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The Worst Episodes of The Apothecary Diaries

Every episode of The Apothecary Diaries ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of The Apothecary Diaries!

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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 Worst Episode
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    The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 34 - A Ghost Story
    6.8/10(9 votes)

    #1 - A Ghost Story

    S1:E34

    Maomao joins some women exchanging scary stories on a hot summer night to provide chills.

    Director:Oh Jin-koo
    Writer:Yuko Kakihara

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  2. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 37 - The Baths
    6.9/10(11 votes)

    #2 - The Baths

    S1:E37

    Xiaolan's term of service is almost up, so she must find a new job. Maomao and Shisui decide to help.

    Director:Mayu Tanimoto
    Writer:Yuko Kakihara

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  3. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 45 - Taibon
    7.1/10(9 votes)

    #3 - Taibon

    S1:E45

    Maomao is accused of attempting to escape, and is tossed into an ancient method of torture and execution.

    Director:Takanori Yano
    Writer:Hitomi Ogawa

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  4. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 28 - Mirror
    7.3/10(10 votes)

    #4 - Mirror

    S1:E28

    The special envoy from a foreign land gifts mirrors - a rarity in this country - to the high concubines. However, they bring mysteries as well.

    Director:Tsuyoshi Nakano
    Writer:Yuko Kakihara

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  5. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 14 - The New Pure Consort
    7.6/10(1181 votes)

    #5 - The New Pure Consort

    S1:E14

    Ah-Duo's replacement has arrived in the rear palace, and Maomao is assigned to give a certain lecture to all four high concubines. Later, Maomao helps Lihaku investigate a warehouse explosion.

    Directors:Jun Owada, Akira Shimizu
    Writer:Hitomi Ogawa

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  6. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 15 - Raw Fish
    7.6/10(1176 votes)

    #6 - Raw Fish

    S1:E15

    Gaoshun requests Maomao's help in solving an apparent poisoning case. Meanwhile, Jinshi deals with an unwelcome visitor who's taken to lingering in his office.

    Director:Kentaro Fujita
    Writer:Yuko Kakihara

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  7. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 16 - Lead
    7.6/10(1155 votes)

    #7 - Lead

    S1:E16

    A shack, a chest of drawers, and a fishbowl are all that a talented metalworker leaves to his three sons upon his death. Maomao is assigned to investigate how these strange inheritances all fit together.

    Director:So Toyama
    Writer:Misuzu Chiba

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  8. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 27 - Corpse Fungus
    7.6/10(11 votes)

    #8 - Corpse Fungus

    S1:E27

    A concubine passes away, and a woman goes missing. Jinshi sends Maomao to investigate - not these incidents, but mushrooms growing in the rear palace.

    Director:Wataru Nakagawa
    Writer:Hitomi Ogawa

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  9. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 38 - The Dancing Ghost
    7.6/10(10 votes)

    #9 - The Dancing Ghost

    S1:E38

    Concubine Lishu reports sightings of a ghost in the baths in her pavilion. Maomao goes to investigate.

    Directors:Jun Owada, Kaho Asai
    Writer:Misuzu Chiba

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  10. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 1 - Maomao
    7.7/10(1712 votes)

    #10 - Maomao

    S1:E1

    After being kidnapped and forced to work as a servant in the rear palace, former apothecary Maomao inadvertently draws the attention of the higher ranks when she investigates what's causing the emperor's infant heirs to fall mysteriously ill.

    Director:Akinori Fudesaka
    Writer:Yuko Kakihara

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  11. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 2 - Chilly Apothecary
    7.7/10(1529 votes)

    #11 - Chilly Apothecary

    S1:E2

    Maomao tries to settle into her promotion to lady-in-waiting and food taster, but struggles to fend off both boredom and the overly-familiar Jinshi. That is, until she gets an assignment of her dreams: to concoct an aphrodisiac.

    Director:Kentaro Fujita
    Writer:Misuzu Chiba

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  12. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 9 - Suicide or Murder?
    7.7/10(1288 votes)

    #12 - Suicide or Murder?

    S1:E9

    An older acquaintance of Jinshi's dies while drinking at a party. A servant's body turns up in a moat. Both deaths are written off as self-inflicted, but Maomao's keen observations tell her that there's more to both stories.

    Director:Akira Koremoto
    Writer:Misuzu Chiba

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  13. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 13 - Serving in the Outer Court
    7.7/10(1223 votes)

    #13 - Serving in the Outer Court

    S1:E13

    To Maomao's surprise, Jinshi brings her directly to his house instead of taking her back to the rear palace, and tells her she's to work in the outer court. Not only is there much to learn, it seems there's many eyes on her as the new hire.

