Here is our review of the Netflix OxyContin series, Painkiller. We’ve done our best to avoid any spoilers and focus just on what they did right (and what they didn’t) along with the inevitable compare and contrast with Hulu’s similar 2021 series, Dopesick.
Another OxyContin Series Raises Awareness About Opioid Addiction
Much of America got its first behind-the-scenes look at the Oxycontin addiction crisis from Hulu’s 2021 miniseries Dopesick. While many had varying levels of awareness about America’s opioid epidemic, few knew the gritty details better than the people who lived in the midst of it.
Both the Sackler family who helped create it and the doctors caught in the middle knew more than most. The investigators who uncovered the Sackler’s cynical plot to get America addicted in pursuit of the almighty dollar saw plenty. The law enforcement and emergency services personnel on the front lines got an up close and personal look too.
No one was more aware than the millions of people who suffered from OxyContin addiction and their family members though. Thankfully, Painkiller does a good job of accurately and realistically portraying the harrowing ordeal so many faced. While the storyline follows several fictional characters based on an amalgamation of real people, each episode of Painkiller begins with a short introduction from the family member of someone who died as a result of OxyContin addiction.
First, A Trigger Warning
One thing to be aware of for anyone in recovery, or who has lost a loved one due to addiction–this series could be quite uncomfortable to watch. Painkiller features several grim depictions of drug use that are unnervingly accurate, despite the use of special effects for visuals (or perhaps because of them). We’re not going to tell you not to watch–because we think it’s an important piece of work that will help raise awareness.
But…if you’ve battled opioid addiction yourself, you should be prepared for some intense scenes and consider that in deciding whether or not to watch the show. There are also several disturbing depictions of fatal overdoses. We can’t fault the show creators for any of this, of course. A program like this wouldn’t be doing the story justice if it didn’t make people uncomfortable and it definitely delivers on that front.
Painkiller vs. Dopesick: Two Tales of the OxyContin Epidemic
It wouldn’t be fair to review the Netflix series Painkiller without at least some comparison and contrast to Hulu’s excellent 2021 series, Dopesick. There are many similarities here. Both are semi-fictional portrayals of what happened when one of America’s billionaire families put its conscience on ice to do whatever it took to turn their languishing pharmaceutical company into a raging juggernaut.
Both streaming series’ about OxyContin attempt to give us a look inside Perdue Pharma. We see the wealthy eccentrics of the Sackler family sitting around boardrooms and dinner tables making decisions that would ultimately result in the deaths of more than 100,000 people.
The depictions of the fictional Purdue Pharma reps were solid enough in both the OxyContin series’. We’ll call it a draw. They both did a fair job of trying to show (some of) them as real, three-dimensional humans who became as addicted to money as Purdue Pharma’s customers were to OxyContin. The drug reps in Painkiller were more caricature-like than Dopesick’s were, but West Duchovny’s performance was a highlight.
Netflix’s OxyContin show makes liberal use of special effects and surreal dream sequences to evoke certain emotions. They work…to a degree. Ultimately though, Dopesick’s storytelling felt more authentic and its overall approach was more mature.
Characters and Actors in Painkiller
Uzo Aduba who plays federal investigator Edie Flowers and Canadian actor, Taylor Kitsch, who plays an auto mechanic absolutely stole the show. Their performances alone elevated Painkiller to a level of quality it would never have reached otherwise.
Edie Flowers is probably the most complex character and serves as sort of the stand-in for the audience. She perfectly embodies all the palpable rage that wells up in anyone with a heart who knows the story and what the Sacklers got away with.
Honorable mention for West Duchovny who played the central Purdue Pharma drug rep character, Shannon Schaeffer (analogous to Will Poulter’s Billy Cutler in Dopesick). She did a good job of evolving her character through the story arc.
Matthew Broderick was a questionable choice to play Richard Sackler. He gives it his best, but ultimately we think Dopesick’s Michael Stuhlbarg did a far more convincing job of portraying a creepily detached old money sociopath. Broderick’s Sackler comes across as a bit too uneven and cartoonish.
Final Thoughts on The Netflix Painkiller Series
Overall, we give Painkiller a B. We’re being a little generous maybe because the subject material is so important and we’re happy to see America’s opioid epidemic, which continues to rage on, get the attention. But, it’s definitely worth the watch for our money, with the caveat that you should take our trigger warning seriously.
This series is entertaining in the sense that it’s a work of fiction, not a documentary, but this still is some really dark stuff. Despite this being a fictional depiction of events, we can never let ourselves forget that there is a tremendous amount of real suffering by real people behind this story. If you’re only going to watch one OxyContin series, we’d suggest Hulu’s Dopesick as the more earnest of the two, but like we said, Painkiller is good enough to merit a watch too.
Cork, Ireland – 24th March 2019: Blister packs of OxyContin and Oxynorm pills on a metal surface, OxyContin is prescribed for severe pain but is known for being highly addictive and severely abused
Georgia Addiction Treatment Center is Ready to Help
The opioid crisis in America is still raging and there are still millions of people who need help. If you or someone you love is struggling with opioid addiction or any other substance use disorder, Georgia Addiction Treatment Center wants to help.
When you call us, you will be connected to someone who truly understands addiction. We can help you make a plan to get yourself or the person you love to treatment. But the first move is up to you.
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