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The Best Episodes of The Apothecary Diaries Season 1

Every episode of The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of The Apothecary Diaries Season 1!

Binge this in 9h 50m•Peaking at 9.2/10

Maomao lived a peaceful life with her apothecary father. Until one day, she's sold as a lowly servant to the emperor's palace. But she wasn't meant for a compliant life among royalty. So when imperial

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  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 19 - Chance or Something More
    9.2/10(2105 votes)

    S1:E19

    A discussion with Lihaku about recent events leads Maomao to realize that the mysteries she's helped to solve are connected. As the final piece of the puzzle falls into place, she rushes to stop impending disaster.

    Director:Wataru Nakagawa
    Writer:Yuko Kakihara

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  2. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 23 - Balsam and Woodsorrel
    9.0/10(1557 votes)

    S1:E23

    No longer willing to keep running away from Lakan, Maomao decides to face off against him. She challenges him on his own turf, in a chess match.

    Director:Jun Owada
    Writer:Misuzu Chiba

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  3. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 24 - Jinshi and Maomao
    9.0/10(1643 votes)

    S1:E24

    Lakan must now choose a courtesan to buy out. As a high-ranking military official, he can afford to freely choose, even from one of the Three Princesses. Who will he choose? Who does Maomao really want him to choose?

    Director:Wataru Nakagawa
    Writer:Yuko Kakihara

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  4. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 11 - Reducing Two to One
    8.7/10(1545 votes)

    S1:E11

    Maomao confronts Fengming about the dark secret she's been hiding from her noble Lady Ah-Duo.

    Director:Yukihiko Asaki
    Writer:Yuko Kakihara

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  5. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 4 - The Threat
    8.5/10(1708 votes)

    S1:E4

    Under direct orders from the emperor himself, Maomao tries to care for an ailing Concubine Lihua, but finds her work impeded by Lihua's own ladies-in-waiting.

    Director:China
    Writer:Yuko Kakihara

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  6. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 33 - The Late Emperor
    8.5/10(11 votes)

    S1:E33

    Maomao's investigation of the "curse" reveals more about the late emperor than anticipated.

    Director:Akira Koremoto
    Writer:Hitomi Ogawa

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  7. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 42 - Lantern Plant
    8.5/10(8 votes)

    S1:E42

    Maomao has been missing for ten days now. Jinshi's investigations lead him to a forgotten graveyard.

    Director:Erkin Kawabata
    Writer:Hitomi Ogawa

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  8. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 46 - Royal Guard
    8.4/10(9 votes)

    S1:E46

    The royal guard, led by Jinshi, arrives, sealing the Shi clan's fate. Maomao wants to save her friend, Shisui.

    Director:Masahiro Matsunaga
    Writer:Yuko Kakihara

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  9. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 6 - The Garden Party
    8.3/10(1578 votes)

    S1:E6

    Maomao does her best to navigate the complex social situations at the garden party, including meeting the other Upper First rank concubines. But once she settles down to do her work as a food-taster, she discovers a surprise in a bowl of soup.

    Director:Wataru Nakagawa
    Writer:Hitomi Ogawa

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  10. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 29 - The Moon Fairy
    8.3/10(12 votes)

    S1:E29

    In order to realize the seemingly impossible request from the foreign envoy, Maomao speaks to the “Moon Fairy” herself.

    Director:Shintaro Itoga
    Writer:Misuzu Chiba

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  11. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 35 - The Hunt
    8.3/10(10 votes)

    S1:E35

    Jinshi goes on a hunting trip, and brings Maomao along. He seems ready to share his secret with her.

    Director:Shintaro Itoga
    Writer:Misuzu Chiba

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  12. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 48 - The Beginning
    8.3/10(10 votes)

    S1:E48

    After the war, Jinshi's work piles up and Maomao returns to the pleasure district.

    Directors:Jun Owada, Kaho Asai
    Writer:Hitomi Ogawa

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  13. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 18 - Lakan
    8.2/10(1326 votes)

    S1:E18

    Back at home, Maomao visits an annex building at the Verdigris House that hides one of the brothel's secrets. Lakan continues to antagonize Jinshi as his connection to Maomao becomes clear.

