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Even if it’s not particularly star-studded in front of the camera, the new Adult Swim showCommon Side Effectsis full of behind-the-scenes A-listers for animation fans. Boasting a team that includes key creatives fromScavengers Reign,30 Rock,The Office,Beavis and Butthead, and more,Common Side Effectshas the talent it takes to be a knockout animated series. And guess what… it delivers.
Common Side EffectsReview
Common Side Effectsfollows two friends — one a loner and the other a mid-level pharmaceutical employee — as they seek to unravel the mystery behind a rare fungus that has the power to cure every disease in the world. This is the type of ingenious but genuinely creative premise that makes you wonder how someone hadn’t thought of it yet, but perhaps we should be relieved by that, as the show’s creators, Joseph Bennett and Steve Hely, turn this premise into something utterly gripping.
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For a show that is executive produced byMike Judge (Beavis and Butthead) and Greg Daniels (The Office),Common Side Effectsis less overtly comedic than one might expect. It has a few laugh-out-loud moments, but the show’s humor is of a much more satirical and dry variety, with many chuckles from the witty commentary it offers on the medical industry and Big Pharma.
Indeed, when it comes to its themes,Common Side Effectshas very little subtlety. It’s very upfront with what it has to say about the evils of the capitalistic healthcare system and pharmaceutical companies. However, considering the fact that society has chosen to ignore this institution’s shortcomings for so incredibly long, the satire feels meaningful, impactful, and necessary.
This commentary unfolds through an action-packed conspiracy thriller full of twists and turns. Admittedly, the pacing is extremely fast — almost to the point of feeling breakneck. However, this is typical of many of the shows Adult Swim puts out and is a side effect of the need to tell stories concisely in a 23(ish)-minute package. That being said, the thing about this quick approach to pacing is that you will never be bored by the show.
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The character development inCommon Side Effectsgets off to a strong start as well. Bennett and Hely do a good job of balancing the show’s two protagonists, making sure that there is adequate development for each. The show’s antagonist is a bit exaggerated, but for something as satirical in tone as this, that can be forgiven. There are also a good amount of memorable supporting characters that our leads encounter along their journey.
To bring these characters to life, Bennett and Hely have attracted a very strong voice cast. Emily Pendergast and Dave King play the leads, and they bring both charm and authenticity to their roles. King is particularly impressive, subverting expectations of the conspiracy theorist character (with the help of strong writing, of course) to bring an actually nuanced and empathetic approach to this archetype.
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Of course, the animation ofCommon Side Effectsis also a highlight, although one would expect no less given that Bennett is one of the minds behindScavengers Reign. Don’t let the cartoonish character designs fool you — there’s actually a lot of beauty to be found inCommon Side Effects, particularly when it comes to some of the montages. The animators take an almost psychedelic approach to several sequences, which helps to suck you into the strange world that they are building.
IsCommon Side Effectsworth watching?
Four episodes in,Common Side Effectsis an incredibly intriguing mystery that will absolutely hook viewers. Although it’s not all that funny, it makes up for that with a genuinely thrilling conspiracy and surprisingly engaging character work — not to mention strong animation. This has all the makings of a cult classic.
Common Side Effectsdebuts on Adult Swim at 11:30pm ET/PT on February 2 with new episodes airing subsequent Sundays. Four out of ten episodes reviewed.
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Sean Boelman
Managing Editor for Film and TV
Articles Published :441
Sean is the Managing Editor for Film and Television, working to determine editorial strategy for the critics team. He has been on the FandomWire team since 2022.In addition to writing reviews himself, Sean helps match writers on the FandomWire team with assignments that best fit their interests and expertise.
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