Prodigal Son

The son of a notorious serial killer becomes an acclaimed criminal psychologist who uses his unique insight into how killers think to help the NYPD.

Prodigal Son (2019-2021) is an American crime drama created by Chris Fedak and Sam Sklaver for FOX. Malcolm Bright (Tom Payne) is an acclaimed criminal psychologist and the son of a notorious serial killer, and he uses his unsettling understanding of how killers think to consult for the New York City Police Department. Opposite him, Dr. Martin Whitly (Michael Sheen) is his estranged father, a convicted murderer whose manipulative presence hangs over every case. Detective Gil Arroyo (Lou Diamond Phillips) and detective Dani Powell (Aurora Perrineau) bring Malcolm into each murder investigation, and the engine of the show is the tension between solving a fresh crime and confronting a buried past. Across two seasons and thirty-three episodes, the series runs as a mostly case-of-the-week police procedural with serialized threads about family, memory, and identity. The tone is tense and brooding, with a dark psychological edge and a steady undercurrent of dread. Fans of Hannibal, The Mentalist and Mindhunter will find resonance in its portrait of profiling, manipulation and damaged minds working on the edge of the law.

Audiences rate Prodigal Son positively, valuing its engaging serial killer mysteries and the psychological interplay between Malcolm Bright and his father.

• Hannibalserial killer mind games, criminal profiling, police procedural structure
• The Mentalistcriminal psychologist consulting police, case of the week procedural
• Mindhunterprofiler working with law enforcement, dark murder investigations
• Bonesforensic investigation with a haunted protagonist, procedural crime tone

Created by

Chris Fedak, Sam Sklaver

Release Date

2019-09-23

Episode runtime

45 min

Rating

7.6 / 10 (478)

What is Prodigal Son about?

A criminal psychologist who is the son of a notorious serial killer uses his dark insight to help the NYPD catch murderers.

What is Prodigal Son like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Prodigal Son as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.

Is Prodigal Son violent?

Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Prodigal Son as moderate.

What did critics think of Prodigal Son?

Audiences rate Prodigal Son positively, valuing its engaging serial killer mysteries and the psychological interplay between Malcolm Bright and his father.

Which shows are like Prodigal Son?

Shows with a similar feel include Hannibal, The Mentalist, Mindhunter, and Bones.

How long is Prodigal Son?

Prodigal Son: 2 seasons, 33 episodes.

Is Prodigal Son still running?

No, Prodigal Son was canceled.

Where can I watch Prodigal Son?

In United States, Prodigal Son streams on Netflix, HBO Max Amazon Channel, Netflix Standard with Ads.