Bad Batch Brewing

Episode 4 of The Common Man Chronicles, “Bad Batch Brewing,” jolts us back to the town’s heart—where something is terribly wrong at Gus’s Griddle. Pancakes are mid-flip, forks clatter to the floor, and even the most loyal coffee drinkers can’t fight the creeping drowsiness. A once-bustling breakfast spot has gone eerily still, and The Common Man knows weak coffee isn’t just a bad morning—it’s a bad sign.

As he and Boogie Monster nurse mugs of limp brew, they notice the culprit: Buzz-Free Beverages Co. Their sterile, too-perfect branding infects the walls and counters, promising "healthier coffee" that’s robbed the town of its spark. Beyond the diner, the signs are everywhere—bus drivers slumped at stops, farmers asleep at the wheel, pedestrians nodding mid-crosswalk.

Clenching his jaw and tipping back his worn hat, The Common Man makes a quiet vow. This isn’t laziness. This is sabotage. And the ones stealing the town’s spirit are about to learn they messed with the wrong man—and the wrong boogie.

Next week, the hunt for the Buzz-Free saboteurs begins. Don’t miss Episode 5.