    Directors:Mayu Tanimoto, Jun Owada
    Writer:Hitomi Ogawa

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  14. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 20 - Thornapple
    8.2/10(1273 votes)

    S1:E20

    Maomao was able to stop the assassination attempt, but was heavily injured in the process. However, the injuries aren't enough to stop her curiosity, driving her to confront the culprit behind the incident.

    Director:Akira Koremoto
    Writer:Misuzu Chiba

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  15. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 25 - Maomao and Maomao
    8.2/10(11 votes)

    S1:E25

    The spring garden party concludes without incident. Maomao returns to her regular life as Concubine Gyokuyou’s taster. Meanwhile, novels become popular in the rear palace. Maomao wonders how this came to be, as novels were typically considered low-class. But behind the scenes lies Jinshi and his goals as manager of the rear palace.

    Director:Jun Owada
    Writer:Yuko Kakihara

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  16. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 30 - The Crystal Pavilion, for the Third Time
    8.2/10(11 votes)

    S1:E30

    The woman from the clinic finds out that Maomao knows a thing or two about medicine, and asks for her help.

    Director:Yukihiko Asaki
    Writer:Hitomi Ogawa

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  17. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 40 - Festering Resentment
    8.2/10(9 votes)

    S1:E40

    Luomen returns to the rear palace. His observations trigger Maomao's curiosity.

    Director:Tsuyoshi Nakano
    Writer:Yuko Kakihara

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  18. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 44 - The Stronghold
    8.2/10(8 votes)

    S1:E44

    Maomao is taken to a mountain stronghold, where many of the secrets of the Shi clan are revealed to her.

    Directors:Akira Koremoto, Yuu Kinome
    Writer:Misuzu Chiba

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  19. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 8 - Wheat Stalks
    8.1/10(1453 votes)

    S1:E8

    Maomao's peaceful morning at home is interrupted when she's called in to investigate an apparent double suicide at one of the local brothels.

    Director:Kentaro Fujita
    Writer:Yuniko Ayana

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  20. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 31 - The Shrine of Choosing
    8.1/10(11 votes)

    S1:E31

    Maomao directs her curiosity towards an old, oddly-shaped building.

    Director:Wazuka Komamiya
    Writer:Yuko Kakihara

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  21. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 32 - The Empress Dowager
    8.1/10(10 votes)

    S1:E32

    Maomao's reputation for resolving conflicts reaches the empress dowager, who will ask for her help to unravel a mystery that won't leave her mind.

    Director:Jun Owada
    Writer:Misuzu Chiba

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  22. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 39 - Ice
    8.1/10(9 votes)

    S1:E39

    Xiaolan accidentally ruins an expensive block of ice. Maomao comes up with a delicious backup plan.

    Director:Misu Yamaneko
    Writer:Hitomi Ogawa

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  23. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 41 - The Fox Village
    8.1/10(9 votes)

    S1:E41

    Suirei smuggles Maomao and Shisui out of the rear palace. Jinshi begins to search for Maomao.

    Director:Shintaro Itoga
    Writer:Misuzu Chiba

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  24. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 47 - The Shi Clan
    8.1/10(7 votes)

    S1:E47

    Jinshi and his forces infiltrate the stronghold, cornering the remaining Shi clan members.

    Directors:Akinori Fudesaka, Wataru Nakagawa
    Writer:Misuzu Chiba

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  25. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 3 - The Unsettling Matter of the Spirit
    8.0/10(1686 votes)

    S1:E3

    Tasked with investigating a ghostly woman dancing nightly on the palace walls, Maomao finds a sleepwalking Concubine Fuyou. But with no medicinal cure for sleepwalking, she's forced to dig deeper to find the real reason behind Fuyou's affliction.

    Director:Kyohei Yamamoto
    Writer:Hitomi Ogawa

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Season 1 Ratings Summary

"Chance or Something More" is the best rated episode of "The Apothecary Diaries" season 1. It scored 9.2/10 based on 2105 votes. Directed by Wataru Nakagawa and written by Yuko Kakihara, it aired on 2/18/2024. This episode is rated 0.2 points higher than the second-best, "Balsam and Woodsorrel".