Dopesick (miniseries)

Dopesick
Genre
  • Drama
Created byDanny Strong
Based onDopesick: Dealers, Doctors and the Drug Company that Addicted America
by Beth Macy
Starring
  • Michael Keaton
  • Peter Sarsgaard
  • Michael Stuhlbarg
  • Will Poulter
  • John Hoogenakker
  • Kaitlyn Dever
  • Rosario Dawson
ComposerLorne Balfe
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes8
Production
Executive producers
  • Danny Strong
  • John Goldwyn
  • Warren Littlefield
  • Karen Rosenfelt
  • Barry Levinson
  • Beth Macy
  • Michael Keaton
CinematographyChecco Varese
Editors
  • Douglas Crise
  • C. Chi-Yoon Chung
  • Matthew Barber
Running time57–65 minutes
Production companies
  • Danny Strong Productions
  • John Goldwyn Productions
  • The Littlefield Company
  • 20th Television
Release
Original networkHulu
Original releaseOctober 13 (2021-10-13) –
November 17, 2021 (2021-11-17)
External links
Website

Dopesick is an American drama miniseries created by Danny Strong based on the nonfiction book Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors and the Drug Company that Addicted America by Beth Macy. The first three episodes of the eight-episode series were released on October 13, 2021, on Hulu.[1][2]

Premise

Dopesick focuses on "the epicenter of America's struggle with opioid addiction" across the U.S.,[3] and focuses on individuals and families affected by it and the legal case against Purdue Pharma and their development and promotion of the drug OxyContin.

Cast and characters

Main

  • Michael Keaton as Dr. Samuel Finnix
  • Peter Sarsgaard as Rick Mountcastle
  • Michael Stuhlbarg as Richard Sackler
  • Will Poulter as Billy Cutler
  • John Hoogenakker as Randy Ramseyer
  • Kaitlyn Dever as Betsy Mallum
  • Rosario Dawson as Bridget Meyer

Recurring

  • Jake McDorman as John Brownlee
  • Ray McKinnon as Jerry Mallum
  • Cleopatra Coleman as Grace Pell
  • Raúl Esparza as Paul Mendelson
  • Will Chase as Michael Friedman
  • Phillipa Soo as Amber Collins
  • Mare Winningham as Diane Mallum
  • Lawrence Arancio as Raymond Sackler
  • Jaime Ray Newman as Kathe Sackler
  • Arischa Conner as Leah Turner
  • Ian Unterman as Jonathan Sackler
  • Brendan Patrick Connor as Howard Udell
  • Andrea Frankle as Beth Sackler
  • Winsome Brown as Theresa Sackler
  • Alan Campbell as Dr. Paul Goldenheim
  • Rebecca Wisocky as Cynthia McCormick
  • Meagen Fay as Sister Beth Davies
  • Trevor Long as Rudy Giuliani

Episodes

No.Title [4]Directed byWritten byOriginal release date [4]Prod.
code
1"First Bottle"Barry LevinsonDanny StrongOctober 13, 2021 (2021-10-13)1DJE01
2"Breakthrough Pain"Barry LevinsonDanny StrongOctober 13, 2021 (2021-10-13)1DJE02
3"The 5th Vital Sign"Michael CuestaDanny Strong & Beth MacyOctober 13, 2021 (2021-10-13)1DJE03
4"Pseudo-Addiction"Michael CuestaJessica MecklenburgOctober 20, 2021 (2021-10-20)1DJE04
5"The Whistleblower"Patricia RiggenDanny Strong & Benjamin RubinOctober 27, 2021 (2021-10-27)1DJE05
6"Hammer the Abusers"Patricia RiggenDanny Strong & Eoghan O'DonnellNovember 3, 2021 (2021-11-03)1DJE06
7"Black Box Warning"Danny StrongDanny Strong & Beth MacyNovember 10, 2021 (2021-11-10)1DJE07
8"The People vs. Purdue Pharma"Danny StrongDanny StrongNovember 17, 2021 (2021-11-17)1DJE08

