Common Side Effects Season 1 Marathon, episodes 7-10

We are thrilled to present a marathon screening of the first season of Common Side Effects, an acclaimed Adult Swim series that has been hailed as one of the year’s best conspiracy thrillers. This special event is introduced by Sean Buckelew, writer, director, and founding partner of Green Street Pictures. Buckelew, who received a Guggenheim Fellowship in 2019, brings an experimental edge to the series as an executive producer, writer, and episodic director. His expertise in high-concept storytelling, also seen in his work on the Emmy-nominated Scavengers Reign, has helped Common Side Effects earn its own Emmy nomination for Outstanding Animated Program.

Produced by Mike Judge, the series follows Marshall, a fungi expert who discovers a mushroom capable of curing all illnesses and even resurrecting the dead. What follows is a phenomenal, blackly comic tale of guns, death, and love as Big Pharma steps in to suppress a discovery that threatens their profits. The show delivers a wild critique of how deeply the US is beholden to corporate greed, all told with a unique charm and the darkest sense of humour.

This program screened as part of Kaboom Animation Festival 2026

Showing in this program

Common Side Effects S01E07: Blowfish

Camille Bozec / Benjy Brooke
United States, 2025
22 min.

Marshall is rescued by another inmate, but now Marshall owes him a favor; desperate to get out of prison, he works on a risky plan when he runs into a surprising ally; Frances grapples with a life-changing event.

Common Side Effects S01E08: Amelia & Wyatt

Benjy Brooke / Sean Buckelew
United States, 2025
22 min.

After being declared dead, Marshall Cuso and Amelia must resolve unfinished business by staying hidden. Francis deals with his supposed loss while facing unexpected changes in the development of Reutical mushrooms.