Common Side Effectswill return to Adult Swim. The adult animated series, which debuted in February, was created by Joseph Bennett (Scavengers Reign) and Steve Hely (Veep) and is executive produced by TV titans Mike Judge (King of the Hill) and Greg Daniels (The Office). It follows Marshall Cuso (Dave King) and Frances Applewhite (Emily Pendergast), who used to be lab partners and are now fighting to bring a cure-all mushroom to the medical marketplace despite pushback from a major pharmaceutical company and government forces. TheCommon Side Effectscastalso includes Mike Judge, Martha Kelly, and Joseph Lee Anderson.
PerDeadline,Adult Swim has renewedCommon Side Effectsfor season 2. This news comes two days before the season 1 finale, which is titled “Raid,” is set to debut on Sunday, March 30. Read comments from Adult Swim president Michael Ouweleen and the show’s creators below:
Michael Ouweleen:Joe and Steve did their job by crafting a boundary-pushing and genre-defining piece of television that re-frames what “adult animation” is capable of. And you all did your job by showing up on Adult Swim and Max to support the show and lighting up your socials to spread the word. So, see? We CAN have nice things.
Joseph Bennett and Steve Hely:We are grateful for the enthusiastic response to Common Side Effects and are thrilled to continue exploring this world with our amazing team and the fans who have embraced the show. The opportunity to push the boundaries of animation and storytelling on Adult Swim is like a wonderful mushroom dream. Our goal with the show is to transform planet Earth and restore the human spirit. For now, we will settle for a second season.
What This Means For Common Side Effects
The Serialized Show Has More Room To Tell Its Story
So far, the production timeline for the new season ofCommon Side Effectsis unknown. However, the precedent set by the previous season of theadult animated showcould offer some insight. Although it first went into development in 2019, the show was not officially announced until June 2023, meaning thatthere was a span of roughly a year and a half between that announcement and the series' premierein January 2025, so another 18-month wait could potentially be in the cards, placing the season 2 premiere sometime around September 2026.
Although the episode order for season 2 is unknown,Common Side Effectsseason 1 contains 10 episodes.
TheCommon Side Effectsrenewal will see the story of the show pushing beyond whatever conclusion it reaches in the finale of its freshman season. Because the show is more serialized than the typical Adult Swim program, which generally features episodic shows like thelong-runningRick & Morty,it remains to be seen how this affects the ongoing story. However, it seems likely that, while the season could end with one leg of Marshall and Frances' mission complete, another wrinkle will arise that kicks off their next adventure.
Our Take On The Common Side Effects Renewal
The Show Could Have A Bright Future
This swift renewal forCommon Side Effectsshows thatthe animated series has strong momentum and could potentially become a major hit for Adult Swimas it continues its run. However, its more serialized nature calls into question whether the limitations of its story will allow it to run as long as Adult Swim’s more loosely structured series such asRobot Chicken(which has so far spanned 11 seasons since its debut in 2011) andRick & Morty(which has already been renewed through season 12, though season 8 has not even premiered yet).
Common Side Effectsseason 1 concludes on Adult Swim on Sunday at 11:30 p.m. ET. It will also be available on Max.
Common Side Effects
Cast
Common Side Effects follows former high school lab partners Marshall and Frances as they uncover a conspiracy involving big pharma and the government, centered on a rare mushroom that could revolutionize medical science.
