady Cecily (Mandi Masden) bloom into another romance for us to root for. While Rupert and Amir attend to most of the adventures, Joan and Cecily find themselves tackling blatant homophobia around the kingdom, a tough yet appreciated topic to listen to.
As the world finds itself establishing the realities of being LGBTQIA+ in lighter ways for the family to digest, more antagonists show up and tensions are brewing ever so slowly. The ending, though near in sight, is a well-deserved hearty meal after two seasons of build up.
What makes the heart sing?
A new antagonist, however, approaches with cheers, the hopeless romantic Prince Darling (Wesley Taylor) fawns over Prince Rupert while bigger storms crack lightning at a distance. Spanning across three seasons, The Two Princes roots deep into the show’s message–paired with eleven new songs.
With a cast composed of talented Broadway actors, it isn’t a surprise to have musical sequences this good. Each character has a charm to their songs even when it's sung by antagonists. Each song was perfectly written and composed, may they make us want to blush with affection or chuckle at the silly lyrics.
At this point, it seemed as if the show was pulling out all the tricks it had under its sleeve. With the third season being its finale, The Two Princes broke the curse and made it known that love can be the answer to world-threatening problems—all of this landing with a perfect ending to an amazing series.
Fortunately, The Two Princes isn’t going anywhere, as a 60-minute animated adaptation will premiere on HBO Max sometime soon.
Catch up with the entire podcast series of The Two Princes on Spotify or on Gimlet Media’s website.