Production

Development

On June 17, 2020, it was announced that Hulu had given the production a limited series order consisting of eight episodes based on the book, Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors and the Drug Company that Addicted America by Beth Macy. The series was created by Danny Strong who also serves as executive producer alongside Michael Keaton, Warren Littlefield, John Goldwyn, Beth Macy, Karen Rosenfelt, and Barry Levinson who directed the limited series. Production companies involved with the series are 20th Television (replacing the initially announced Fox 21 Television Studios), John Goldwyn Productions and The Littlefield Company.[1][5][6]

Casting

Alongside the miniseries announcement, Michael Keaton was also cast in a starring role.[7] In September 2020, Peter Sarsgaard, Kaitlyn Dever, Will Poulter, and John Hoogenakker joined the main cast, with Phillipa Soo and Jake McDorman joining in recurring roles.[8][9][10][11][12] In October 2020, Rosario Dawson was cast as a series regular while Ray McKinnon was cast in a recurring role.[13][14] In November 2020, Cleopatra Coleman joined the cast in a recurring role.[15] In December 2020, Michael Stuhlbarg was cast as a series regular.[16] In January 2021, Jaime Ray Newman, Andrea Frankle and Will Chase joined the cast in recurring roles.[17] In March 2021, Rebecca Wisocky and Meagen Fay were cast in recurring capacities.[18] In April 2021, Trevor Long joined the cast of the series in a recurring capacity.[19]

Filming

Principal photography began in December 2020 in Richmond, Virginia and Clifton Forge, Virginia and continued through May 2021.[20] North Carolina and Georgia were in contention, but Virginia was selected for its tax incentives and locations.[21]

Release

Dopesick was released on Hulu on October 13, 2021.[2] The first episode screened at the Virginia Film Festival on October 30, 2021, followed by a discussion with Danny Strong and Beth Macy.[22] Internationally, the series premiered on the Star content hub of Disney+, Disney+ Hotstar and Star+ on November 12, 2021,[23] The first two episodes airing that day with subsequent episodes released on Wednesdays.

Reception

Critical response

The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported an 88% approval rating with an average rating of 7.4/10, based on 64 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "Dopesick at times sinks under the weight of its subject matter, but strong performances from Michael Keaton and Kaitlyn Dever and an empathetic approach to the very real people impacted by the opioid crisis make for harrowing drama."[24] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 68 out of 100 based on 25 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[25]

Kristen Baldwin of Entertainment Weekly gave the series an A- and said, "Dopesick deftly corrals the vast addiction epidemic through intimate, deeply engrossing stories of human devastation."[26] Reviewing the series for USA Today, Kelly Lawler gave a rating of 3 out of 4 stars and described the cast as "excellent and empathetic, helping ground the series. Keaton is at his best, mastering a character who's a mess of contradictions and transformation."[27]

Accolades

Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
2022 12th Critics' Choice Television Awards Best Limited Series Dopesick Pending [28]
Best Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television Michael Keaton Pending
Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television Kaitlyn Dever Pending
79th Golden Globe Awards Best Miniseries or Television Film Dopesick Nominated
Best Actor in a Miniseries or Television Film Michael Keaton Won
Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries or Television Film Kaitlyn Dever Nominated
28th Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie Michael Keaton Pending
33rd GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series Dopesick Pending [31]

