aquietjune | A Whole Other Level of Staging [Episode 29 Comment; Fannish 50]

I'm back at commenting The Apothecary Diaries, season 2. This week we had the long-awaited episode 29, the Moon Fairy episode.

Maomao hair drying

My non-spoiler comment:

There are few things I like more than characters staging a happening that is not real for someone else to believe. Maomao may be "a mere poison taster" (she's certainly not) but indeed helped producing an incredible show, with acting, dancing, lights and special effects.
In this episode we also get told straight that Maomao benefits from Jinshi (and others) turning a blind eye to her acting illegally within the rear palace, but she's quick to blame complicated political situations (which are undoubtedly also there) rather than it happening because of what she is to those very same eyes looking the other way.
As much as I enjoyed Jinshi as the Moon Fairy, I'm even more happy they gave us the animation of the original dance by the madam, which was beautiful.
The special envoys speak Turkish and they look like Annie Leonhart from Attack on Titan.
Maomao was very pretty in her Moon Assistant outfit and also had the best "ew, awkward" expressions overall.
Jinshi being embarrassed and devastated from his feat as the Moon Fairy and turning into his usual puoting and protesting was also very fun.
Xiaolan's first school day! You go, Xiaolan, we're all rooting for you!
Shisui is certainly very free to wonder around the palace and... harass people by showing them cute bugs. We also root for Shisui.
After all, chonky moths proved to be very useful in the end.
How much do they pay Gaoshun, anyway, and why is it too little?
Maomao surely thinks about Jinshi's eunuch status a lot.

What about you? Have you been enjoying the season so far?