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Season 1 – Common Side Effects

Play trailer 1:09 Poster for Season 1 – Common Side Effects Feb 2025 Comedy Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
100% Tomatometer 28 Reviews 91% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
Two former high school lab partners stumble on a mushroom that can heal almost anything, apart from the corporate interests of the DEA, big pharma, and international businessmen.
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Common Side Effects — Season 1

Common Side Effects — Season 1

What to Know

Critics Consensus

An addictive mix of expressive animation, heady concepts, and an offbeat sense of humor, Common Side Effects is a must-have prescription.

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Critics Reviews

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Craig Mathieson The Age (Australia) Dec 11
4.5/5
Equal parts conspiracy thriller, psychedelic mystery, tender character study and action stimulant, Common Side Effects is a series for the here and now: a gripping us versus them adventure where the sides slyly keep changing. Go to Full Review Alan Sepinwall Rolling Stone Jun 18
The aesthetic is simultaneously off-putting and endearing, as if this is obviously not what people should look like, but in a way that suggests how hard it is for them to navigate this strange and broken world in which we all find ourselves. Go to Full Review Coleman Spilde Salon.com 04/07/2025
Creators Joe Bennett and Steve Hely are so adept at hooking viewers that it’s almost frightening. Go to Full Review Bethan Ackerley New Scientist 04/06/2025
Eventually, the messier elements of Common Side Effects do coalesce pretty much perfectly into a hopeful, humanistic show about making mistakes and how we go about healing. Go to Full Review Isaiah Colbert io9.com 04/03/2025
Common Side Effects is abound with lush and vivid background art; surreal, kaleidoscopic, fluid animation; and shocking violence—all working in concert with its suspenseful narrative. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Jason B @jarombra Apr 26 There is no genuine satire of Big Pharma, especially after the pandemic, without a pointed jab (pun intended) at unsafe vaccines, liability shields, and government mandates. Everything else is a distraction from the condemnation that Big Pharma deserves for the lies and harm they caused during the beginning of this decade with what will go down in history as the crime of the century. All in all Common Side Effects is a massive missed opportunity, as it actually does the bidding of Big Pharma instead of satirizing the mendacity and evils of the industry that remain unchecked by popular entertainment productions. See more Norwcw H @Norwich Mar 1 One of the best animated shows Ive ever seen love how funky it looks See more Keats K. @Keats267 Feb 25 Original story that sucks you into a binge watch! Masterpiece! See more Greg K @GregZ Jan 28 The beautiful animations are the tip of the top to this smart and funny series. Potential fully realized. See more C B. @anttanager Jan 26 Love the animation style, plus everything else is well crafted. See more Samuel D. @SamuelD Dec 30 When I was looking for a good show to watch on HBO I found this and a decided to watch because it caught my eye. The first episode got me hooked and I loved it. I watched it all in one day 5/5 would recommend See more Read all reviews
Common Side Effects — Season 1

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Joseph Bennett

Creator

Steve Hely

Creator

Dave King

Marshall Cuso

Emily Pendergast

Frances Applewhite

Mike Judge

Rick Kruger

Martha Kelly

Agent Harrington

Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Feb 2, 2025 Pilot Marshall Cuso shows up in NYC with a mushroom that can cure any disease or injury; his old classmate, Frances, meets him by chance, but keeps secret that she works for Reutical, a pharmaceutical company. Details Episode 2 Aired Feb 2, 2025 Lakeshore Limited Marshall is on the run, trying to flee New York; Frances confides to her boss, Rick, about the mushroom; Rick sends her to Marshall's farm to get more, but the situation gets out of hand. Details Episode 3 Aired Feb 9, 2025 Hildy Marshall seeks advice from his old mentor Hildy; Copano and Harrington are drawn further into the mystery of the mushrooms obtained at the raid; Frances goes to Geneva with her boyfriend Nick and Rick but can't resist the call of the mushroom. Details Episode 4 Aired Feb 16, 2025 Dumpsite Marshall buys a plot of land near a chemical waste site with a plan to grow more mushrooms; Frances rushes home from Europe after a huge development; Copano and Harrington investigate a connection between Marshall and Frances. Details Episode 5 Aired Feb 23, 2025 Star-Tel-Lite Marshall, Frances, and their crazy neighbors deal with the aftermath of a dangerous incident. Details Episode 6 Aired Mar 2, 2025 In the System Marshall arrives in jail and learns that some important people refuse to let him out, while danger lurks around every corner; Frances makes a fateful decision; Copano and Harrington pick up the pieces. Details Episode 7 Aired Mar 9, 2025 Blowfish Another inmate rescues Marshall, but now Marshall owes him a favor; desperate to get out of prison, he works on a risky plan when he runs into a surprising ally; Frances grapples with a life-changing event. Details Episode 8 Aired Mar 16, 2025 Amelia & Wyatt Marshall meets an old friend and forges a new plan; Frances receives terrible news and feels torn by it. Details Episode 9 Aired Mar 23, 2025 Cliff's Edge Marshall finds out what Hildy is up to, but still faces obstacles; Copano and Harrington follow Marshall's trail. Details Episode 10 Aired Mar 30, 2025 Raid Agents from the FBI and the DEA storm the site, with consequences; the fate of the mushroom is decided. Details

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Common Side Effects — Season 1

Common Side Effects: Season 1 Trailer 2 Common Side Effects: Season 1 Trailer 2 1:09 Common Side Effects: Season 1 Trailer Common Side Effects: Season 1 Trailer 1:30 View more videos
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Common Side Effects — Season 1

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Season Info

Director
Camille Bozec, Sean Buckelew, Benjy Brooke, Vincent Tsui
Creator
Joseph Bennett, Steve Hely
Executive Producer
Sean Buckelew, Greg Daniels, Dustin Davis, James Merrill, Suzanna Makkos, Mike Judge, Steve Hely, Juan Manuel Freire
Screenwriter
Joseph Bennett, Emma Barrie, Steve Hely, Jon Foor, Jean Kyoung Frazier, Dave King
Network
Adult Swim
Rating
TV-14
Genre
Comedy, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date
Feb 2, 2025