References

  1. 1 2 Andreeva, Nellie (June 17, 2020). "Michael Keaton To Star In 'Dopesick' Hulu Limited Series From Danny Strong, John Goldwyn & Warren Littlefield; Barry Levinson To Direct". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on June 17, 2020. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  2. 1 2 Cordero, Rosy (August 6, 2021). "Hulu Sets Premiere Dates For 'Dopesick', 'The Great' & 'Animaniacs'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 6, 2021. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
  3. ↑ Schwartz, Ryan (June 17, 2020). "Michael Keaton to Star in 'Dopesick' Adaptation From Empire Co-Creator". TVLine. Archived from the original on November 17, 2020. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  4. 1 2 "Shows A-Z - dopesick on hulu". The Futon Critic. Archived from the original on December 5, 2021. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
  5. ↑ Thorne, Will (June 17, 2020). "Michael Keaton to Star in Opioid Addiction Hulu Series From 'Empire' Co-Creator". Variety. Archived from the original on June 17, 2020. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  6. ↑ "Hulu's Fall 2021 Original Programming Slate" (Press release). Hulu. September 2, 2021. Archived from the original on December 5, 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2021 – via The Futon Critic.
  7. ↑ Goldberg, Lesley (June 17, 2020). "Michael Keaton to Star in Opioid Crisis Drama 'Dopesick' at Hulu". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on June 17, 2020. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  8. ↑ Petski, Denise (September 9, 2020). "Peter Sarsgaard Joins Michael Keaton In 'Dopesick' Hulu Limited Series From Danny Strong & Warren Littlefield". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 9, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  9. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (September 10, 2020). "Kaitlyn Dever To Star Opposite Michael Keaton In 'Dopesick' Hulu Limited Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 10, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  10. ↑ Petski, Denise (September 15, 2020). "Will Poulter Joins 'Dopesick' Hulu Limited Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 15, 2020. Retrieved September 15, 2020.
  11. ↑ Petski, Denise (September 22, 2020). "John Hoogenakker Joins 'Dopesick' Hulu Limited Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 23, 2020. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
  12. ↑ Otterson, Joe (September 21, 2020). "Phillipa Soo, Jake McDorman Join 'Dopesick' Cast at Hulu (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on September 22, 2020. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
  13. ↑ Petski, Denise (October 22, 2020). "Rosario Dawson Joins 'Dopesick' Hulu Limited Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on October 22, 2020. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  14. ↑ Petski, Denise (October 28, 2020). "'Dopesick': Ray McKinnon To Recur In Hulu Limited Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on October 28, 2020. Retrieved October 28, 2020.
  15. ↑ Petski, Denise (November 11, 2020). "Cleopatra Coleman Joins 'Dopesick' Hulu Limited Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 11, 2020. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
  16. ↑ Petski, Denise (December 17, 2020). "Michael Stuhlbarg Joins 'Dopesick' Hulu Limited Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 30, 2021. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  17. ↑ Pederson, Erik (January 28, 2021). "'Dopesick': Jaime Ray Newman, Andrea Frankle & Will Chase To Recur On Hulu's Limited Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 28, 2021. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  18. ↑ Petski, Denise (March 19, 2021). "'Dopesick': Rebecca Wisocky & Meagen Fay To Recur In Hulu Limited Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 19, 2021. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  19. ↑ Shanfeld, Ethan (April 28, 2021). "Trevor Long To Play Young Rudy Giuliani In Hulu's 'Dopesick' (TV News Roundup)". Variety. Archived from the original on May 2, 2021. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  20. ↑ "Richmond & Clifton Forge – Casting Extras for Limited Series 'Dopesick' – Dec-May – Paid". Virginia Film Office. December 1, 2020. Archived from the original on October 20, 2021. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  21. ↑ Curran, Colleen (January 12, 2021). "'Dopesick'-a Hulu limited series with Michael Keaton-is filming in Richmond area through May". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Archived from the original on January 13, 2021. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  22. ↑ "Dopesick". Virginia Film Festival. September 16, 2021. Archived from the original on October 8, 2021. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  23. ↑ ""Dopesick" Coming Soon To Hulu/Star". What's On Disney Plus. December 13, 2020. Archived from the original on October 5, 2021. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  24. ↑ "Dopesick: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  25. ↑ "Dopesick: Season 1". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  26. ↑ Baldwin, Kristen (October 6, 2021). "Dopesick review: An American horror story that's all too real". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on October 13, 2021. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
  27. ↑ Lawler, Kelly (October 13, 2021). "Review: Michael Keaton's opioid drama 'Dopesick' is harrowing, horrifying and a must-watch". USA Today. Archived from the original on October 13, 2021. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
  28. ↑ Pedersen, Eric (December 6, 2021). "Critics Choice TV Nominations: 'Succession' Leads Field As HBO Edges Netflix". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 6, 2021.
  29. ↑ Swift, Andy (January 9, 2022). "Golden Globes 2022: Succession and Hacks Lead TV Winners, Pose's Michaela Jaé Rodriguez Makes History". TVLine. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  30. ↑ Moreau, Jordan (January 12, 2022). "2022 SAG Awards 2022: The Complete Nominations List". Variety. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  31. ↑ "The Nominees for the 33rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards". GLAAD. January 21, 2022. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
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