Exploring the tale behind ‘Painkiller’ (2024)

“The thing about opioids is they don’t just destroy the lives of those who abuse them. They destroy the lives of everyone in their orbit” – Edie Flowers

As I settle into my usual corner seat on the bus, a familiar beggar steps on board. He’s a tall, lean young man who claims to have been in an accident. His is a face I’ve seen on this route for years – someone who fits the description of a “kudukaraya” (an addict). Annoyed by his presence, I shift my gaze to the window, attempting to distance myself. But his voice reaches my ears, narrating his struggle to support his family and siblings. Unexpectedly, my thoughts wander to a character from the recent Netflix series Painkiller.

One part of the show Painkiller revolves around Glen Kryger, portrayed by Taylor Kitsch, a devoted family man who runs a vehicle repair shop. A workplace injury leads to a prescription for OxyContin, a powerful painkiller produced by Purdue Pharma, which ultimately plunges him into the depths of addiction. Glen’s downward spiral creates chaos in his family life, creating one of the most heart-wrenching storylines in the series. The series ends with Glen in a motel, determined to overcome his addiction and mend his marriage. Unfortunately, in a painfully realistic twist, Glen relapses after finding pills, meeting an unfortunate fate. Glen is blamed by the family for becoming an addict but in reality, circ*mstances leading to his addiction were beyond his control.

The Sackler family

The series draws inspiration from the real-life events involving the Sackler family’s pharmaceutical empire, skilfully crafted and scripted by Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster. The narrative is said to be woven from various sources, including Barry Meier’s Pain Killer and Patrick Radden Keefe’s New Yorker article, “The Family That Built an Empire of Pain.” Within Painkiller, we encounter real figures such as Richard Sackler, with composite characters that show the human side of the opioid crisis. These characters include Shannon Schaeffer, portrayed by West Duchovny, a pharmaceutical sales representative enticed to promote OxyContin, and Edie Flowers, played by Uzo Aduba, a legal advocate leading the charge against Purdue Pharma, the company owned by the Sackler family.

The term “painkiller” is synonymous with opioids, a class of drugs used for pain relief. The series uncovers the links between the opioid crisis and the marketing of OxyContin, which contains the potent opioid oxycodone. This marketing frenzy led to an alarming surge in opioid usage and abuse in the USA. Director Alex Gibney, in an article on Netflix’s platform, emphasises that while OxyContin does have valid medical applications, its reckless promotion resulted in unwarranted prescriptions and rampant addiction across North America. Purdue Pharma introduced OxyContin in 1996, and within a few years, its sales climbed from $ 44 million (316,000 prescriptions) to an astonishing $ 3 billion (over 14 million prescriptions) in 2001 and 2002. The company has pumped approximately $ 200 million solely in 2001 to drive extensive OxyContin marketing campaigns.

Greedy pharmaceutical companies

Painkiller shows us the deep issues in the opioid crisis caused by greedy pharmaceutical companies. The characters and story teach us to rethink addiction and its many causes. The characters make the opioid crisis feel real, showing how it affects people and communities. The creators of Painkiller skilfully engage the audience in the story, making them really care about the characters’ challenges. The audience gets emotionally attached, hoping the characters make better choices. Central to the story, Edie Flowers undergoes a profound transformation, and the audience too along with her. Her personal connection to the issue sensitises her to its gravity, encouraging her firm commitment. As she digs deeper into the case, her perceptions shatter.

At first, she thought drug abusers were just bad, but then she discovered something darker underneath, with evil actions and questionable morals. This transformation solidifies when Edie shares her newfound insight with her brother in jail, who was a drug dealer during the treacherous rise of crack cocaine in New York City, admitting, “I thought you were bad – turned out I didn’t know what bad was. I know now,” referring to Purdue Pharma’s nefarious actions.

The series concludes with a reference to real-world events that inspired its narrative. A text card informs viewers that in 2019, “Purdue Pharma filed for bankruptcy due to extensive multi-state lawsuits.” Furthermore, the Sackler family, tied to Purdue Pharma, agreed to a $ 6 billion settlement and ceded control of the company. Another shocking statistic emerges, highlighting the human toll: “Over the past two decades, over 300,000 lives have been claimed by prescription painkiller-related overdoses like OxyContin. Tragically, more than 40 individuals in the United States fall victim to prescription opioid overdoses daily.”

This makes me reconsider how I felt about the beggar on the bus. Are we really understanding our country’s drug issue? Are we blaming the right people? My small encounter with the beggar on the bus made me realise something important. Just like I felt annoyed at first but then understood that this young man too could be a victim of something bigger and evil, the show Painkiller teaches us not to judge people too quickly. The young man’s story is like the stories of people dealing with addiction – their lives are tough and complicated. Additionally, the character Shannon Shaffer, the sales representative, shows us how we can be convinced that something is good, even if it’s actually harmful.

The show wants us to be kind and understanding instead of making quick judgments. It’s a reminder that we should look beyond appearances. The young man on the bus and the characters in the show both show us that life is complicated, and we should be more caring and empathetic and always make sure to check if we’re seeing the problem from the right angle.

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of this publication.