Painkiller (TV series)

Last updated

Painkiller
Painkiller Netflix logo.png
Created by
Based on
  • "Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty"
    by Patrick Radden Keefe
  • Pain Killer: An Empire of Deceit and the Origin of America's Opioid Epidemic
    by Barry Meier
Directed by Peter Berg
Starring
ComposerMatt Morton [1]
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producers
ProducerChris Hatcher
Editors
Production companies
  • Blue Harp
  • Film 44
  • Grand Electric
  • Jigsaw Productions
Original release
Network Netflix
ReleaseAugust 10, 2023 (2023-08-10)

Painkiller is an American drama television miniseries created by Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster. [4] Based on Patrick Radden Keefe's New Yorker article "The Family That Built an Empire of Pain" and Pain Killer: An Empire of Deceit and the Origin of America's Opioid Epidemic by Barry Meier, [5] the series focuses on the birth of the opioid crisis, with an emphasis on Purdue Pharma, the company owned by Richard Sackler and his family that was the manufacturer of OxyContin. [6] The Sackler family has been described as the "most evil family in America", [7] [8] [9] [10] and "the worst drug dealers in history". [11] [12]

Contents

Painkiller premiered on Netflix on August 10, 2023. [13]

Cast and characters

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
1"The One to Start With, The One to Stay With" Peter Berg Micah Fitzerman-Blue & Noah Harpster August 10, 2023 (2023-08-10)
A physician prescribes OxyContin to one of his patients, who has unmanageable pain. He informs the patient that the effects of OxyContin last longer than the Vicodin the patient was taking, and as a result, they won't have to take OxyContin as frequently. He also mentions that it causes the same side effects as other opioids, particularly constipation. Richard Sackler is vilified over the prescription of OxyContin to patients who need to manage pain and to drug addicts.
2"Jesus Gave Me Water"Peter BergMicah Fitzerman-Blue & Noah HarpsterAugust 10, 2023 (2023-08-10)
Arthur Sackler, Richard's uncle, is accused of wanting to sell OxyContin to as many people as possible to increase profits for his company, Purdue Pharma. Providers offer physicians coupons to distribute the Schedule 2 narcotic. A doctor tells Shannon Schaeffer, a vendor, that "Oxycodone, that's what's in OxyContin. Morphine, codeine, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, diacetylmorphine, that's heroin. All come from the opium poppy". Curtis Wright IV drags out approval at the FDA.
3"Blizzard of the Century"Peter BergWill Hettinger and Micah Fitzerman-Blue & Noah HarpsterAugust 10, 2023 (2023-08-10)
John L. Brownlee reviews the legal case against Purdue Pharma. Schaeffer's mentor reminds her, "They're drug addicts. They existed long before OxyContin, and they'll exist long after OxyContin". A prisoner reminisces about the 1990s crack epidemic in the United States. OxyContin addicts are becoming unemployed, committing robberies, auto thefts, filing for disability, and so on.
4"Is Believed"Peter BergBoo Killebrew & Micah Fitzerman-Blue & Noah HarpsterAugust 10, 2023 (2023-08-10)
After the death of a young woman, Shannon Schaeffer tells a prescribing physician that "She [the woman's mother] can't look at herself and say, 'I messed up. My daughter was a druggie'. She needs to blame someone". Purdue advertisements claim that less than 1% of users develop an addiction to OxyContin, which is contradicted by statistics.
5"Hot! Hot! Hot!"Peter BergBoo Killebrew & Micah Fitzerman-Blue & Noah HarpsterAugust 10, 2023 (2023-08-10)
The public and media notice and start applying pressure on Purdue Pharma. Glenn spirals downward with increasing doses of OxyContin, eventually turning to the black market, with dire consequences. Shannon sees deeper into the workings at Purdue and becomes disillusioned. Edie convinces her boss that OxyContin is a public health problem, and together, they come up with a strategy to go after the company.
6"What's in a Name?"Peter BergMicah Fitzerman-Blue & Noah HarpsterAugust 10, 2023 (2023-08-10)
Richard Sackler warns the corporate officers of Purdue Pharma that, "They will dismantle everything we've built—brick by brick".

Production

Production began in Toronto in April 2021 and wrapped in November 2021. The series was directed by Peter Berg. [16]

Reception

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, 51% of 53 critics gave the series a positive review, with an average rating of 6.1/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Painkiller honors the victims of the opioid crisis with effective dramatic beats but is undermined by its stale satirical flourishes, resulting in a tonally confused bit of muckraking." [17] On Metacritic, the series holds a weighted average score of 59 out of 100, based on 26 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". [18]

Writing for American Council on Science and Health, a pro-industry group, Cameron English criticized the series, alleging that it unfairly pins the blame for the opioid crisis on Purdue and the Sackler family. [19]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oxycodone</span> Opioid medication

Oxycodone, sold under the brand name Roxicodone and OxyContin among others, is a semi-synthetic opioid used medically for the treatment of moderate to severe pain. It is highly addictive and is a commonly abused drug. It is usually taken by mouth, and is available in immediate-release and controlled-release formulations. Onset of pain relief typically begins within fifteen minutes and lasts for up to six hours with the immediate-release formulation. In the United Kingdom, it is available by injection. Combination products are also available with paracetamol (acetaminophen), ibuprofen, naloxone, naltrexone, and aspirin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Purdue Pharma</span> American pharmaceutical company (1892–2019 bankruptcy)

Purdue Pharma L.P., formerly the Purdue Frederick Company (1892–2019), was an American privately held pharmaceutical company founded by John Purdue Gray. It was sold to Arthur, Mortimer, and Raymond Sackler in 1952, and then owned principally by the Sackler family and their descendants.

