Even ahead of its premiere, many were excited about Common Side Effects. As part of Adult Swim's lineup, the series already felt like it was going to be something different.
However, the reality is much more than viewers could have imagined. If you didn't know, the series follows Marshall, a man who could hold the key to creating all sickness and ailments of any kind. It's all thanks to a blue mushroom that heals you but not before having some interesting visions.
Aside from Marshall trying to grow and cultivate the mushroom, there is much more at play when he runs into an old classmate, Frances, who ends up playing a much larger role. There are also many people looking to prevent him from sharing or distributing the mushroom to anyone. It's much more nuanced than any trailer could have painted it.
With season 1 winding down, we don't know yet if Common Side Effects is renewed for season 2, but before the finale, the series is giving us even more questions to consider.
Common Side Effects continues its endless list of questions.
Before getting into the different questions, there might be some mild spoilers. If you haven't watched or aren't caught up on Common Side Effects through episode 6, then it's best to get caught up and come back. Either way, read at your own risk, as you might end up being spoiled for something.
Let's begin with one of the biggest lingering questions and it's the relationship between Marshall and Frances. While it seemed like friendship at first, the kiss left so many questions. Mostly, the question is if the kiss was meant as a distraction for Marshall or if it truly meant something. As Marshall is piecing things together, it feels even more confusing which is part of the excellent writing in the series.
Another lingering question is how the mushroom plotline will play out. Will the mushrooms end up going to the people who need them? Will a company take over distributing them to only those who can afford them? Has Frances made the wrong decision in sharing the intel with her boss, and what will her betrayal end up costing her? Ultimately, it's all going to hopefully come down to the show's season finale.
Mostly, though, the major question is, what's going to happen to Marshall? He's dealing with so much stress and concern over the mushroom that he really feels like he's neglecting something. It might not be something we see manifested right now, but it's possible as season 1 wraps up. Aside from that, the only other question is if Adult Swim will greenlight season 2 of Common Side Effects, which is something we're all hoping for.
Common Side Effects is currently streaming on Max.