User reviews

This series strikes just the right nerve with me. It portrays two people with an all cure drug fighting against Big Pharma, which in the precise moment this was released it is extremely topical and warranted.

The animation is alright, but it really spikes up during psychadelic scenes, in some ways reminescent of Scavengers Reign. The character designs are a bit of a mixed feeling: most characters have rather large heads that make them look like adult babies. Ah well.

The humor is usually pretty subdued, which is great as it allows for comedic moments to hit harder. The characters are just the right mixture of likeable and self-centered.

A strong recommendation.

Common Side Effects feels like the next great high-concept adult animation. The first two episodes blend dark humor, sharp social commentary, and surreal visuals in a way that's thought-provoking and inspiring. The story hits on corporate greed, the pharma industry, and human curiosity-but does so in a way that's weird and unpredictable. The writing is clever, the animation is unique, and the voice acting is spot-on. It's the kind of show that sticks with you after watching, leaving you excited for what's next. If the rest of the season keeps this pace, it'll be one of Adult Swim's GOAT shows for sure.

Please for the love of God, the story is awesome but if this show is meant to be a comedy and drama, we need to care for the characters. Slowing down instead of rushing through the plot would be so much better, more episodes could be made, people would connect more and like the show more and overall the quality would be higher. I like to think of this show as kind of like the boys and breaking bad. Those shows had episodes where you got to know the characters and develop connections with them. And moments in this show seem to just skip important interesting parts! I want to see how marshall escapes instead of cutting to him being gone. I want to see him think his way through a situation and be creative! With the amount of characters being introduced, staying at this pacing won't allow for the viewer to get to know them all! And slowing down would allow for more jokes, visual and verbal.

The 1990s are calling and they want their 20-minute episodes back. I had been waiting for this to release ever since seeing the trailer for the first time. This show is living up to its reputation, but could be so much better if it were extended beyond a coffee break. 20-minute episodes are so last millenium. Even if you did not want to do 20-minute episodes, it would have been better to slap them all together and create a movie out of it. When this hopefully renews, they should seriously consider extending the runtime of episodes to 30 minutes at the very least, if not 40 to 60 minutes per episode. I am looking forward to watching the remaining 160 minutes nonetheless.

In 1951 Alec Guinness starred in The Man in the White Suit. I remember it as a funny movie. He plays a chemist who invents a stain repelling and long lasting fabric that the garment industry wants to suppress as it endangers their business. I wonder if Mike Judge has seen it. Anyway, this show has much better animation and will compete favorably against my upcoming show about a guy who invents a no-carb frozen yogurt that tastes as good as ice cream and helps diners lose weight. Unfortunately, the guy is assassinated by a demented MAGA follower working for Big Ice Cream. The assassin is found, tried, convicted and then pardoned when certain pols are part off.

I'll start with this: Common Side Effects has an absolutely incredible foundation. The concept is brilliant, the atmosphere and the execution is stunning. The animation, art direction, and overall directing are top-tier, and the music is phenomenal. Everything about this show screams masterpiece in the making.

But for the love of all things good, please slow down. The pacing is so rushed that it completely undercuts wht could be a groundbreaking series. Right now, it's like being served a gourmet meal but being forced to scarf it down in seconds.

I'm giving this show 1 star not because it deserves it, but because I genuinely hope the creators take this to heart. This could be oneof the best sci-fi thrillers out there if it just allowed its story and characters to breathe. Unfortunately, Arcane Season 2 has the exact same issue-an amazing foundation that never quite reaches its full potential because it's sprinting when it should be walking.

To be clear, this is a premiere review based on the first two episodes. Maybe things will improve later, and I really hope they do. If the pacing were fixed, I'd rate this show so much higher. But as it stands, it's frustrating to see something this promising hold itself back.