Raymond Sackler was an American physician and businessman. He acquired Purdue Pharma together with his brothers Arthur M. Sackler and Mortimer Sackler. Purdue Pharma is the developer of OxyContin, the drug at the center of the opioid epidemic in the United States.

Mortimer David Sackler was an American-born psychiatrist and entrepreneur. He co-owned Purdue Pharma with his brothers Arthur and Raymond. During his lifetime, Sackler's philanthropy included donations to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Tate Gallery, the Royal College of Art, the Louvre, and Berlin's Jewish Museum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uzo Aduba</span> American actress

Uzoamaka Nwanneka "Uzo" Aduba is an American actress. She gained wide recognition for her role as Suzanne "Crazy Eyes" Warren on the Netflix original series Orange Is the New Black (2013–2019), for which she won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series in 2014, an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2015, and two SAG Awards for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series in 2014 and 2015. She is one of only two actors to win an Emmy Award in both the comedy and drama categories for the same role.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Sackler</span> American billionaire (born 1945)

Richard Stephen Sackler is an American businessman and physician who was the chairman and president of Purdue Pharma, a former company best known as the developer of OxyContin, whose role in the opioid epidemic in the United States became the subject of many lawsuits and fines, filing for bankruptcy in 2019. The company's downfall was the subject of the 2021 Hulu miniseries Dopesick and the 2023 Netflix miniseries Painkiller, in which Sackler is portrayed by Michael Stuhlbarg and Matthew Broderick, respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Noah Harpster</span> American film director

Noah Harpster is an American actor, writer, producer and director. He is best known for his role of Remy on Tig Notaro's One Mississippi, and writing, producing and acting on Transparent, for which he won a Peabody Award, and was nominated for an Emmy Award, Writers Guild Award, Golden Globe Award, and GLAAD Award.

Massachusetts v. Purdue is a lawsuit filed on August 14, 2018, suing the Stamford, Connecticut-based company Purdue Pharma LP, which created and manufactures OxyContin, "one of the most widely used and prescribed opioid drugs on the market", and Purdue's owners, the Sacklers accusing them of "widespread fraud and deception in the marketing of opioids, and contributing to the opioid crisis, the nationwide epidemic that has killed thousands." Purdue denied the allegations.

Barry Meier is a writer and former New York Times journalist who wrote the 2003 non-fiction book Pain Killer: A Wonder Drug's Trail of Addiction and Death. His articles "have led to Congressional hearings and changes in federal laws".

The Sackler family is an American family who owned the pharmaceutical company Purdue Pharma and later founded Mundipharma. Purdue Pharma, and some members of the family, have faced lawsuits regarding overprescription of addictive pharmaceutical drugs, including OxyContin. Purdue Pharma has been criticized for its role in the opioid epidemic in the United States. They have been described as the "most evil family in America", and "the worst drug dealers in history".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timeline of the opioid epidemic</span>

The timeline of the opioid epidemic includes selected events related to the origins of Stamford, Connecticut-based Purdue Pharma, the Sackler family, the development and marketing of oxycodone, selected FDA activities related to the abuse and misuse of opioids, the recognition of the opioid epidemic, the social impact of the crisis, lawsuits against Purdue and the Sackler family.

<i>Dopesick</i> (miniseries) 2021 American drama miniseries

Dopesick is an American drama television miniseries, created by Danny Strong for Hulu. Based on the non-fiction book Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company that Addicted America by Beth Macy, it premiered on October 13, 2021, and concluded on November 17, 2021, after eight episodes. The series was produced by 20th Television, John Goldwyn Productions, and The Littlefield Company. It stars Michael Keaton, Peter Sarsgaard, Michael Stuhlbarg, Will Poulter, John Hoogenakker, Kaitlyn Dever, and Rosario Dawson. The series focuses on how the opioid epidemic started and the people in the U.S. were impacted by it.

<i>The Crime of the Century</i> (2021 film) American documentary film

The Crime of the Century is an American two-part documentary film directed, produced, and written by Alex Gibney. The film follows the opioid epidemic in the United States, and the political operatives, government regulations and corporations that enable the abuse of opioids, particularly the Sackler family and Purdue Pharma.

Joss Sackler is a fashion designer. She is also known for her marriage to David Sackler, whose father Richard Sackler was the chairman and president of Purdue Pharma, and oversaw its manufacturing of the highly addictive opioid Oxycontin, a leading drug in the opioid epidemic.

