As I write this article about the opioid epidemic, I am dealing with it personally as a caretaker to a loved one addicted to an opioid. The main thought that ran through my head as I watched the limited series Painkiller is this could’ve been me after I had spine surgery. And it could be you, which makes this one of the most crucial series Netflix has put out to date.
For the team involved in making this show about the origin of the opioid epidemic with the creation of OxyContin, this was as personal as it gets. Pete Berg, who executive produced and directed all six episodes, opened up in a candid interview about his connection to the opioid epidemic and why he thinks this subject cannot receive enough attention.
Well-known for creating and directing NBC’s Friday Night Lights, Berg recalled hearing about the project from executive producer Eric Newman and consulting producer Barry Meier.
“I know a lot of people who have died from opioids. When Eric and Barry approached me, I started counting,” Berg recalled, referencing that initial conversation. He added that he quickly ticked off each finger on both hands. “I know a lot of people, over a dozen.”
As for Newman, known for Narcos and Narcos: Mexico, he also talked about how this epidemic impacted his life. “I spent many years chronicling the cocaine business in South America. I told the stories of several drug traffickers. I have my own unfortunate experience with opioid addiction,” he explained, clarifying that he didn’t struggle with addiction but lost someone he loved.
Painkiller unravels the OxyContin epidemic and how this deadly drug overtook America in the 1990s. It all started with OxyContin and is now primarily Fentanyl. Roughly 100,000 people die annually from opioids.
In a separate interview, Peter Friedlander, VP of U.S. Scripted Series at Netflix, discussed the importance of this series. He explained that this tragic epidemic affected many of those in the creative team behind the series. “We had a clear vision from the start. This project was years in the making and took a masterful meeting of the minds to bring to the screen. There is no expiration date on exploring this very real issue, and we hope this is not the last time the story is told.”
In the first week following the August 10 premiere, Painkiller debuted as the No. 1 TV title on the Netflix Global Top 10 with more than 7.2 million views (35.9 million hours viewed).
Painkiller held firm for a second week at No. 2 with 10.9 million views. The Matthew Broderick and Uzo Aduba-helmed series had 18.1 million views within its first ten days, landed in the Top 10 in 84 countries, and reached No. 1 in the U.S., Canada, UK, Sweden, Norway and Ukraine (to name a few).
Broderick brilliantly portrays real-life billionaire businessman and physician Richard Sackler, the mind behind OxyContin. He was the chairman and president of Purdue Pharma, the company best known as the drug developer. Sackler has been accused of concealing the drug’s strength and hiding its risks.
The Sackler family founded and owned two pharmaceutical companies, Purdue Pharma and Mundipharma, and has faced many lawsuits and fines.
In 2019, Purdue filed for bankruptcy due to cases in several states. In the settlement now under review by the U.S. Supreme Court, the Sackler family agreed to pay $6 billion and forfeit company ownership.
The controversial agreement shielded the family by granting immunity from civil claims made by victims and is considered a misuse of the bankruptcy court.
There’s no denying the global reach that Netflix has, with over 238 million paid memberships in over 190 countries. For those behind the series, this story cannot get enough attention.
“We’re pleased to see how audiences worldwide are embracing the series. They are drawn to Painkiller for the important story and the quality of its production. The pedigree of the creators and cast, especially Matthew and Uzo, their gravitas, elevated performances, and relatable characters help bring this crisis home,” said Friedlander.
In addition to exposing those who started the opioid epidemic, I hope this series alleviates the shame associated with addiction. So many suffer in silence, not just those with addictions; their families also suffer.
Friedlander acknowledged the importance of this type of series. People tend to view addicts as the throwaways of society, and a show like Painkiller can shed light on how many got there. “I believe the goal of so many storytellers is to create empathy for the characters in the stories that they’re telling. Painkiller shows the cross-section of individuals impacted by this crisis.”
Per Friedlander, he knew this was a story Netflix needed to tell immediately upon hearing the pitch, and his team of executives agreed with him. “It spoke to us in a way that indicated that this would be captivating, messy, intense, upsetting, heartbreaking, and the myriad of emotions you see when you watch the show.”
When asked if this is one of Netflix’s most important series to date, Friedlander paused briefly before answering. “Painkiller sits alongside When They See Us and Unbelievable as some of the most socially impactful stories we’ve put out.”
Painkiller is based on Meier’s book “Pain Killer: An Empire of Deceit and the Origin of America’s Opioid Epidemic” and The New Yorker Magazine article “The Family That Built an Empire of Pain” by Patrick Radden Keefe.
Alongside Broderick and Aduba, Taylor Kitsch, Dina Shihabi, Carolina Bartczak, and West Duchovny star in the series executive produced by Newman, Berg, Alex Gibney, and showrunners/creators/writers Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster.
As comparisons to Hulu’s Dopesick have been made, Friedlander, Berg, and Newman each said that they hope stories about the opioid epidemic continue to be told.
“We hope there’s an opioid show every year,” said Newman. “When you get into this world and realize that so many of these victims have been blamed for their demise, you feel like you must continue telling the story.”
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