I Watch a Lot of Sci-Fi, and This Mind-Altering Adult Swim Show Is One of the Year's Best
Before I get into it, I must come clean: I am not a big fan of present-day animation. Sure, I can get down with some anime classics and will always give experimental stuff like Love, Death + Robots a shot. But there's this unfortunate trend of cookie-cutter projects getting the green light with the goal of replicating the success of animated hits like Rick and Morty instead of giving risky, original, cutting-edge programs a chance to find an audience.
All this said, Adult Swim's conspiracy thriller Common Side Effects floated under my radar when it premiered on Max this year. I was aware of its existence but paid the show no mind. With names like Beavis & Butthead's Mike Judge and The Office's Greg Daniels attached as executive producers, you'd think I'd have perked up. Well, I didn't. My watch-list as a TV critic is always crowded, and, honestly, my patience for trying shows like this is quite slim.
Yet, one of my goals for 2025 is to fight the persistent urge to say no. So I eventually found it and clicked play. And hoo golly, I'm glad I did.
Alan Resnick plays Zane, the drug-loving pet store owner in Common Side Effects.
Screenshot by Aaron Pruner/CNET
Common Side Effects centers on Marshall Cuso, an eccentric anti-establishment dude who goes out in public bare-chested and preaches the wonders of a special blue mushroom (known as the "blue angel"). It was discovered in the jungles of Peru and contains magical properties that can cure any medical ailment.
When there's a limited supply of a wonder-cure-all mushroom, the possibilities of solving humanity's problems can boggle the minds of those striving to uphold the greater good. Unfortunately, there is also a collection of selfish, profit-minded opponents who have a considerable presence in the world. So if word got out about such a discovery, you'd have to expect Big Pharma, rogue criminals and special interests within the government would all come out of the woodwork to get control of the substance.
Read more: Max Streaming Service Review: Loads of Content, but You Have to Make It Fit You
Being a stereotypical recluse whose closest friend is a tortoise named Spartacus, Marshall is evidently dedicated to keeping this mushroom discovery close to the vest. Yet, after running into Frances (Emily Pendergast), an old high school friend he believes he can trust, he lets her in on his secret. Unbeknownst to him, she works for a pharmaceutical company named Reutical and is the right hand to the company's dopey CEO, Rick Kruger (voiced by the iconic Mike Judge).
These events, which all transpire in the first episode, kick off a layered conspiracy that finds Marshall fighting tooth and nail to keep his mushroom safe from the power-hungry hands of greed that will eventually come to surround him.
On one side, there's his potential relationship with Frances, which leads the audience to consistently question her motives and how their partnership could put Marshall in danger. On the other side are quirky DEA agents Copano (Joseph Lee Anderson) and Harrington (Martha Kelly), tracking Marshall's every move. To them, he's a domestic terrorist tied to the illegal drug world. You have a group of backwoods militia who align with Marshall's mission to grow this mushroom but they're part of the illicit drug world I just mentioned.
Mike Judge voices Reutical Pharmaceuticals' CEO Rick Kruger in Adult Swim's conspiracy thriller Common Side Effects.
Adult Swim
Topping off this conspiratorial triangle is Jonas "the Wolf" Backstein (Danny Huston), the sinister owner of Reutical, whose influence impacts politicians, the FBI and other such government entities. Backstein is the epitome of bad guys. He's kind of like this show's version of the Smoking Man from the X-Files.
Our would-be hero -- this harmless, unbuttoned, tortoise-loving man who just wants to help people -- ends up being a high-value target on multiple watchlists. His journey to save humanity turns into a race to save not just others' lives but also his own. All while opponents with ulterior motives consistently fire weapons at him, spy on his every move and erratically chase him down on the highway. The result is a riveting conspiracy thriller unlike anything I've seen in an animated series.
Okay, here's where I do my best to quantify all the ways Common Side Effects is a success. First, I have to acknowledge the creative narrative skills of the show's co-creators, Steve Hely (who cut his teeth on comedies like The Office and Veep) and Joe Bennett (the man behind the beautiful, yet creepy, animated series Scavengers Reign). They put their heads together and blended their understanding of comedy, crisis, capitalism and conspiracy to create a program that taps directly into the zeitgeist.
On the other side of the coin is the show's nature element. This aspect of the story recalls the type of science-minded individuals who journey into the jungle to find new medicines. Aside from the Ayahuasca vibe of it all, this component further examines the public's hunger to find alternate cures aside from what Big Pharma could be pitching, as well as digging into the negative cost these ecosystems undergo, all in the name of profit.
I realize how heavy this all sounds. But, trust me, it's all worth your time.
Common Side Effects does a fabulous job of balancing the drama with a steady flow of unique bits of levity. Through captivating animation sequences, like the ones depicting the mushroom's various types of hallucinatory drug trips, the offbeat relationship dynamics of nearly every character featured in the show -- the partnership of Copano and Harrington is an absolute highlight; pet store owner Zane is a laugh riot -- the unique synth-heavy score by Nicolas Snyder (which reminds me of The X-Files, as well) and the impeccably placed needle drops, the show delivers a storytelling experience that is equal parts thought-provoking and awe-inspiring. Oh, and it's fun.
To offset all this magic, the creators found a voice cast that delivers an understated performance, which oddly elevates the story. These are actors who are not at all acting and what I mean by this is that everyone's dialogue has a flawed quality, which helps ground things in a relatable human way. The show embraces mistakes, stutters and deadpan inflections, which coincide with its rudimentary animation style quite well.
As grandiose as the story becomes, these elements offset things in a welcome way while steadily building the emotional stakes. I never thought I'd connect so much to a shlubby mushroom nerd, but here we are.
Joseph Lee Anderson and Martha Kelly play DEA agents Copano and Harrington in Adult Swim's conspiracy thriller Common Side Effects.
Adult Swim
With shows on Adult Swim, I have seen a whole slew of big creative swings that, to me, haven't fully stuck the landing. Common Side Effects is a breath of fresh air for the studio. It's original, enthralling and delightfully unpredictable. A surprisingly hopeful vibe permeates the story through all the drama and kept me glued to the screen.
Simply put: This is one of the best sci-fi shows of the year. I'm not sure I'd have the same opinion if it were live action. I truly hope season 2 will continue pushing the story envelope and expand the miraculous canon of Marshall's mushroom mission. Until then, you can find me recommending the brilliance of Common Side Effects to anyone who'll listen. This is the hill I shall die on. It's that good, trust me.
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