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Limited Series – Painkiller

Play trailer 2:29 Poster for Limited Series – Painkiller Aug 2023 Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
50% Tomatometer 52 Reviews 61% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
The origins of the opioid crises in the United States, as seen through the eyes of perpetrators, victims, and truth-seekers.
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Painkiller — Limited Series

Painkiller — Limited Series

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Critics Consensus

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.

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Critics Reviews

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Emily Zemler Observer 10/20/2023
The show raises a lot of good questions and makes important points, but occasionally it feels like details are omitted in favor of visual flair. Go to Full Review
Judy Berman TIME Magazine 08/17/2023
The facts that Painkiller spoon-feeds viewers are readily available elsewhere... Go to Full Review
Amber Dowling Globe and Mail 08/14/2023
For viewers with a vague awareness of the crisis, the series is a somewhat digestible watch that brings you up to speed with good music, acting and characters. Go to Full Review
Pallavi Keswani The Hindu 01/23/2024
Painkiller relies heavily on dramatisations and heightened emotional sequences, rendering it more of an angry gesture aimed at Purdue Pharma than a fictional account of a horrific truth. Go to Full Review
Joanne Laurier World Socialist Web Site 09/22/2023
Any honest, observant viewer is likely to extend the condemnation to the profit system as a whole, which is entirely willing to sacrifice untold numbers of lives in exchange for cash flow. Go to Full Review
Jim Schembri jimschembri.com 09/07/2023
3.5/5
There’s no love for Big Pharma here, a fast-paced, factually inspired drama that takes a deep dive into the opioid crisis...big-screen veteran Peter Berg does an excellent job maintaining focus on the many story threads without ever letting the pace sag. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Ben S @TheBenMan Feb 4 Very thought provoking, bad guys are horribly cast with Agent Colson from avengers and SJP husband. I am sure much of this happened in real life and was shocked to find out this horrible drug is still available though with tighter restrictions. See more Ariana R. @Ariromero1 Sep 11 Hulu’s ‘Dopesick’ was better with the story telling and getting emotionally involved watching each character fall down the path of addiction, but netflix made more of a real life connection but starting each episode with someone speaking about a loved one who they had lost from addiction. but Hulu still did it better. See more Iris A @RT13093540 Aug 10 I felt that this series was masterfully done. I felt that the dramatization was entertaining and illuminating. I love that they also worked with people and families who have been affected by addiction. I can’t count how many people I know who have been prescribed opiates and it changed their life for the worse. I feel that this really shines a light on the exploitation of patients by the healthcare industry which also explains the general distrust of the healthcare industry. I feel that the way that this was filmed was compelling and educational. This is a story that needs to be told for the public protection. Companies need to be held accountable and things must change. The acting is fantastic. The narrative is heart rending. See more Travis B @RT03938002 04/17/2025 Based on a true story, but ultimately nothing of real change or impact came from it. The opioid crisis remains a massive issue with no real resolution in sight. See more Sonja D @RT48600205 09/27/2024 Damn what a great show! This is a must watch, See more Zbigniew P @RT21489438 06/18/2024 I love this series. All the characters in this show are written in a very good way. The best character and the best played is my favourite persecutor. I love the character, and how she played. Mr. Kryger is also a very good character and played very well. The score should be much higher, especially from the critics. Generally, it's an unfair score. See more Read all reviews
Painkiller — Limited Series

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Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Aug 10, 2023 The One to Start With, The One to Stay With Seizing an opportunity, Richard bets on an opiate that relieves pain; college graduate Shannon takes a job at Purdue: Glen suffers a workplace injury. Details Episode 2 Aired Aug 10, 2023 Jesus Gave Me Water A patient using OxyContin attends a Purdue conference; Edie witnesses the drug's adverse effects; Richard faces roadblocks in his pursuit of profit. Details Episode 3 Aired Aug 10, 2023 Blizzard of the Century Glen is forced to detox when his addiction lands him in the ER; Edie struggles to convince her new boss, the U.S. attorney, to build a case against Purdue. Details Episode 4 Aired Aug 10, 2023 Is Believed Edie works to expose Purdue; Shannon enjoys the perks of her job but faces a moral dilemma; pushed to the brink, Glen starts losing control at work. Details Episode 5 Aired Aug 10, 2023 Hot! Hot! Hot! Glen hits rock bottom; Shannon attends a raucous work after-party; Edie uncovers damning evidence in her case against a pharmaceutical giant. Details Episode 6 Aired Aug 10, 2023 What's In a Name? Glen starts sobriety; Shannon reevaluates her role; using new evidence, Edie and the team take Purdue to court as the case comes to a stunning end. Details
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Season Info

Director
Peter Berg
Creator
Micah Fitzerman-Blue, Noah Harpster
Executive Producer
Eric Newman, Peter Berg, Alex Gibney, Patrick Radden Keefe, Micah Fitzerman-Blue, Noah Harpster
Screenwriter
Micah Fitzerman-Blue, Boo Killebrew, Noah Harpster, Will Hettinger
Network
Netflix
Rating
TV-MA
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date
Aug 10, 2023