Common Side Effects is such a great satire/critique of the US healthcare industry and a competent breakdown of it's issues as well as the issues of self-medication and alternative medicines, but the entire plot hinges on something absolutely absurd.

This is revealed early in the first episode, so it's not a spoiler.

It all hinges on a very specific mushroom that was discovered by one of the main characters, which can heal what seems to be literally anything, from any type of disease to literally being impaled through the chest with a steel pipe. In the first episode he literally breaks a pigeons neck and then heals it instantly as evidence of his discovery. No matter the circumstances, it seems to be able to bring people back from the brink of death to perfect health.

This absurd plot device, however, is extremely well used towards the goals of the show in critiquing both big pharma and alternative medicine without rigorous scientific understanding.

Despite being absurd, one of my favorite recent pieces of media.

[–] DarkPassenger@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago

Love the show but completely agree with you