Netflix Is Addressing the Opioid Crisis in New Limited Series PAINKILLER with Director Peter Berg

Netflix is bringing viewers a new limited series to check out that will deals with the opioid crisis, entitled Painkiller. The eight-episode series will be written and run by Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster, who wrote the screenplay for A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, as well as episodes of the series Transparent. Peter Berg (Friday Night Lights, Lone Survivor) is directing, with Narcos: Mexico showrunner Eric Newman executive-producing.

Variety reports, “Patrick Radden Keefe and Barry Meier will both serve as consultants. Keefe wrote the New Yorker piece ‘The Family That Built An Empire of Pain,’ while Meier penned the book ‘Pain Killer: An Empire of Deceit and the Origin of America’s Opioid Epidemic.’”

Here’s the description given by Newman:

“A tragedy decades in the making, the opioid crisis has become one of the most devastating public health crises of our time. Unlike other drug epidemics, born from underground manufacturing and covert smuggling, this epidemic began by prescription–dispensed by doctors, approved by government regulators, and promoted by a family-owned pharmaceutical giant that made billions while betraying the trust of patients and the public.”

That’s heavy, man. But it’s an important story about a terrible epidemic that touches so many lives. I’m interested in this, and with the quality of crew on board, I think this will end up being a fantastic project. Does this sound like something you’ll want to check out?