This review may contain spoilers
BTY Still Can’t Emote, BTMR Still Deserves Better, and the Ending Is a Crime (SPOILERS)
Going into more detail here than I did in my Season 1 review, since this is mostly a review of the series as a whole. I’m also going to jump around a lot because my thoughts are all over the place, so bear with me.BTY’s Emotional Stiffness (aka: Twenty-Four Episodes of :| )
In episode 3, there’s a scene that perfectly sums up BTY’s ongoing battle with emotional expression. FeiFei says, “Do you know why, even though Uncle (BTMR) is more handsome and more polished, I still like you?”
BTY cuts her off, deadpan as ever: “Perhaps you’re blind… How is he more handsome than me? More talented?”
Then—miracle of miracles—the corner of his mouth twitches upward. The first hint of emotion in twenty-four episodes! FeiFei sighs, shakes her head, and walks off in disgust. Honestly, same. At least she’s self-aware I guess.
In another scene, a couple of episodes later, a drunk FeiFei imitates BTY, and she is spot on! :| Though she (with her flushed cheeks and drunken sway) still manages to capture more emotion than her stone-faced Emperor.
Sismance
I LOVE the sismance between FeiFei and Yuran. Their punishment from the Empress Dowager had me giggling the whole time. They were acting like two little sisters who got caught sneaking snacks after bedtime. Their drunken escapades, their whispered gossip, their general chaos… easily one of my favorite dynamics in the show.
BTMR vs. BTY: The Great Emotion Gap
In episode 5, LFF ruthlessly friendzones BTMR. Damn… This scene really shows the difference between the two male leads. He’s got so much emotion and heartbreak written all over his face and in his voice, while BTY just stands there like :| and delivers his lines in the most monotonous tone imaginable. I genuinely felt bad for BTMR here—his pain was so palpable it almost hurt to watch. That’s thanks to both XZ and ZLS; their performances made the moment hit way harder than I expected. You can feel every ounce of tension and heartbreak between them without either one overacting (or underacting. ahem).
BTMR is also way more upfront about his feelings. And yes, BTY has improved this season, but nothing beats BTMR’s near-constant attempts to confess his undying love for LFF in basically every scene they share. On top of that, ZLS and XZ just have way more chemistry. It’s hard not to root for BTMR.
BTY’s Character Growth… and Remaining Issues
To BTY’s credit, he does show solid character development this season—verbally expressing himself, being kinder to FeiFei, and actually participating in scenes rather than just standing there like well-dressed furniture. My lingering issue is the lack of facial expressions. Even the smallest hint of emotion would go a long way in making me sympathize with him.
I do think he’s improved somehow. Yes, he still has zero emotion on his face, but his actions and words feel more honest and straightforward now, which makes it seem like the acting got better. Realistically, I think the biggest difference is this: in Season 1, he could have been replaced by a cardboard cutout and it wouldn’t have changed anything, because he literally just stood there doing nothing. But now he… well, moves occasionally. And talks. Sometimes. So progress?
That said, he remains such a boring character. He just agrees with whatever anyone says. I will die on the hill of wondering why Luo FeiFei liked him so much—especially early on.
I know this was one of Jason Gu’s first projects, and I haven’t seen his later roles, so I genuinely hope he’s improved since this web series aired in 2018.
BTY & LFF: Cute Moments, Painful Triangles
Despite his faults, I do really like BTY as a character, I swear. BTY and LFF are very affectionate this season, and honestly, they’re adorable. He’s so gentle with her, and the rain kiss scene was precious. Also love that he didn’t jerk away in embarrassment when everyone interrupted (or tried to).
But BTMR watching from a distance? NO. MY HEART. PLEASE.
Someone get Yuran to drag him into a rebound arc ASAP because I can’t keep watching him be sad on my screen.
Also FeiFei often calls BTY “foolish,” and I agree… but it is endearing.
Comedic Highlights, Supporting Cast, and Production Issues
FeiFei’s regular visits to the prison were hilarious. Her banter with the guards—and the fact that everyone, including the Empress Dowager, eventually knows about it—never failed to crack me up.
No complaints about the rest of the actors. They were all phenomenal, and it’s obvious the cast had fun filming.
The production value, however… oof. The green screens (especially in court scenes) were painfully obvious. The low budget took me out of the show at times, but honestly? I ended up finding it charming in its own way.
