Prodigal Son finds new audience on Netflix after cancellation

According to Collider, Prodigal Son is surging on Netflix almost four years after its cancellation, finding new traction on the streaming platform. The serialized crime drama centers on Malcolm Bright, a criminal profiler whose complicated relationship with his infamous serial-killer father is the show’s driving force.

The premise follows Malcolm (Tom Payne) as he consults the man who raised him, Dr. Martin Whitly (Michael Sheen), an infamous murderer known as “The Surgeon” responsible for more than 20 meticulously executed killings. Each episode pairs a case-of-the-week with Malcolm’s worsening PTSD, insomnia and fear of inheriting his father’s violence — a tension made explicit in scenes such as Malcolm literally strapping himself to his bed — while Sheen’s warm, theatrical portrayal of Martin and Payne’s jittery, morally grey Malcolm anchor the series.

Critics were divided during the show’s original network run over its tonal swings between grisly crime, gallows humor and melodrama, and it was canceled after two seasons due to declining live ratings rather than lack of engagement. On Netflix, the series “feels liberated” from weekly scheduling and advertiser expectations, and binging smooths some repetition; Prodigal Son premiered in 2019 and ran through 2020, with Chris Fedak credited as showrunner.

Key Topics

Culture, Prodigal Son, Netflix, Malcolm Bright, Martin Whitly, Michael Sheen