    Director:Wataru Nakagawa
    Writer:Yuniko Ayana

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  14. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 7 - Homecoming
    7.8/10(1333 votes)

    #14 - Homecoming

    S1:E7

    Gaoshun goes to Maomao to get her help in resolving the events of the garden party. Later, Xiaolan explains the purpose of the hairpins Maomao was gifted, and Maomao makes a deal with Lihaku in order to finally visit home.

    Director:Tadao Okubo
    Writer:Yuko Kakihara

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  15. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 10 - Honey
    7.8/10(1253 votes)

    #15 - Honey

    S1:E10

    A tea party hosted by Lady Gyokuyou puts the politics of the rear palace at the forefront, and Maomao learns something new about Lady Lishu. His true intentions unclear, Jinshi sends Maomao to work for Lady Ah-Duo.

    Director:Erkin Kawabata
    Writer:Hitomi Ogawa

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  16. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 21 - How to Buy Out a Contract
    7.8/10(1152 votes)

    #16 - How to Buy Out a Contract

    S1:E21

    Back to work at the rear palace, Maomao listens to Guen talk about his family's business. Meanwhile, Lihaku hears a rumor that whips him into action.

    Director:Yuushi Ibe
    Writer:Yuniko Ayana

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  17. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 43 - Festival
    7.8/10(8 votes)

    #17 - Festival

    S1:E43

    The village holds a festival. Maomao attends, and Shisui introduces some of the village's history to her.

    Director:Mayu Tanimoto
    Writer:Yuko Kakihara

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  18. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 5 - Covert Operations
    7.9/10(1403 votes)

    #18 - Covert Operations

    S1:E5

    A eunuch stricken by a curse comes begging for aid. Meanwhile, the rear palace buzzes with excitement as everyone prepares for the upcoming garden party, and Gyokuyou's ladies-in-waiting aren't about to let Maomao get away without dressing her up.

    Director:Gaku Shiga
    Writer:Misuzu Chiba

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  19. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 17 - A Jaunt Around Town
    7.9/10(1167 votes)

    #19 - A Jaunt Around Town

    S1:E17

    Covering up Jinshi's otherworldly beauty is no easy task, but after Maomao takes the challenge head-on, she's surprised when she's also asked to don the disguise of a noblewoman and escort "Jinka" outside the palace.

    Director:Club Kadomatsu
    Writer:Yuniko Ayana

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  20. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 22 - Blue Roses
    7.9/10(1152 votes)

    #20 - Blue Roses

    S1:E22

    Lakan challenges Jinshi to produce blue roses to present at the upcoming garden party, forcing Jinshi to turn once again to Maomao for her help.

    Director:Erkin Kawabata
    Writer:Hitomi Ogawa

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  21. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 26 - Caravan
    7.9/10(10 votes)

    #21 - Caravan

    S1:E26

    The caravan stirs up excitement in the inner palace. The merchants bring all kinds of goods. However, something gives Maomao a bad feeling.

    Directors:Akira Koremoto, Mayu Tanimoto
    Writer:Misuzu Chiba

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  22. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 36 - Ka Zuigetsu
    7.9/10(9 votes)

    #22 - Ka Zuigetsu

    S1:E36

    Maomao discovers Jinshi's secret. She wants nothing to do with whatever the politics behind it is.

    Director:Masahiro Matsunaga
    Writer:Hitomi Ogawa

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  23. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 3 - The Unsettling Matter of the Spirit
    8.0/10(1572 votes)

    #23 - The Unsettling Matter of the Spirit

    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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  24. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 12 - The Eunuch and the Courtesan
    8.0/10(1276 votes)

    #24 - The Eunuch and the Courtesan

    S1:E12

    Discovering that Maomao's kidnappers were connected to Fengming's family, Jinshi is faced with a choice between keeping Maomao in the rear palace where he can be near her or releasing her from her service.

    Director:Mitsuyo Yokono
    Writer:Misuzu Chiba

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  25. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Episode 8 - Wheat Stalks
    8.1/10(1345 votes)

    #25 - Wheat Stalks

    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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Worst Episodes Summary

"A Ghost Story" is the worst rated episode of "The Apothecary Diaries". It scored 6.8/10 based on 9 votes. Directed by Oh Jin-koo and written by Yuko Kakihara, it aired on 3/14/2025. This episode scored 0.1 points lower than the second lowest rated, "The Baths".