Common Side Effects: Pilot
March 14, 2025 11:26 PM - Season 1, Episode 1 - Subscribe
Former high school lab partners Marshall and Frances unravel a conspiracy involving big pharma and the government to suppress knowledge of a rare mushroom that could cure all disease. [adult swim] [full episode]
THR: 'Common Side Effects' Review: Adult Swim's Animated Conspiracy Thriller About Big Pharma Is a Whole Vibe - "Mike Judge and Greg Daniels executive produce the half-hour series about a rare mushroom with near-infinite healing properties, from creators Joe Bennett ('Scavengers Reign') and Steve Hely."
THR: 'Common Side Effects' Review: Adult Swim's Animated Conspiracy Thriller About Big Pharma Is a Whole Vibe - "Mike Judge and Greg Daniels executive produce the half-hour series about a rare mushroom with near-infinite healing properties, from creators Joe Bennett ('Scavengers Reign') and Steve Hely."
As someone who absolutely loved the criminally cancelled Scavengers Reign, it should come as no surprise that I think this new show is terrific. It's got elements of Breaking Bad, The Big Lebowski, paranoid 70s thrillers, and much more. The animation style is cool, the writing is top notch, the voice acting perfect (although Mike Judge's character is basically Hank Hill if Hank had somehow climbed the corporate ladder.) The only thing I hate is having to wait a week for each new episode.
posted by gwint at 12:06 PM on March 15 [2 favorites]
posted by gwint at 12:06 PM on March 15 [2 favorites]
This starts kind of slow, but I’m invested now. Not at all the laugh-fest the trailer made it seem, tho Mike Judge’s character’s blissed out commentary is hilarious. Plus the theme song slaps.
posted by hototogisu at 5:49 PM on March 15 [1 favorite]
posted by hototogisu at 5:49 PM on March 15 [1 favorite]
Martha Kelly is in it. That's more than enough for me.
posted by Halloween Jack at 9:26 PM on March 15 [1 favorite]
posted by Halloween Jack at 9:26 PM on March 15 [1 favorite]
I am almost all caught up and let me tell you, what a ride.
RIP Scavenger's Reign, tho.
posted by sibboleth at 8:20 PM on March 17 [4 favorites]
RIP Scavenger's Reign, tho.
posted by sibboleth at 8:20 PM on March 17 [4 favorites]
Is it like that PKD adaptation done by Linklater in Rotoscope? Why can't I remember the name.
posted by Lawn Beaver at 11:49 AM on March 19
posted by Lawn Beaver at 11:49 AM on March 19
It's a refreshingly nuanced take on capitalism, portraying that not even a CEO has true self determination. Even the Wolf's fear at least appears more rooted in preventing world war 3 than profit, though it is highly self-motivated and the ends do not justify his villainous means. And with the latest episode's end, his pessimistic prediction seems to be coming true. It's an interesting dichotomy with his dimwitted CEO, who is optimistic that the wonder drug "can save millions of lives and make millions in the process."
Within this framework then, the "common side effect" of universal wonder drugs is supersoldiers who can shrug off bullets. So then I expect the circumstances of Marshall's time in Peruvian prison will reflect the same moral hazard the wonder drug produces. And if you want to get extremely dark about it, it doesn't appear to be a pain reliever, so you can presumably apply it as part of a torture regimen that would kill people normally. *shudder*
posted by pwnguin at 5:28 PM on March 20 [1 favorite]
Within this framework then, the "common side effect" of universal wonder drugs is supersoldiers who can shrug off bullets. So then I expect the circumstances of Marshall's time in Peruvian prison will reflect the same moral hazard the wonder drug produces. And if you want to get extremely dark about it, it doesn't appear to be a pain reliever, so you can presumably apply it as part of a torture regimen that would kill people normally. *shudder*
posted by pwnguin at 5:28 PM on March 20 [1 favorite]
Yeah, I've actually been kind of shocked at how what sounded, up front, like it'd be a very preachy premise actually wound up being a really nuanced and human look at the complicated nature of interconnected social systems. "Every battle becomes a battle to the death" is actually a very realistic extrapolation of what would happen if the magical wonder drug were to become a thing! But, well, the Wolf is also the same guy who said that there is no good news and there is no bad news, that everything is nuanced. Gotta love villains who also kind of have a point, in their own way.
EDIT: Just realized that this is nominally a thread for just the first episode, but, well, people seem to be kind of approaching it like a full first season thread. Maybe a mod could change that about the post? I dunno.
posted by DoctorFedora at 7:02 PM on March 20 [1 favorite]
EDIT: Just realized that this is nominally a thread for just the first episode, but, well, people seem to be kind of approaching it like a full first season thread. Maybe a mod could change that about the post? I dunno.
posted by DoctorFedora at 7:02 PM on March 20 [1 favorite]
I just discovered it after reading the new Slate article about 'Deep State Conspiracy Television'! I had actually marked it for viewing when I saw the trailer some time ago.
Wow - Mike Judge on Magic mushrooms... Sign me up!
I only seen the 1st episode now, but I'm hooked up. I have my Gin and Tonics, and I'm ready to binge... After the disappointing binge I did on Severance S1+2 the last 48 hours, this looks like it will make everything good again.
posted by growabrain at 1:12 PM on March 23 [2 favorites]
Wow - Mike Judge on Magic mushrooms... Sign me up!
I only seen the 1st episode now, but I'm hooked up. I have my Gin and Tonics, and I'm ready to binge... After the disappointing binge I did on Severance S1+2 the last 48 hours, this looks like it will make everything good again.
posted by growabrain at 1:12 PM on March 23 [2 favorites]
Is it like that PKD adaptation done by Linklater in Rotoscope? Why can't I remember the name.
I haven't seen this, so I can't answer your question. But A Scanner Darkly.
posted by Naberius at 6:59 PM on March 27 [1 favorite]
I haven't seen this, so I can't answer your question. But A Scanner Darkly.
posted by Naberius at 6:59 PM on March 27 [1 favorite]
Doggonit, so well done. Inventive, gripping, going in unknown directions but trusting that you're in good hands. Figures that one of the creators Scavengers Reign is involved.
Also, there are touches of Katsuhiro Otomo peeking thru, with some of the character design and people disintegrating into gummies and dolls and what not.
posted by ishmael at 12:28 PM on March 28 [1 favorite]
Also, there are touches of Katsuhiro Otomo peeking thru, with some of the character design and people disintegrating into gummies and dolls and what not.
posted by ishmael at 12:28 PM on March 28 [1 favorite]
Also has just the right amount of whimsy to offset the darkness-
Copano and Harrington's jammy rapport, Zane's eponysterical absurd takes, Rick's deadpan mundanity- lovin all of it!
posted by ishmael at 12:39 PM on March 28
Copano and Harrington's jammy rapport, Zane's eponysterical absurd takes, Rick's deadpan mundanity- lovin all of it!
posted by ishmael at 12:39 PM on March 28
Oh man yeah the character faces feel SOOOO Akira to me
posted by DoctorFedora at 3:19 AM on March 29 [2 favorites]
posted by DoctorFedora at 3:19 AM on March 29 [2 favorites]
Season 2 confirmed. I'm happy for the creative team, but had hoped this was going to be a single season arc. Sure seemed like that was where it was heading. Season finale on Monday...
posted by gwint at 5:36 AM on March 29 [3 favorites]
posted by gwint at 5:36 AM on March 29 [3 favorites]
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posted by DoctorFedora at 12:10 AM on March 15 [1 favorite]