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 Berg
Micah Fitzerman-Blue & Noah Harpster
August 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 Berg
Will Hettinger and Micah Fitzerman-Blue & Noah Harpster
August 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.
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.
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 Berg
Micah Fitzerman-Blue & Noah Harpster
August 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]
