A Christmas Prince and Why We Love Trashterpiece Theater

When Netflix dropped the surprise holiday juggernaut A Christmas Prince in late 2017, the Internet stopped dead in its tracks. Was this movie serious? Was it a joke? Could we ever truly decide?

If you’re not one of the 53 people who watched the film 18 days in a row upon its initial release, here’s a quick synopsis: a journalist (debatable) travels to the fictional Aldovia to cover a playboy prince’s ascension to the throne following his father’s passing. In the spirit of Stefon, this film has everything: royalty, a sneaky antagonist, a wolf, questionable chemistry between romantic leads, sassy friends, an adoption scandal, and so much more. A Christmas Prince took cues from its predecessors — The Prince and Me, Never Been Kissed, The Princess Diaries to name a few — turning into a Franken-film no one saw coming and few can forget. It really has to be seen to be believed because…well, it truly is that bad.

Nevertheless, this film persisted and has easily become a favorite. Its highly anticipated sequel A Christmas Prince 2: The Royal Wedding takes the tradition of so-bad-it’s-good film, expanding its range with a redemptive character arc, an economic crisis, hacking, and cryptocurrency. Naturally, fans everywhere are huddled around their TVs devouring the next installment, laughing all the way. But why?

What is it about trashterpiece theater that keeps us coming back for more?

Too often, critically-acclaimed films appeal to a segment of the majority — they go over the heads of the masses but are deemed “great.” Take last year’s Best Picture winner The Shape of Water. For some, the film was an artistic and storytelling achievement speaking to overcoming stereotypes and preconceptions in all of us. For others, the film will forever be known as the one where Octavia Spencer said, “You f*ckin’ that fish?”

And both perceptions are ultimately correct. But in delivering their capital-O “Opinion,” critics can often make moviegoers feel compelled to enjoy the film because they’ve been told they should.

That’s not to say that every great movie isn’t appealing to the masses. Iconic entries like Singin’ in the Rain, Casablanca, and The Godfather prove that commercial interest and critical accolades aren’t mutually exclusive. The films that fall into this Venn diagram make us think and move viewers to emotional extremes, staying with us long after the lights have turned on.

A Christmas Prince, on the other hand, levels the playing field, turning us all into critics. You don’t need qualifications nor a title to know when something is good old-fashioned fun. These movies allow for the best kind of escapism — wherein we turn off our brains and indulge for 90 minutes. It’s audio-visual candy that offers pure enjoyment, followed closely by the requisite “have you seen this?!” call to friends and family.

Film isn’t always about consuming a masterful thinkpiece that will likely stand the test of time. Sometimes it’s just about that shimmy-in-your-seat giddiness, and momentarily releasing yourself from the day’s stressors. Even if that involves some questionable plot lines.

Movies were made to entertain and provide escape, but sometimes we lose that feeling until A Christmas Prince and its ilk come along. So while they won’t be winning awards anytime soon, that doesn’t mean we can’t appreciate them with a similar lens. And maybe — just maybe — we’ll evolve enough that PBS will have a spin-off for viewers called Trashterpiece Theater. And when that day comes, all of Aldovia and I will be ready.