User reviews

It's not bad and quite enjoyable. The problem here for anyone who has taken the time to watch the massively superior Dopesick is that they have watched Dopesick. This version of events seems quite rushed and doesn't come close to the nuanced performances and detailed storytelling of Dopesick. It's hard to put your finger on the why this fails to be as impactful as Dopesick but it fails big time. After watching Dopesick I did quite a bit of research on the subject matter and found the storytelling to be quite accurate in that production. I feel so sorry for all the people whose lives have been ruined by this travesty and genuinely feel Dopesick does a much better job of telling this unfortunate story.

Painkiller is a rather fantistical retelling of a sad story that is all too familiar to many of us. It doesn't compare very favorably with Dopesick, counting on flashy visuals that almost overwhelm a compelling narrative. The acting is excellent, as are the technical aspects, and the show is, in it's way, entertaining. It's always a pleasure to watch Matthew Broderick. The most moving aspect of the series may be the heartfelt disclaimers that introduce each episode. As the deplorable Sacklers have now been shielded from further lawsuits, they will now be able to slink off the stage to enjoy their off-shore millions. None have served jail time, none have been prosecuted. Perhaps the only bit of satisfaction is to see the Sackler name obliterated from the many art museum wings and hospitals that they funded with their ill gotten fortune. Disgrace is their only legacy.

I had high hopes for this show. I had read that it was going to focus on the family behind Purdue who have basically been unpunished for there part in the opioid epidemic. I think that is a story worth telling. At least I would like to see it. I have been personally effected by this crisis in so many ways. I myself became addicted to OxyContin. It kind of happens before you even realize it's a problem. I know that sounds ignorant now, but at the time there was not information about this drug for the masses. I had 3 surgeries within a 6 month period in 2010 and I was prescribed Oxy after each one. I can still remember not having a clue what was wrong with me the first time I experienced withdrawal. At the worst point of my 7 years of opiate addiction I was taking a minimum of five 80mg extend release OxyContin, plus I was on 10mg oxycodone at least 4 times a day for breakthrough pain. It was HELL!! And these were all prescribed by a Dr on a weekly basis. Thankfully I have been clean for 7 years last month. However my partner of 15 years, and my sister where not so lucky. They both died of overdoses 6 months apart from one another in 2021. So, this is my story and it is one of many...so so many. Dopesick on Hulu was an amazing retelling of the history. This one not so much. It starts out okay, and then the last couple of episodes it's like okay we need to finish so we will just put 10+ years worth of content in the after message of the show. I know I ranted and got off topic of the show a bit but it was all just to say as someone personally affected so much by this crisis I am always excited to see shows that are supposed to have an accurate retelling of how we got here. Painkiller did not hit the mark they way I had hoped it would.

This is a well done, dark journey into an American hell created by an evil family and their soulless minions. While it is disgraceful that the endless suffering of the victims and their families has been turned into entertainment, this is important. The world needs to see what happens when an evil family is allowed to destroy America for profit. This covers the same material as Dopesick but a different take. Same info and honestly I enjoyed both. The portrayal of the Sacklers in both is not flattering. Truly evil people. The actors were amazing. A list talent and great writing. Highly recommend this and every American should see it.

No. This is not Dopesick. It's different and it's ugly. Really ugly and dirty. Just like the reality of the topic is.

I watched Dopesick and appreciated it for what it was (and it was brilliantly done). While the stories are similar, and you know the outcome, the way they get is different. And this limited series is also very well done - and gives a lot more information through Edie Flowers - played by Uzo Aduba. Wow. She is what keeps it all together.

This series has a hell of an ensemble. However, the people who introduce each segment will break your heart and hopefully open your mind.

You also have to get over how much Tyler Ritter looks like his dad.

Do watch it. Leave Dopesick behind. Neither are easy, but they are most certainly enlightening. And sad - on so many levels.

Investigator Edie Flowers starts spotting worrying signs when a new wonder drug called oxycontin is released, she soon discovers that Big Pharma is a tough but to crack, especially when the law appears to be on their side.

I have to say, I didn't quite associate some of the negative reviews with the show that I have just finished binge watching. I'd suggest it's a little slow to start, but it does definitely get moving from about episode four or five onwards.

It's been a while since I binge watched a six part series, this is definitely a series that makes you want to watch, the story is absolutely captivating, yes the series is flawed, and it's far from perfect, but it does manage to show you the dangers of addiction.

