What do I think about Apothecary Diaries Season 1
**TL;DR:** 8/10. It’s a very solid season, but I find it slightly overrated. My main gripe is the excessive sexualization of Maomao, it feels like forced fanservice that clashes with her established character. Additionally, the plot can feel repetitive or predictable at times. Great show, but not without its flaws.
The Good: The production value is top-tier. The visuals and OST perfectly capture that Imperial China atmosphere, and the "Sherlock Holmes" logic is genuinely satisfying when it hits. The season finale was a perfect emotional payoff.
The Not-So-Good:
1. I felt the show occasionally sexualized Maomao in a way that felt like blatant fanservice. Maomao’s character usually feels above that, so when the show leans into it (like the "secret arts" scenes), it feels out of character for her and pandering to the audience.
2. I struggled with the "small-gigs" and chibi humor breaking the ice during serious moments. Sometimes a scene needs to breathe, but the show forces a joke that ruins the gravity of the situation.
3. Maomao is brilliant, but her constant condescension toward everyone around her started to wear on me by the end. I get she’s frustrated, but it makes her feel a bit one-note at times.
4. At times, the mysteries feel a bit predictable. Episode 16 is a prime example, it was very easy to see where the plot was going long before the reveal, which took the sting out of the tension.
**Final Verdict:** It’s a great watch, but I think the hype train has overlooked some of these structural flaws.
The Good: The production value is top-tier. The visuals and OST perfectly capture that Imperial China atmosphere, and the "Sherlock Holmes" logic is genuinely satisfying when it hits. The season finale was a perfect emotional payoff.
The Not-So-Good:
1. I felt the show occasionally sexualized Maomao in a way that felt like blatant fanservice. Maomao’s character usually feels above that, so when the show leans into it (like the "secret arts" scenes), it feels out of character for her and pandering to the audience.
2. I struggled with the "small-gigs" and chibi humor breaking the ice during serious moments. Sometimes a scene needs to breathe, but the show forces a joke that ruins the gravity of the situation.
3. Maomao is brilliant, but her constant condescension toward everyone around her started to wear on me by the end. I get she’s frustrated, but it makes her feel a bit one-note at times.
4. At times, the mysteries feel a bit predictable. Episode 16 is a prime example, it was very easy to see where the plot was going long before the reveal, which took the sting out of the tension.
**Final Verdict:** It’s a great watch, but I think the hype train has overlooked some of these structural flaws.
Commentaires
Funny enough, imo Netflix got it closest with thumb down, thumb up, and two thumb up, but then they don’t use those ratings for anything useful.
as for the difference between 4 and 2, you could watch half of an anime and lose interest and rate it a 4 because it wasnt that bad, and you can drop an anime after a couple episodes because its so horrible and rate it a 2
On that note, I don't think the comedic timing was too jarring - it's half the fun, with the other half being solving mysteries (which sometimes includes the interpersonal relationships of > 40 characters)
The secret art scene is due to her living in a Brothel and being surrounded by high class escorts, so I feel you maybe haven’t taken that into consideration.
It’s for sure a strong solid 8 I think too, fair assessment, while it doesn’t give me the ‘highs’ of other shows it’s prob got the highest floor of entertainment across the whole thing.