The plot itself is creative, fun, and surprisingly well-written. The comedic timing is genius. But I genuinely think the story would’ve been stronger without the time-travel angle—and this is coming from someone who actively seeks out time-travel/transmigration stories. The only real narrative purpose it served was BTY getting jealous of his alternate-universe doppelganger (Jia Cheng) and FeiFei having an endless supply of face-mask ads.
The friendships and side characters were also so well done. Bai Wu Chen and General Chu? Adorable. The only downside to liking everyone so much is that we didn’t get nearly enough backstory for all of them. Like I said in my Season 1 review: why did no one use their powers in the final tournament? Yes, they were using non-lethal weapons, but they still could’ve done something silly or creative with their zodiac abilities.
The Ending (contains spoilers!!)
This season easily would’ve been an 8–8.5 (Season 1 was an 8 for me) if not for the ending.
Killing every single character was already a terrible decision. Stabbing the pregnant woman was especially unnecessary. But then bringing everyone back to life within one minute? Somehow even worse. If you're going to make a bad writing decision, at least commit to it.
And the way everyone died makes zero sense to me because the zodiac lords apparently forget they have literal superpowers whenever the plot needs them to. Meanwhile, the people of Orion State seem like normal civilians. Except that one weird smoke guy who possessed people out of nowhere with zero explanation. The only person who even attempted to use her powers in the final episodes was Dali… and it didn’t work. Which, to be fair, is consistent, because the only other time she tried using her powers in the entire show, it didn’t work then either.
But seriously. Seriously.
Twelve constellation lords with magical abilities can’t defeat a handful of men with wooden clubs? SUPERPOWERS, and y’all can’t beat a couple of extras from Home Depot Lumber Aisle? Be for real.
The Ophiuchus people disappearing at the end was the biggest slap in the face. The entire show was about FeiFei helping them regain justice and rejoin society, so wiping them out narratively is just lazy and depressing. Why would you build two seasons around their redemption only to Thanos-snap them at the finish line?
FeiFei disappearing makes more sense — she’s from the modern world — but that loops back to my earlier complaint: this story didn’t need time travel at all. If she had simply been a girl from the zodiac world who discovered she was the new Ophiuchus Lord, freed her people, and lived happily ever after with her friends and her foolish stone-faced husband and it would’ve been stronger and emotionally consistent.
But no. Instead, we get the “was it all a dream?” cop-out — the worst trope known to humankind. It negates everything. If none of it was real, why did I spend 42 episodes getting attached? Why care about people who turned out to be just extras FeiFei saw the day of her accident? And then BTY shows up at the end anyway… how? Why? Pick a logic and stick with it.
Even during FeiFei’s tearful goodbye, BTY’s face didn’t move. We got one tear, but he looked mentally checked out. At least we got the longest dead-fish kiss in history (two full minutes of the camera spinning around them as they barely touched lips).
I hate rating a show I genuinely enjoyed this low, but the ending absolutely ruined it. I can’t give it anything higher than 6/10.
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Chaotic, low-budget fun with lots of laughs and one tragically emotionless male lead
FUNNY AF. Had me laughing out loud the whole time, but I do wish they’d shown off the characters’ powers a bit more. Most of them barely get used, if at all, which might be a budget thing.Also, I have to talk about the costumes because....wow. I think this Reddit user summed it up perfectly:
“Costume design and styling ranges from gorgeous to ??? (mesh undershirts and fashion collars, no I am not kidding) to laughable, and it’s glorious.” (credit u/glyphsinateacup)
I’m not bothered by low production value or beginner-level acting. If I’m having fun, it’s usually a 9-10 star show for me. But the ML tested my patience. His performance is so stiff it drags down every scene he’s in. Just stares straight ahead for 21 episodes (and no doubt for 21 more in season 2).
Got a massive case of second lead syndrome in this one, boys. I knew going in that XZ wasn’t the ML, and I told myself I was fine with that. I lied. He’s the better actor, hands down, and it would’ve made so much more sense for him to be the main love interest. Beitang Moran is nicer, more mature, and honest with his feelings — everything Beitang Yi isn’t.
That said, I get it. Luo FeiFei is 20, and it tracks that she’d be drawn to someone less emotionally mature. Bad decisions build character. Still, it’s hard to root for someone whose face barely moves.
Overall: 8/10 for the laughs, -2 for the ML’s emotional range (or lack thereof). Still totally worth watching if you’re in the mood for something ridiculous and fun — just be prepared to fall for the wrong guy.
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