I won't even get into my opinions of The US Healthcare system, and the fact that pharmaceuticals can be advertised.....in the same way that manufacturers try and convince you to buy fabric softener, it's shocking.....

The introductions are so sad and incredibly moving, those are some very powerful words.

I think Glen's story stood out for me most of all, you see a guy who has everything lose the lot, and just how quickly a regular person can fall of the rails, another victim of addiction.

Some of the acting was very good here, Matthew Broderick did a great job as Sackler, especially when he starts coming off the rails somewhat. I thought Uzo Aduba did a really good job too, there are some very passionate scenes.

Worth seeing.

7/10.

I'm surprised by the low ratings and glad I didn't read before watching because I enjoyed the show.

It showed various perspectives from the Sackler family and employees, the pharma reps, the doctors, the whistleblowers, the patients and then the addicts.

I thought it was filmed well, there were comedic moments not to poke fun at the subject matter which is very sad but more at the impotence of the law makers and greed of the Sackler family and it's employees and those who jumped ship.

I thought the ending was a bit rushed I'd have liked more epilogue but overall we binged over 2 days as it was very watchable.

Unbelievable documentary series about the criminal organisation otherwise known as the Sackler family. Also the very worst side of capitalism and the failure of Government approval standards.

The director did a great job. It's stylish and polished but it's theatrical and I'm not sure on what really happened but it's alarming that it did cause so many deaths and it took this long for a law suit to occur.

It's got some great junkie withdrawal acting. Some stories are repetitive but it's what is to be expected.

The show makes the industry look very sleek and sexualised when I'm not sure if this is accurate either. What is accurate is this drug should never have been released and the company running it are criminals.

The corporate greed is a danger to us all. For that story it deserves recognition.

This story has already been dramatised by hulu in dopesick so redoing the exact same thing, when the first time it was done so immaculately, is bound to not go that well...this is a much more superficial version in the sense that it is created with a more entertaining aspect than adherence to the actual truth and it is also squeezed in only 6 episodes when there is so much more to cover. It is an ok show, with few good performances, like Richard Sackler's role, but only because the story behind it is so fascinating, otherwise there is nothing great to hold the viewer. It is like when Jennifer Lawrence was booked to play Elizabeth Holmes in the film Bad Blood but after seeing The Dropout and Amanda Seyfried's performance, she said "what's the point in redoing something that has been done so well?" and quit...So if you want the best version of this story, check out Dopesick.

No, I haven't watched Dopesick... yet. But after reading all the reviews on here - I'm going to! This is truly a story that MUST be told in as many ways as possible. The Sackler family must be held accountable for what they did. And if the Court won't do it - then we will. When these peoples' lives become so miserable and no one wants anything to do with them that no amount of money could fix that... I know, wishful thinking, because - who are we kidding - everyone has a price, right?

As far as the show itself - typical Netflix production. Meaning, not so great. There were so many things that really annoyed me. The constant intercutting of scenes was super distracting. I kid you not, there was one scene which lasted about 10 minutes where the characters were just high. I get it, they wanted the audience to get a taste of what it feels like to be high but they completely ruined it. They made it unwatchable. I could barely get through that episode. It completely distracted from the story of the series and totally ruined the flow of it.

Overall, from a production stand point - not that great. However, we should ignore that because this is one of those "films" they should show in schools. People need to know that pharmaceutical companies are just that - companies. And companies work for profits. And that everyone has a price. No one actually cares about your health and well-being. No one. Not even the people who are hired to do that. It's just a job to them.

Glad to see Uzo Aruba with a solid role after OITNB. Two episodes in, I'm definitely into it. It's a very different tone than "Dopesick," but that's okay - why would we need two shows with the same take?

I think this will resonate with different audiences, which is good: more people need to hear this story and how this drug became mainstream!

The drug cheerleaders are a bit 2D. I'm also having trouble with Matthew Broderick being an old guy. When did that happen? That's not right!

It's highly watchable, even if not as "good" as Dopesick. We'll see if they manage to stick the landing, but I'm into it so far.

The story is impecable and it needs to be told many times to avoid such a catastrophe period in pharma industry.

Last year, we saw dopesick and when I saw painkiller is coming I thought it's too similar, then I read interviews of creators that's such a different approach and not comparable. Well, we have to admit it's not comparable.

Dopesick is master-piece, such a talented limited series in all of the possible aspects.

