The Pharmacist

After his son's tragic death, a Louisiana pharmacist goes to extremes to expose the rampant corruption behind the opioid addiction crisis.

The Pharmacist (2020) is an American true crime documentary miniseries created by Julia Willoughby Nason and Jenner Furst for Netflix. Its central figure is Louisiana pharmacist Dan Schneider, who appears as himself, a man whose son's tragic death pushes him to act against the forces he believes fueled the crisis. The engine of the series is his relentless pursuit of evidence: he confronts the pharmacy trade, the prescription supply chain and the corruption that allowed opioids to flood his community, and each episode is built from interviews, documents and confrontations that expose how the system failed ordinary families. Across four feature-length episodes the miniseries moves at a deliberate pace, balancing grief with anger and moral urgency. The tone is sober, intimate and often harrowing, with stretches of quiet mourning giving way to sharp investigative revelation. Its Louisiana setting, rooted in the everyday life of a small community, grounds a national story about addiction and profit. Viewers drawn to social documentaries such as Dopesick and the investigative grit of Dirty Money will find the same blend of personal stakes and institutional accountability. Its brisk, emotionally raw storytelling makes it a gripping and affecting watch for anyone interested in the opioid epidemic.

Audience reception is positive, with viewers rating the series 7.7/10.

• Dopesicksocial documentary exposing institutional corruption behind a public health crisis, serialized true crime
• The Final Cutinvestigative documentary style following an individual's crusade against corporate and governmental wrongdoing
• Dirty Moneytrue events docuseries about corporate negligence and cover-ups with a personal crusade at its center

Created by

Julia Willoughby Nason, Jenner Furst

Release Date

2020-02-05

Episode runtime

217 min

Rating

7.7 / 10 (65)

What is The Pharmacist about?

A Louisiana pharmacist grieving his son's death takes on the corruption fueling the opioid crisis in this four-part true crime documentary miniseries.

What is The Pharmacist like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Pharmacist as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.

Is The Pharmacist violent?

No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Pharmacist.

What did critics think of The Pharmacist?

Audience reception is positive, with viewers rating the series 7.7/10.

Which shows are like The Pharmacist?

Shows with a similar feel include Dopesick, The Final Cut, and Dirty Money.

How long is The Pharmacist?

The Pharmacist: 1 season, 4 episodes.

Is The Pharmacist still running?

No, The Pharmacist has ended.

Where can I watch The Pharmacist?

In United States, The Pharmacist streams on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads.