Painkiller

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'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.

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.