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Common Side Effects
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Common Side Effects
tv·TV-MA·Feb 2, 2025·
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Shop this title
Common Side Effects
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Search US stores by format. Check the title and edition before buying.
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Common Side Effects
tv
TV-MA
February 2, 2025
Wokeometer Rating
3Based
Scale: 0 = not woke, 10 = maximally woke
TL;DR Verdict
Common Side Effects earns a low 3/10 woke score by focusing on corporate greed, healthcare costs, and environmental themes without identity politics, DEI casting, or social justice messaging. It stays neutral, story-driven entertainment.
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Detailed Analysis
"Common Side Effects" follows Marshall, who discovers a miraculous Blue Angel Mushroom capable of curing all ailments, as he and high school friend Frances evade suppression by Reutical Pharmaceuticals CEO Rick Kruger amid corporate greed, DEA interference, and efforts to protect the mushroom's habitat while promoting universal access.
The narrative unfolds as a conspiracy thriller centered on America's expensive healthcare system and self-medicating habits, emphasizing activism and perseverance without engaging identity politics, critiques of traditional norms, or intersectional frameworks. Casting features predominantly White leads with no race- or gender-swapping or DEI mandates, and the creators explicitly avoid social justice angles in favor of environmental and profit-motive themes. This results in an overall woke score of 3/10, reflecting classic thriller conventions rather than progressive messaging.
Methodology: Each score synthesizes audience discourse, critic and aggregator reception, and press coverage — weighed against the work itself, not any single source.
Detailed BreakdownPro
Identity Politics & Racial Essentialism
Gender Ideology & LGBTQ+ Themes
DEI Casting & Representation Mandates
Preachiness & Message-First Agenda
Corporate & Creator Activism
See how this title scores across all 5 woke subcategories with detailed explanations.
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Is Common Side Effects Woke?
We've run a full content analysis on Common Side Effects and scored it 3/10 on the woke scale. Read our detailed breakdown above to see exactly what we found.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of woke content is in Common Side Effects?
Our analysis checks for themes like identity politics, race-swapping, gender ideology, environmental activism, anti-religious messaging, and other progressive agenda elements. The score breakdown above shows which specific categories were flagged and how heavily they factor into Common Side Effects's overall score.
Is Common Side Effects family-friendly?
Wokeometer focuses on ideological content rather than traditional ratings (violence, language, etc.). Common Side Effects is rated TV-MA. For a full picture, combine our woke analysis with the age rating to decide if it's right for your family.
How does Wokeometer score tv shows?
We evaluate media across multiple ideological categories on a 0–10 scale. Scores of 0–3 mean story-first, 4–6 have moderate elements, and 7–10 flag heavily agenda-driven content. Learn more about our methodology →
