Painkiller

Painkiller season 1 on Netflix
Watch Painkiller on Netflix
Status:
Ended
Season 1:
Ended on August 10, 2023
Watched: 0%
0 of 6 Episodes
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Season: 1
# Air Date Episode Name Watched?
E1 Aug 10, 2023 The One to Start With, The One to Stay With
E2 Aug 10, 2023 Jesus Gave Me Water
E3 Aug 10, 2023 Blizzard of the Century
E4 Aug 10, 2023 Is Believed
E5 Aug 10, 2023 Hot! Hot! Hot!
E6 Aug 10, 2023 What’s in a Name?
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Watched / Unwatched
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Watched / Unwatched
Production Note - Limited Series
Production Type:
Limited Series

Painkiller is a standalone Limited Series that concluded its 6-episode run in August 2023. Developed for Netflix by Peter Berg and Eric Newman, the production serves as a dramatized examination of the origins and consequences of the opioid epidemic in America. By focusing on the rise of OxyContin and the legal battles led by investigators, the series utilizes a multi-perspective narrative to cover decades of history within a concise frame.

The production was designed with a definitive conclusion to mirror the real-world trajectory of the legal cases and the public fall of Purdue Pharma. Each episode begins with a testimonial from a family affected by the crisis, grounding the scripted drama in reality and emphasizing that the story is a self-contained historical record rather than an ongoing procedural. Because the series exhausts its source material and reaches a natural thematic resolution, there are no plans for additional seasons.

Painkiller is a six-episode limited series produced by Blue Cat Productions and Grand Electric for Netflix. Directed by Peter Berg and executive produced by Eric Newman, the series stars Uzo Aduba, Matthew Broderick, and Taylor Kitsch. It is based on the book Pain Killer by Barry Meier and the New Yorker article The Family That Built an Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe.
Confidence: 100% Last Refined: March 2026
Why Watch:
"A historical deep-dive into the corporate origins of the opioid epidemic through a dramatized lens."
Series Analysis:
Netflix's Painkiller arrived as a sharp indictment of the pharmaceutical industry, cementing its place in the era of accountability television. By dramatizing the origins of the opioid crisis, the series forced a global audience to confront the mechanics of corporate negligence. Its legacy lies in its refusal to look away from the human cost of OxyContin, using a blend of fictionalized characters and factual legal battles to illustrate a systemic failure. Unlike traditional procedurals, Painkiller functions as a permanent digital archive of a public health disaster, ensuring the names of those responsible remain etched in the collective memory. While the limited series concludes its narrative, the ongoing legal ripples of this tragedy mean the story is never truly over. Set a reminder for any future revivals, spin-offs, or news.
Tone: Analytical, somber, and historically significant. Last Updated: March 2026
Frequently Asked Questions

Painkiller is a standalone limited series that was developed to tell a complete, self-contained story. Netflix has confirmed there are no plans for a second season, as the narrative concludes with the resolution of the specific legal and historical events depicted.

The series is a fictionalized retelling of true events based on the book Pain Killer by Barry Meier and the New Yorker article The Family That Built an Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe. It explores the real-world origins of the opioid epidemic and the actions of Purdue Pharma.

Principal photography for the series took place primarily in Toronto, Ontario, and Hamilton, Canada. These locations were used to represent various United States settings, including the Purdue Pharma offices and the rural communities affected by the crisis.

There are six episodes in the complete limited series, which were all released on the same day for streaming. Each installment focuses on different facets of the crisis, ranging from corporate boardrooms to the lives of everyday victims.

The show stars Matthew Broderick as Richard Sackler and Uzo Aduba as Edie Flowers, a lawyer investigating the pharmaceutical industry. The cast also includes Taylor Kitsch as Glen Kryger, a hardworking family man whose life is upended by prescription medication.

While both shows cover the same historical events and the Sackler family, they are separate productions based on different source materials. Painkiller focuses more on a fictionalized investigative perspective while using real-world testimonies from victims to open each episode.
FAQs Updated: March 2026
Trailer:
Featured Characters (6)
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Network:
Netflix
Seasons:
1
Years:
2023 - 2023
Genre:
Mini-Series, Drama, Crime
Rating:
TV-MA
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