Dopesick

Dopesick charts the spread of a drug crisis born from a calculated push to normalize opioid painkillers. The narrative threads together a distressed Virginia mining town grappling with addiction, the DEA's long hours on the trail, and the gleaming towers of Big Pharma in Manhattan. It's less a single villain story than a braided portrait of patients, clinicians, regulators, and sales representatives who collide in a system that treats pain as a business opportunity. The show moves between kitchen table conversations and boardroom strategies, revealing how prescriptions become a public health catastrophe. It avoids sensationalism while tracking the slow burn of dependence, the desperation of families, and the stubborn resilience of communities under pressure.

Created by Danny Strong and Beth Macy, Dopesick adapts Macy's investigative work for television. It premiered on Hulu in 2021, guided by a team of directors and anchored by a strong ensemble led by Michael Keaton.

The series sparked renewed public discussion about opioid prescribing and corporate accountability. By focusing on ordinary people as well as the executives and regulators who shaped policy, it helped redefine the crisis as a human story rather than a statistic.

Critics praised its disciplined storytelling, tight pacing, and moral complexity. It confronts themes of greed, regulatory failure, medical ethics, and the costs of addiction, offering multiple viewpoints that challenge simple blame and invite viewers to question how care becomes commerce.

The miniseries earned nominations at major ceremonies, including the Emmys and Golden Globes, highlighting performances and its unflinching look at a pharmaceutical empire. While not a flashy triumph, the recognition mirrors the show's impact and ambition.