U-Prince Series (Handsome Cowboy): Disappointing from Start to Finish

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Annoying is the best way to qualify this drama.

I love the cast as I have seen some of the shows they played in before but this show totally sucked. I am still not sure what was the purpose of the show was: Letting us know that cheating is alright if the person claims to love you?  Telling us that it’s alright for men (only) to cheat?

Although lakorns do perpetuate some misogynistic ideas, I was shocked to see this in U-Prince: Handsome Cowboy. I expected a light-hearted romantic comedy. That’s not what I got…

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If you ask me how I managed to get through all the episodes, I wouldn’t be able to tell you for sure. Maybe I was hoping to see the show end differently (second male lead syndrome) or I wanted to see how far the director would take the nonsense…

The show is about Sibtis, a university senior and handsome player of the faculty of agriculture, who crosses path with Prikkang, a DJ and junior at the same university. The lead couple’s first encounter is fresh in Sibtis mind. The only thing is that their college encounter is actually not their first. Sibtis just doesn’t remember Prikkang.  They used to be childhood friends until Sibtis went to study abroad for a few years.

At first, Prikkang is sad and hurt that Sibtis doesn’t remember her. Sometimes, I wish he would have not remembered her at all. It would have probably been better for Prikkang. That’s why they say be careful what you wish for!!! 

By the time Sibtis realizes who Prikkang is, he had already started hitting on her. The whole childhood friend part makes it only easier for him to make a move on her. Oh, let me add that Sibtis makes a bet with his friends that he would win Prikkang’s heart. Eh, so childish. 

So far, so good. This is your basic lakorn plot. Nothing outrageous and out of the ordinary. Viewers expect the male lead to be full of himself and terrible with only the female lead being able to make him change, blabla. But this show doesn’t take this course, and I would have never thought that I would complain about a director taking some initiative in DramaLand…

Rather than changing, Sibtis acts like a total nutcase. He is not only caught cheating once but twice! I was totally baffled when Prikkang decides to forgive him the first time but I thought I am sure this won’t happen again. It actually did and it was so much worst than the first time. Funny thing is that Sibtis found a way to justify his behavior. He claims that Prikkang and him are not dating but only talking …. Oh, he adds that it’s alright for him to act this way because he is a man…

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In addition, Sibtis is extremely possessive, verbally and physically abusive. I have seen this before in lakorns but I was a more shocked in this cae. This is not how they pitched the drama to viewers. I felt tricked and I guess I didn’t expect to have the same components of a slap-kiss lakorn. I expected this series to be something along the lines of Ugly Duckling: Perfect Match.

The ending also quickly tie loose ends to give us a failed fairy tale. The show is only 8 episodes long but the director could have done better. You just don’t build all that angst then proceed to suddenly turn Sibtis into a hero…

I recommend avoiding this show as much as possible unless you have a few hours to waste… The U-Prince Series has about 8-11 shows but I doubt that I will watch the others (maybe U-Prince Series: Hawk). I barely know some of the other actors so I don’t feel like committing.

 

 

22 thoughts on “U-Prince Series (Handsome Cowboy): Disappointing from Start to Finish

  1. I cannot agree more! I was baffled at how the story turned out and I didn’t manage to finish it. I also haven’t started any of the other U-Prince storylines for fear that they may mutate too. I’ve watched other slap-and-kisses too, but it shocked me too because is was so unexpected.

  2. I say “high five” on that.. I watched it because of Dj Push (I love his smile😸😻), and regretted watching it. How can cheating be justified?? And the ending was kind of rushed. I don’t know how a girl can forgive a guy who cheats on her time and again. Even if he takes a bullet for her like he did here, she should just thank him for saving her and then say good bye to him and leave. This story is a serious turn off as you said and very disappointing. I liked the lovely geologist though… the dinosaur outfits were cute!! 😸😻😻💜

    • OMG that’s what I thought too. Just because he saved your life doesn’t excuse his past behaviour. I do think that the director wanted to make the most of the cast (Esther and DJ Push seem to be really popular in Thailand) without thoroughly developing a good plot.

      • I think so too! I think they cast Esther and Dj Push to gain viewers for the U Prince Series. And the plot as you said, was underdeveloped. The plot and characters should have been researched in more depth.

      • I thought the character Push portrayed was that of an oxymoron. And the lead characters did not complement each other either. Even though the acting was okay, the direction and script were not good. And the characteristics of the male and female lead sadly lacked the touch of reality!!

  3. Even if he take the bullet for her it’s because of him she ended in this situation so she don’t have to thank anyone for that.
    But the other story are more better than this one except for the archéologue. The best for the is the Sexy bakers which never wear shirt at home

  4. I thought this was a straight up abusive relationship and it was so bad that the drama had make the lead risk his life for his lady to ‘deserve ‘ forgiveness. Sadly didn’t work for me, she should have run from him.

