Season two of the Netflix original series “Young Royals” came out Nov. 1, and after finishing it all in one sitting, I can confidently say it lived up to my expectations.

This fictional show revolves around the youngest son of the Swedish royal family, Wilhelm, and his experiences at a prestigious boarding school. When a video of him and a boy (Simon) is leaked, the royal court gets involved, and the boys are forced to hide their feelings for each other. In the end, Wilhelm has to make a decision that could determine the fate of his future as royalty and his relationship with Simon.

Season one of this show came out in July 2021. I watched the entirety of it that week and have been patiently waiting for season two ever since. As a die-hard fan, saying I was excited for the new episodes is an understatement. I was practically tearing up whenever I saw anything about it on social media.

As I expected, this season brought every emotion out of me. At times I was pacing around my room, yelling at the screen, and there were times where I just felt like a I needed to give the characters one big hug.

Although this season had many new and abrupt plotlines, they were all relevant, didn’t cause the story to stray from the main conflict and even added to the gravity of the situation. Because the majority of it was an extension to last season’s plot, adding those new, smaller plotlines kept the show interesting and unpredictable.

The storyline also went into greater depth of some of the background characters from last season. I enjoyed this more than introducing new characters, because it helps connect the plot back to the events of season one.

What blew me away the most watching this season, and the last one, was the acting portrayed by Edvin Ryding as Wilhelm. He does such a great job of portraying the angst of a teen boy and the rebellious nature of a person who doesn’t want to be part of the royal family.

The way Ryding portrays every emotion and feeling, specifically anxiety and panic, feels so real. The little details, like how he fidgets when he’s anxious/stressed and squeezes his chest when he’s on the verge of a panic attack, make his acting so much stronger and much more realistic. When I watch the show, I forget that it’s fictional because of how naturally all the actors, not just Ryding, portray their characters.

Omar Rudberg, who plays Simon, also does an incredible job in the show. Mainly a singer and dancer, this role is his first acting job so far, and it’s definitely hard to tell. Seeing his energetic personality in interviews shows the stark contrast between him and his shy, but strongminded, character.

The fact that he’s able to play such an opposite personality, and do it seamlessly, shows how good he is so early in his career. Not to mention, he’s written and sung a few songs for the show, almost all of which have played a part in the storyline.

With its raw acting talent and deep emotional storyline, this show deserves much more recognition. Although it’s recommended for mature audiences, every teen should give it a try; I’m sure they’ll find a way to connect with any of the characters.