Shenguo Zhi Shang

The most important thing to say about Over the Divine Realms is that the characters have the most expressive and beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen, period! And given how often the camera zooms in on them, I’m certain that’s a deliberate directorial choice. If so, then it’s a brilliant one because your enjoyment of the show hinges on your attachment to the four leads. You’ll be spending most of the season’s four-hour runtime with them in an essentially claustrophobic locale in what’s effectively a time loop. The set-up is that an exorcist and his two disciples have been summoned to the capital of a middling Statethat’s just witnessed a bloody coup where they effectively murdered their goddess. Said goddess’s demi-god daughter returns to lead a countercoup. The question of her success is but one of many mysteries swirling around. We all get satisfactory answers, but they require you to pay attention. Its other standout is its theme song, 燎羽. The rest is fairly by the numbers — competent but unspectacular. Everything revolves around the characters. I found their vibe endearing, so I enjoyed the show. But I can easily see why others might get bored. The arcs are repetitive, and the environment is unvaried. It’s practically a stage production. But those weren’t dealbreakers for me.