Dopesick

First-rate, often heroic television. ... When it stays true to its course, the series is urgent, even vital. Flaws of ambition are much preferable to pulling up short, and “Dopesick” never pulls up short.

Dopesick (premiering October 13) deftly corrals the vast addiction epidemic through intimate, deeply engrossing stories of human devastation. Keaton is phenomenally poignant as Dr. Finnix. ... Dever adds another remarkable performance to her growing résumé as Betsy, whose descent into desperate addiction is almost too painful to watch.

For all its faults and lulls, I wanted to keep watching. Every reveal is damning and essential.

At times Dopesick can feel similarly overwhelming. But it also feels important that these stories be told.

Based on early episodes, Dopesick is a (mostly) sober, compelling and clear dramatisation of one of the most shameful examples of big pharma wrongdoing in recent history, which will have you recoiling in fury.

It's a large credit to the show's writing, and its excellent performances, that "Dopesick" breaks away from its initial “and then this happened” type of plotting. These characters may have a part to play in the mechanics of this story, but they have more dimension than simply symbols, especially as the plotting (hour-long episodes) gives space for the story to be about everyone’s psychological pains and problems

“Dopesick” feels urgent and immediate, and it moves forward with a propulsive energy.

The cast is excellent and empathetic, helping ground the series.

Scattered in places, in its totality it's an engrossing eight-part series, made more so by Purdue's bankruptcy proceedings and the Sackler family's efforts to avoid additional consequences.

It’s both understated and obvious. Given the subject matter, there will be some frustrating if not unpredictable outcomes, some of which are supplied by history. But there is a welcome lack of pounded tables, clenched jaws, throbbing temples and speechifying.

Dopesick would be better if the story did not jump around so much in time. ... But as the characters reveal their struggles, Dopesick gets better and better, emphasizing how dwarfed each individual is by the massive power of Purdue.

Dopesick will certainly be a slow burn in spots. But it deals with a subject whose depth most people aren’t aware of, and the performances are so good that it should keep viewers interested.

Even if some elements of “Dopesick” feel too pat, the story as a whole is a worthwhile indictment of a government regulation system that allowed Purdue to operate for years with impunity, ruining the lives of thousands of Americans.

Dopesick is not an easy watch, and despite its subject matter, it sometimes struggles to establish itself as a necessary one. But when it does choose substance over gimmicky style, you won’t be able to look away.

This is an uneven series that is often quite good but feels like a missed opportunity to be something great.