If you are after a comedy that actually makes you laugh out loud, Common Side Effects is available in Australia on HBO Max, and in the US on HBO Max Amazon Channel and YouTube TV right now. 2 seasons in, and the quality has not slipped. Its 8/10 TMDB score, built from 313 ratings, reflects a title that consistently delivers. Dave King leads a cast with real comic timing. Start it on HBO Max whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, Common Side Effects earns its spot. Common Side Effects gets the fundamentals right first, then finds room to get weird with it. Former high school lab partners Marshall and Frances begin to unravel a conspiracy involving big pharma and the federal government to suppress knowledge of a rare mushroom that may hold the key to curing all the world’s diseases. Dave King and Emily Pendergast lead a cast that never overplays a joke. It ran for 2 seasons from 2025, and the writing holds up across every one of them. What keeps Common Side Effects from feeling disposable is a cast that clearly understands the material better than the format usually demands. The hit rate here is high enough that skipping ahead never feels like an option.

If you need a comedy that actually makes you laugh, Common Side Effects is a strong candidate. Fans of Lazarus will recognise the sensibility here immediately. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single week. Dave King sets the tone, but the supporting cast is where a lot of the best moments come from. A reliable pick for any night you want quality comedy without the homework.

Common Side Effects is currently airing new episodes, created by Joseph Bennett and Steve Hely — so there's no better time to catch up before the story moves forward. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.