Love Like the Galaxy: Part 2 (2022)

Rapid Regression in Character Development and Overworshipping of Certain Characters

Edited my rating and changed it from 2 to 1 because I'm fed up with insane fans who keep harassing me when they can't deal with difference in opinions. If you guys think that bullying people just because they dislike something you idolise so they would give in to you and cushion your fannies, you're in for a rude shock. Grow up and talk like a proper and decent person instead of lashing out. Raise your damn emotional quotient too while you're at it, if it's at all possible at your age.

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I wrote a review for Part 1 where I mentioned that, while I wasn't too enamoured with the story, I didn't think it was too bad. So I started Part 2 with the anticipation of growth and development across the main characters. However, I'm already halfway through Part 2 with just 14 episodes left and what I'm feeling right now is a ball of rage in the pit of my stomach.

I think the actress, Zhao Lu Si, is decent. Fresh from watching Who Rules The World, I was eager to watch her perform on screen again. However, it's the character of Niao Niao that I have problems with. Yes, it was repeatedly drilled into us, the viewers - that Niao Niao had been a much neglected child. She wasn't taught proper courtesy, she couldn't read at the level most girls of her social standing and family background could, and at her age, her penmanship was non-existent. Her code of conduct and sheer disrespect towards all the elders was abysmal. And because of this, we should be lenient with our judgement of her at all times. The elders were all terrible people anyways! I was fine with this -- at first. I get it completely. But to have her shortcomings in education define her character each and every time she has done something wrong, it became exhausting, and too much of a convenient excuse to dismiss her unlikable flaws. She was constantly portrayed as a martyr who could do no wrong. All of that is not just ridiculous, it's bad writing. And this was exactly what happened in Part 2 of this series.

I hate that the writing exerts that a 15-year old girl, with so much potential in her, does not need to change in any capacity, and that she doesn't need to grow or make herself better. She's just the way she is. She could just resort to petty tricks each time she was bullied - and this bullying happens A LOT. She's bullied for no other reason other than the fact that she received less education, and everyone else was jealous of her - even though he received less education. Make it make sense. In the meantime, she just wanted to get married! Even though she's immature, she should just do what she wants! So, just sit around and wait for someone like Zi Sheng to come and love her fully and unconditionally. All I can say is, it's a terrible story that sends horrible messages to all adolescent girls everywhere.

Part 2 is basically a continuation of the victimisation and martyrism of Niao Niao's character. This time, the victimisation continued not at her family home, but at the Imperial Palace, where Zi Sheng lived. The princesses were portrayed as dumb, uncultured, jealous broads next to Niao Niao. They targeted and bullied her relentlessly, yet when the opportunity came for Niao Niao to speak up about her grievances to Zi Sheng, she didn't say anything. It was beyond my comprehension that an outspoken girl like her who had constantly reminded everyone how blunt and outspoken she was, couldn't tell him what happened. She was perfectly alright with verbalising the injustices she suffered at home to her parents, but she couldn't do it now. The only reason I could come up with is that the author loved to victimise Niao Niao and took away her agency at that moment so that Zi Sheng could find out for himself just how much suffering she was going through and love her even more! So what's the point of all that suffering? It's all short-term and provided no basis for character growth. It's all a pity-party so that Zi Sheng could give her doeful looks when he realised just how much of a martyr his gurl was. LMAO. There was no personal growth and character development coming from the pain. Your prince will gallop to you on his stallion and show those bitches who is boss!

Seriously. Niao Niao repeatedly insisted she couldn't change her personality. She is who she is. "I was like this when you met me, I'm Cheng Shao Shang!" she declared to Zi Sheng. And yet when the Empress chided her for the very same mistake Zi Sheng got mad at her for, when the Empress told her that not confiding in the people close to her and taking matters into her own hands could end up distancing them, her response was, "I wish someone told me about this earlier."

My reaction to that was, LOL what?! Blaming others again instead of taking responsibility for once, aren't we? Would she have listened if someone told her "earlier"? She wouldn't. She would just say indignantly, "You keep telling me this and that, you keep telling me not to do this and that, you keep lecturing me, but is this really for my own good? I'm Cheng Shao Shang and I can't change!" She was unreceptive to advice. And yet she says this now.

I'll say this - Cheng Shao Shang is an unlikable, immature brat and an unlikable self-insert "Mary Sue" of the author.