  5. I watched ugly duckling perfect match and totally fell in love with the funny storyline and the leads! So I was wondering if the uprince series wud be as good. Then I read all the comments and decided not to spoil my perception of the good guy image of Push :). I guess unless there’s a good storyline of push and one really good female lead I like only will I be into Thai dramas again.. (Sigh) I really really like him with mook in perfect Match and waiting patiently if this pair will reunite onscreen again someday;)

  6. I am getting mad in every minutes of the drama. i am very much angry with the plot because , no one will fall love again and again with a cheating. who is cheating this worst way. i just cant tolerate. 😡

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  8. I am late watching the series as I didn’t know about them until a few days ago when I saw videos on YouTube with every couples from the show and I wanted to watch them and I have to say yes it’s not right to cheat on her but the second time he didn’t intend to do it, pitta got in his head and seduced him even though he told her to go,she wanted that to happen because she want to hurt prikkang. He did try to change, so I don’t 100% blame him the second time he cheated on her I blame pitta she is such a bitch, she should of left him alone when he made his and Prikkang relationship public. Other than that I quite like the U-Prince series it’s kind of reminds me the drama in soaps like Corrie street, emmerdale, hollyoaks and Eastenders.

    • Because of your comment, I went ahead and re-watched some scenes of Handsome Cowboy 😂 . I still can’t stand the male lead. I agree when you say that Pitta got into his head, but he could have resisted and he didn’t. He also thought it was OK for him to cheat and be flirtatious, but not for Prikkang to do the same. I also found him possessive and borderline violent. Thank you for sharing your thoughts! We may not agree but we can still share our perspectives! If you like U-Series, you should keep checking GMM TV’s YouTube. The channel often has shows with english subtitles.

  9. Well, I disagree with your point of view.
    First, the prupose of this show is not, as you said and I use your words, to let us think that cheating is alright if the person claims to love you. Actually, the character of Hawk gave the answer : all men are players but when they find the ONE, they have to learn to stop hitting on other women. Contrary to you, I found the character of Sibtis interesting as it changes a lot with the usual player who stops hitting on women the second he has laid his eyes on the woman of his life ; it’s so common and so cliché ! Plus, cheating isn’t seen in a good way as it shows through the serie that because of this :
    1) you can lose the one you truly love
    2) you hurt women who can seek for revenge
    Also, I can understand how pertubing and shoking it is to see the misogynistic parts of the show (I’m from France ), but please keep in mind it’s an Asian show so it’s another culture and point of view of things. When it comes to Asian movies, dramas, series or shows, there’s always the presence of misogyny ; more or less. Culturally, in Asian countries, women are educated in a way to be, later, good wives : they have to be obedient, to know how to cook and be smart too, if she is pretty it’s a bonus. And also, they have to be prudish : you have probably noticed how light were the kisses in Asian tv shows.

    I have seen the 12 u prince series and I have been disappointed not with the stories but with other things that could be, according to me, be better.
    When I began the other series, I expected to see the other couples to play a role, but nothing. There’s sometimes the intervention of either some princes (most of the time) or the girls (less : in three series if I remember well). There are just some allusions about those other couples : sorry I have a date with… and that’s all. I wish each series were longer but most importantly deeper with the feelings of the characters and their stories.

    • Thank you for sharing your point of view! I have rewatched the show twice and Sibtis’ character was still not cutting it for me. Yes, cultural differences impact our judgment. However, I think this narrative of women forgiving men for their silly behaviors is too common. Sibtis was also passive aggressive/violent at times. That’s in addition to him cheating. Writing a significant number of posts about slap-kiss, I do not want my readers to think that I think such behavior is normal. Yes, I enjoy watching it but I still need to make it clear where I stand on certain issues. Again, thank you for stopping by and your comments are always welcome.

  10. I dont know how I end up watching this, its my first thai drama, and I am totally disappointed. After become a fan of Kdrama (boys over flowers was my first and it is awesome), I afraided I will become a fan of Thai drama too, but I am glad I am not gonna waste my time on Thai drama. I never ever in my entire life has watched a show or movie justifying cheating and male chauvinism this much. Whatever you said in the review is correct. I just wished the second male lead will get the girl, but unfortunately the creator must have thought ‘a man can do anything and can shamelessly justify his acts when he can accuse the woman for everything’.

  11. I’ve tried to watch most of the “U Prince” shows and the only one ive liked is The Lovely Geologist, its light and cute as what you were expecting, you should give it a try.
    Thanks for the post

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