Here chemistry didn't work out. Although it is well shot with a great acting, that doesn't really give you an impression of the complete picture.

Probably, if I haven't seen dopesick earlier, I will definitely like it so much more. This one isn't bad at all but the other one so much better.

First of all, I am not going to score this show. I find it not really appropriate to score a show that is about the pain and immense sorrow that is caused to people. And the main reason is that still many millions of people struggle daily with the (after-)effects of what the Sackler family did...

As society, we need to ask ourselves how on earth it is possible that the Sackler family - whom is directly responsible for addicting millions of people worldwide - is allowed to get away with what they have done. And it is not only the additing of so many people... No! It is the consequential deaths that are the result of those addictions.

That the Sackler family is able to still live in extreme luxury is beyond me. Yes, they may have 'settled' federal lawsuits by paying a multi-billion fine, but that was a small amount compared to the gigantic profits they have made altogether.

I think it therefore all the more important that the victims - and even casualties - are put center stage by such a series as this. Where we had "Dopesick" (Hulu) some time ago - where already a large group of society is made aware of what happened - it is this time "Painkiller" that is dropped on the Netflix service. And I hope that as many people as possible will watch this show. Because the Sackler family did get away with addicting millions of people! And they should be made accountable for all deaths that they caused!

If I look at the storyline of "Painkiller", it contains all the main elements that we also know from "Dopesick". I personally found that "Dopesick" gave more details, but that can also expected with its duration of over 8 hours, versus around 4.5 hours for "Dopesick".

The acting in "Dopesick" is overall pretty decent, with a clear outperformance by Matthew Broderick. Dina Shihabi, whom we know from e.g. "Archive 81" - a show that unfortunately got discontinued after 1 season - also did a pretty good job as one of the bad guys.

I don't seem to understand all of the negative reviews on here. Painkillers captivated me from beginning to end. I binged it in a few days. Everyone gave fantastic performances, I felt all of the emotions from the characters. Maybe not everything was historically accurate, but it painted a picture of what happened during the OxyContin crisis. I liked that at the beginning of every episode, they had a family member talk about someone they actually lost due to OxyContin. It really made an impact. A Crime of a Century on HBO is also a good documentary to watch on this topic. But the Netflix series in my opinion was good!

For me this series is 10 out of 10 .. why ? Iam a medical representitive worked over several multinational pharmacutical companies and believe me when i say this series is very real to someone who working in this field .. they represented the brain washing that the pharma tycones learn to their workers how to sell , how to analyse personality , how to make deals with drs , how to launch a drug even if it has some flows ... in this case its an opioid so its really dangerous for ppl to use .. i didnt watched dopesick may be thats why i liked this so much and thanks god that i promote a hypertenstion and diabetes drugs not opioids at last .. its very fast, catchy and enjoyable to watch .. very recommended.

Perhaps I would've enjoyed Painkiller more if I hadn't already watched Dopesick several times since it's release. Painkiller isn't bad but it's not great either and one of the reasons was using a fake character played by Uzo Aruba (Edie Flowers) to tell the story.

Why use such a rude, overbearing character to tell such an important story about how greed and capitalism created the opioid epidemic. Dina Shihabi (Britt) was perfection as the greedy sales representative with no conscience.

One thing I did really like about the series was that it didn't try to give Taylor Kitsch's character Glen some sappy happy ending because in reality he definitely would've ended up dead. The "real people" who spoke about loved ones they've lost before each episode was tragic but I also feel like Netflix exploited them and their stories.

First off let me just say the acting in this limited series is impeccable. Uzo Aduba showed such range and conviction in her role as Edie Flowers, and I hope she gets many awards for this stunning performance. Beyond this, the storylines are painfully real, they do not hold back and truly get the message across on how horrible the drug, and the company that made it are. I was hooked from the first episode and could not stop watching. You see all sides of the opioid epidemic from the people who started it, the people who spread it, the people who fought to end it, and the victims who suffered because of it. Painkiller is extremely uncomfortable to watch at times which is a testament not only to the phenomenal acting and story telling, but the brutal reality that those who fell victim to OxyContin experience. Couldn't recommend this enough.

This is the third major production to recount the horrors, outrage and devastation of America's opioid epidemic with the Sackler family's highly addictive Oxycontin at the center of the storm. HBO's 2021 documentary, "The Crime of the Century" is a top-notch four-hour mini-series that walks us through the origins, nuances, impact and current status of the Oxy wave. The at the end of 2021, Hulu released an excellent, 8-hour dramatization of the Oxy crisis with Michael Keaton starring in Dopesick. So, when Netflix comes along almost two years later with another dramatization, it begs the questions: Why? Is it better or worse or just different?

