The Apothecary Diaries [Season 2 Episodes 1-24]

The Apothecary Diaries Season 2: Where Cute Cats and Deadly Mushrooms Collide

Let’s cut to the chase: if you loved Season 1’s mix of cozy palace vibes and “wait, that’s actually a murder mystery?” twists, Season 2 of The Apothecary Diaries is here to serve exactly that—with extra kittens. But don’t let the opening episode’s fluffy cat drama fool you. This season dives back into the imperial court’s shadowy corners, where Maomao’s apothecary skills aren’t just for fixing headaches—they’re for unmasking concubines who fake their own deaths and empresses dowager hoarding abortion meds.

First off, let’s talk about that first episode. Yeah, some fans called it “boring” (shoutout to the user who said, “Kind of a boring first episode, I liked the purple haired girl who caught the cat though”), but hear me out: it’s a masterclass in setup. Maomao’s back as Gyokuyou’s taster, Jinshi’s still pining like a lovesick puppy, and there’s a new calico kitten named—wait for it—Maomao. The cat subplot isn’t just cute filler; it’s a reminder of what makes this show work: small, human moments (or feline, in this case) that ground the wild palace intrigue. Plus, when Maomao mutters, “Cat lovers never know what their cats are thinking,” and Jinshi side-eyes her like, “Relatable,” you can’t help but snort-laugh.

But let’s get to the good stuff: the mysteries. Season 2 wastes no time throwing Maomao into chaos. Episode 26 introduces a caravan selling “fashionable” scented oils—except those oils? They’re basically poison for pregnant women. Cue Maomao sniffing out the scam like a bloodhound (or a cat after tuna), and suddenly we’re back to the show’s sweet spot: Maomao outsmarting everyone while pretending she’s just “doing her job.” Then there’s the wildest case yet: the concubine who faked her death with a rare mushroom that supposedly causes “slow decay.” Fans argued about the science (one user ranted, “That mushroom doesn’t even grow in China!”), but let’s be real—who cares about botany when Maomao’s digging up corpses in the palace garden? The twist that the concubine was actually replaced by a lookalike? Chef’s kiss.

And can we talk about Jinshi in drag? Episode 29 has envoys demanding to see the “Moon Fairy” dance, so Maomao’s brilliant plan is… dress Jinshi in a sparkly gown and have him pretend to be the fairy. Some fans groaned (“Ugh this episode seemed to be just a gift to the female fans who like to see ikemen dress as women”), but admit it—you grinned when Jinshi nailed the dance. It’s the show’s signature move: balancing absurdity with heart.

But Season 2 isn’t perfect. The OP and ED? Yeah, they’re no “Hana no Uta” (Season 1’s bop). Fans didn’t hold back: “The OP and ED for this season ain’t it.” And let’s address the elephant in the room: Maomao’s “selective cluelessness” about Jinshi’s feelings. One user summed it up: “The one issue I have is by making Maomao so smart, it makes it all the worse that she hasn’t picked up on anything about Jinshi yet.” Fair. But c’mon—Maomao’s got bigger fish to fry (like stopping the empress dowager from aborting the emperor’s kid). Romance can wait when there are banned medicines to sniff.

The best part? Season 2 doesn’t treat you like a newbie. It picks up right where Season 1 left off, no recaps, no hand-holding. You’re back in the thick of it: Maomao using porn as a literacy incentive (yes, really—“Using pr0n as an incentive to learn to read – hey, if it works, it works”), Jinshi’s endless pining, and the palace ladies gossiping like they’re in a high school cafeteria. It’s cozy, it’s chaotic, and it’s fun.

Sure, some cases are weaker than others (looking at you, mirror mystery episode), but when Season 2 hits? It hits hard. The colorblind shrine case in Episode 31? That’s classic Apothecary Diaries. Maomao deduces the correct door by realizing the emperor’s family has red-green colorblindness, and suddenly all those “random” clues click. Fans went wild: “There we go, that was a great episode reminiscent of the first season.”

At its core, Season 2 is about what makes The Apothecary Diaries special: it’s a show where the smartest person in the room is a girl who’d rather be making medicine than solving murders, and the most dramatic moments are balanced by a cat wearing a tiny bow. It’s not perfect, but it’s yours—if you’re here for Maomao’s deadpan one-liners, Jinshi’s unrequited love, and the occasional corpse mushroom, you’ll eat this up.

So grab your favorite snack (maybe avoid mushrooms, just in case), curl up, and let Maomao take you back to the palace. The cats are cute, the mysteries are wild, and Jinshi’s still waiting for that love confession. What more could you want?

Final Verdict: 8/10. Less “edge-of-your-seat” than Season 1, but more “warm hug with a side of poison.” Worth every minute—even the cat episodes.

P.S. If you’re a cat person, Episode 24’s starlight dance with Maomao and the kitten? Bring tissues. Or don’t. No judgment.