Curtis Wright IV is an American former government official known for his role in the Food and Drug Administration's approval of OxyContin for Purdue Pharma in 1995, followed by his subsequent employment by the company, which led to portrayals in films and reports in nonfiction books, magazines, and news media outlets of his alleged role as one of the key figures in the current opioid epidemic in the United States. Wright was implicated in a criminal conspiracy outlined in a 2006 United States Department of Justice review document that was first made public in Purdue Pharma's 2019 bankruptcy proceedings. Although that case was settled in a 2007 plea agreement deal, members of United States Congress have requested the full 2006 documentation from the Department of Justice with the goal of opening a new case based upon the evidence then gathered. Parts of Wright's sworn depositions in 2003 and 2018 have internal contradictions and differ from documentary evidence described the 2003–2006 U.S. Federal Government investigation into Purdue Pharma.

Micah Fitzerman-Blue is an American screenwriter, director and producer. He is best known for his work on Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood and Painkiller.

Madelaine West Duchovny is an American actress. She is best known for the film A Mouthful of Air, the SyFy series The Magicians, the Netflix series Painkiller, and the Hulu series Saint X.

Harrington v. Purdue Pharma L.P., 603 U.S. ___ (2024), is a United States Supreme Court case regarding Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code. The case addressed the 2022-2023 Purdue Pharma bankruptcy settlement and whether, under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code, a release extinguishing claims held by nondebtors against nondebtor third parties, without the claimants’ consent could move forward. Following deliberations, the justices determined that the Bankruptcy Code did not authorize the claimant's order, blocking the bankruptcy plan.

Geofrey Hildrew, ACE, BFE, is an American film and television editor and director. Noteworthy credits include the Netflix limited series Painkiller, as well as editing and directing all seven seasons of ABC's fantasy drama, Once Upon a Time. He served as editor and executive producer for the feature film Things Never Said, collaborating with writer/director Charles Murray. Additionally, he edited the thrillers Careful What You Wish For and, his second collaboration with Charles Murray, The Devil You Know.

References

  1. ↑ "Matt Morton Scoring Netflix's 'Painkiller'" . Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Exclusive: Painkiller Editor Geofrey Hildrew Was Told to Be Fearless in the Editing Room". August 10, 2023. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
  3. ↑ "'Painkiller' editor Geofrey Hildrew on immersing the audience into the story" . Retrieved March 1, 2024.
  4. ↑ "Watch Painkiller | Netflix Official Site". www.netflix.com. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  5. ↑ Porter, Rick (October 4, 2021). "Taylor Kitsch Boards Netflix's Opioid Crisis Drama 'Painkiller'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  6. ↑ Biggs, Jade (August 11, 2021). "OITNB's Uzo Aduba is starring in a Netflix series about the opioid crisis". Cosmopolitan. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  7. ↑ Saul Lelchuck (September 21, 2021). "Are the Sacklers the Most Evil Family in American History?". Bulwark Media. Archived from the original on September 2, 2021. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  8. ↑ David Smith (December 11, 2021). "OxyContin and the story behind America's 'most evil' family". The Irish Examiner . Irish Examiner Limited. Archived from the original on December 11, 2021. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  9. ↑ Joanna Walters (December 18, 2020). "'An evil family': Sacklers condemned as they refuse to apologize for role in opioid crisis". The Guardian . Guardian News & Media Limited. Archived from the original on December 17, 2020. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  10. ↑ "Some members of Sackler family under fire over ties to opioids". CBS News. April 11, 2021. Archived from the original on April 11, 2021. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  11. ↑ Zachary B. Wolf (September 3, 2021). "The worst drug dealers in history are getting away with billions". CNN Politics. Cable News Network. Archived from the original on September 2, 2021. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  12. ↑ Chris McGreal (December 17, 2019). "The Sacklers were drug dealers who put money over morality. The Purdue deal is no different". The Guardian . Archived from the original on September 17, 2019. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  13. ↑ "Uzo Aduba, Matthew Broderick and Taylor Kitsch Star in 'Painkiller' This August". Netflix Tudum. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
  14. ↑ Cordero, Rosy (October 4, 2021). "'Painkiller': Taylor Kitsch, Ana Cruz Kayne, & Tyler Ritter Among New Cast of Netflix Limited Series". Deadline. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Painkiller Casts Uzo Aduba, Matthew Broderick in Netflix Opioid Crisis Series". Collider. July 8, 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  16. ↑ Otterson, Joe (July 8, 2021). "Uzo Aduba, Matthew Broderick to Lead Netflix Opioid Crisis Drama 'Painkiller'". Variety. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  17. ↑ "Painkiller: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved August 12, 2023.
  18. ↑ "Painkiller: Season 1". Metacritic . Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  19. ↑ "'Painkiller': Netflix Miniseries Tells Shameless Lies About Opioids". acsh.org. August 16, 2023. Retrieved August 18, 2023.
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