I have been super patient and waited to see how the palace conspiracy would unfold since Episode 3 in Part 1, and now we're almost at the end of this dreadful drama, Niao Niao's family was suddenly implicated in the conspiracy and branded as rebels. I'm thoroughly amazed that the author had managed to victimise her main female character to such an extent. And yet again the suffering the author inflicted on Niao Niao up until now brought little to no character development. This overt martyrism is honestly disgusting and makes me retch.

Let's be real. What's the point of Niao Niao's stay at the palace? She was supposed to take lessons from the Empress, so she could learn about becoming a proper wife for Zi Sheng - kind of like a finishing school for noble ladies. That was the premise given to us. But as I continued to watch this whole mess, I realised that going to the palace and learning from the Empress is a fake out. The author's real intention was so that Niao Niao could be hurled into the royal family's politics and drama, so she could be bullied by everyone who automatically is jealous of her. These evil little bitches jealous of her would be dished back their own deserts, of course, and the three guys would just fall more in love with her. Tadaa, perfect setup to be made into a lovable victim. Let the martyring commence!

Why do I say there are no character improvement? Because it's a fact. There are very few scenes of Niao Niao achieving self-improvement. You get scenes of the Empress and the Emperor automatically loving whatever she cooked and baked, and automatically loving whatever BS that came tumbling out of her mouth. It doesn't matter how childish her lines were, everyone falls over themselves to praise her for her "insight" and "purity of mind". Give me a break. Niao Niao also thought she had the duty and holy right for some reason. She lectures everyone on life's grand lessons, including the emperor! And they should listen to her! (Refer to Crown Prince and Crown Princess Arc) but Niao Niao is born perfect in every way, you see, despite ~some~ flaws. Zi Sheng so said this. She's the best!! Despite never taking the time to understand what she's really like as a person. Nevermind, she doesn't need to listen to anyone. Everyone else is wrong to lecture her. She should just be ~~~~herself~~~~

What about Zi Sheng, the male lead of this show? Zi Sheng's characterisation also irritated me to high heavens. He was made out to be the perfect guy in every way. He's an accomplished general at the tender age of 21. He gives commands to guys triple his age, and he tortures and kills them because they deserved it. No one complained how he killed a guy in prison and used an excuse to cover up the crime.

His flaws were characterised as endearing by the author. For example? He laughed like a strangled duck. He couldn't tell a joke. He yelled at Niao Niao every single time she did something he didn't like - and the reason? He's only yelling because he loves her! He doesn't want her to get in danger! Every single time. Also, he gave in to his wild impulses to punish others in acts of transgression, angering the Emperor - usually because of his desire to avenge Niao Niao. All these traits weren't even flaws. Is he a Gary Stu? Zi Sheng is depicted as the perfect fantasy boyfriend who is all around handsome and could do no wrong. He's such an obvious fantasy of the author for her self-insert. He's boring.

There is also something I need to say about the characterisation of Niao Niao's mother. At the start of Part 2, it looked as if Yuan Yi and Niao Niao were on the road to reconciliation. Her mother was displaying a change of heart in some scenes, like when she started to show motherly care for Niao Niao by bringing her a blanket on a cold night, and when she defended Niao Niao at Lou Yao's family residence to break off the unfavourable engagement (end of Part 1). She was also feeling lonely after Niao Niao moved to the palace, and looked distinctively sad when the bridal jewellery she picked for Niao Niao were overlooked in favour of the Empress' choices. Then the accusation of rebellion happened. Mother Niao Niao was carted off to prison, and Niao Niao declared she wanted to follow suit, as well. The reaction was a swift slap to Niao Niao's face. Like, was that even necessary!? Couldn't she have communicated with her daughter properly?! What was that slap for? I was flabbergasted. No doubt, the slap was most likely used to arouse further sympathy from the viewers for Niao Niao.

I have no more hopes for the rest of this drama. That was the last straw of victimization I could take. An accusation of rebellion against the crown is the biggest stroke the author could deal and victimise Niao Niao. Love Like the Galaxy is not revolutionary. It's been quite a while since I've seen such an archetypal writing that portrays a martyr-like, annoying, "mary-sue" heroine with her equally annoying, boring, cardboard cut-out fiance. Easily the worst drama I've watched in 2022. In fact, it's the worst drama I've watched in a few years.



Edit: Nevermind, just read a summary of the novel and the actual full novel seems to be far worse and more convoluted (yet managed to maximise its use of all available tropes) than the drama itself.

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