There’s falling, and then there’s being shoved. Episode 9 of Common Side Effects, titled “Cliff’s Edge,” takes the slow-burning tension of the season and tosses it right off a literal cliff. And not just metaphorically.
This one hits hard. Lines get crossed. Trusts snap. And for the first time, it feels like nobody’s safe—not even the fungi.
Marshall and Hildy: From Partners to Enemies
The episode starts off with a reunion that feels hopeful. Marshall reconnects with Hildy—his former mentor, mushroom expert, and philosophical sparring partner.
They begin working together again. The goal? To regrow the Blue Angel mushroom and, maybe, heal the world while they’re at it.
But things get awkward. Fast.
Turns out, Hildy isn’t in this for humanity. She’s already been selling access to the mushrooms, charging desperate patients top dollar for what should’ve been a miracle for everyone.
Marshall’s reaction is exactly what you’d expect—horrified, disappointed, furious. He accuses her of betraying everything they stood for. She accuses him of being naive.
It gets worse from there.
A View With a Shove
Later, Hildy invites Marshall for a walk. Somewhere quiet. They hike up a cliffside path. The mood? Tense. Too quiet.
Then, without a word, she pushes him.
Off. The. Cliff.
We don’t see where he lands. We don’t know if he survives. All we see is the fall—and Hildy walking away.
It’s one of the most shocking moments in the series so far. A betrayal that changes everything.
Meanwhile: Frances and Rick Go Rogue
While Marshall flirts with gravity, Frances and Rick start planning their own comeback. With Reutical out of the mushroom business, they decide to start their own operation.
They’re not trying to save the world. Not yet. But they do want to cash in. So they pivot, developing offshoot mushroom products with whatever leftover spores they can salvage.
Their business venture is shaky at best. But Frances seems more focused than she’s been in episodes. Rick, still Rick, is mostly along for the ride—clueless and enthusiastic.
They’re building something, though. A weird, ethically fuzzy something.
Jonas Spirals
Back on the corporate side, Jonas—the shadowy executive with a terminal diagnosis—is spiraling.
He’s tried everything to regrow the Blue Angel mushroom. Nothing works. He’s desperate. He contacts Rick, hoping for help. Rick ignores him.
This subplot runs cold on the surface, but underneath it’s boiling. Jonas is out of options. And desperate men do desperate things.
Copano and Harrington: Breakup Blues
The DEA agents are also in rough shape.
They track down Marshall’s location, thanks to some intel from Zane. But then comes the real problem: they can’t agree on what to do.
Copano wants to keep the investigation under the radar. No more red tape. No more government shutdowns.
Harrington, ever the company man, wants to escalate. He wants higher-ups involved. He wants backup.
They argue. They split.
It’s a quiet breakup, but it lands hard. These two have been the odd-couple comic relief all season. Now, they’re going their separate ways—right when they’re closest to the truth.
A World Splintering
So where does that leave us?
- Marshall might be dead. Or badly injured. Either way, he’s alone.
- Hildy has fully crossed the line into villain territory.
- Frances and Rick are half-entrepreneurs, half-grifters.
- Jonas is panicking.
- And the agents? They’re no longer a team.
Every alliance we’ve watched build across the season now sits in pieces. And that feels intentional. We’re one episode away from the finale, and the writers just pulled the rug out.
Thoughts From the Edge
“Cliff’s Edge” lives up to its name.
It’s brutal. It’s cold. And it’s the kind of penultimate episode that makes you afraid of what the finale might hold.
The show keeps asking: Who deserves to be healed? Who controls the cure? And how much would you pay—or betray—to hold that power?
No one in this story is clean anymore. That’s what makes it feel real.
Next week? All bets are off.