Sadly, other than a raucous and symbolic Miami party we didn't see in Dopesick, Painkiller's writer and director make some head scratching choices that interfere with the multi-POV story they're trying to tell. For example, the lead actress has one-note for six hours, burning hot, righteous outrage. This gets old after a while. Later we learn more about the reason for her rage but by then we're already exhausted. The performances by Matthew Broderick and Taylor Kitsch are better than the script material they're given. But the director insists on weird and irritating music choices, distracting and disorienting camera shots (yes, I understand the attempt to replicate disorientation and drug intoxication. But the kaleidoscope effect is overused in many other situations to annoying effect. Finally, the story telling in this six-hour version of the tales of Oxycontin, doesn't cohere, instruct and hold our interest the way Dopesick did. It's unfair to compare the two, but it's unavoidable. Painkiller comes up lacking and feels like an unnecessary knockoff.

P. S. One powerful addition Painkiller does have is real life grieving parents and loved ones who lost family to this horrible scourge introduce each episode. This is very powerful and a memorable choice. By far, the best choice of the production team.

Uzo was AMAZING!! She just becomes a better actress over time. She was so good in the show. The different storylines kept me watching and waiting and wanting more. Matthew Broderick was good, like always. He played the collected, intelligent character that he always plays. The show was enlightening, educational, interesting, and binge-worthy. There was never a dull moment. The family they focus on was so relatable. It made you feel like you were part of what was going on with their hardships. It is a wonderful story that you can't stop from watching. It has a similar feel to the dropout. A definite must see!!!

I have to say I have been really intrigued to watch this. My dad was a doctor and he never prescribed OxyContin to anyone due to the fact that you can get addicted. I really liked it. I thought it was an interesting limited series from Netflix. In my opinion the stand out were actually two I loved David and Tea leoni's daughter. "West Duchovny" and Taylor kitsch were both great. I was literally into it. I would have to say I didn't care for Matthew Broderick character or acting skills on this one... John Ritter son Tyler looks identical to him. I have yet to see dopesick on Hulu will be doing that.

In my opinion if you have seen hulu's dopesick you have seen netflix's painkiller... The storyline is exactly the same.

Acting was basically par and they should of used some bigger and better names in the cast. It was definitely watchable even tho the storyline is that similar to dopesick.

All in all I give netflix's painkiller an average borderline rating of 6 because of the fact it's just a remake of something that was made 2 years previously, I mean at least wait a decade before you bring something back, otherwise it is just going to be compared to the original...

They should of done a series about the aftermath, that may have got views hooked. No punt intended.

The series trips on itself by putting technique before story. It borrows a lot of its boisterous style from films like wolf of wall street and the big short. Not only does it fail to capture the horror of purdue and the opioid crisis - but it tries to turn it into fun. Richard Sackler is introduced as this whacky awkward guy throwing apples at his smoke detector - hardly a fitting intro for someone that played the pivotal role in the death and plight or countless families. This is only one of many instances that water down the tragedy. I recommend skipping this series and instead watching Dopesick on Hulu - they get the tone and story right.

Honestly we had Dopesick showing the same story about the opioid crisis in USA. And everyone thought that was fire !

This garbage show is nothing more than a Netflix revisited story about opioids. And won't win any Emmy.

This show is saved by Matthew Brodrick of course, that's enjoyable to see him back on the screen. But man the rest of the cast can't help the poor attempt of this show.

I don't know if Netflix had the idea before or after Hulu to make this happen, but man they missed it with this one (again).

Some plots are explained/shown as if the viewer had an IQ of an oyster.

Better pass than waste your time people !

Before watching this show I had very little understanding of the pharmaceutical industry and little to no knowledge of Oxycontin. It was obvious after the first episode that the US have a very different approach to prescription drugs. These factors piqued my interest and I started my steep learning curve.

I'm not sure why I kept watching, maybe I was entertained or maybe just morbidly curious? I have to say, it isn't fun and I don't recommend it. It's a dark, cruel emotional ride that I still can't get out if my head.

Aruba, Broderick and Kitsch are shockingly good actors and they provide the entertainment factor. The script, score and direction and ok and the supporting cast do an admirable job.

An emotional ride you won't want to get off.