What BBC Two's Dopesick is about, how many episodes and cast

An eight-part series based on the true story of the billion dollar drug that fuelled America's deadly opioid addiction is available to watch on the BBC. Starring Michael Keaton among other big names, Dopesick delves into the details of the story of America's opioid health crisis.

Disney+ first brought the critically acclaimed series to screens in 2021, wowing audiences with its harrowing account of the impact of the painkiller drug opioid. Now BBC Two has been able to bring the fact-based drama to a mainstream audience.

Netflix viewers may have also been introduced to the theme in Painkiller (2023), which is another series based on the topic. But critics say Dopestick has remained the definitive drama on this subject, as it succeeds in exploring the scenario from more angles, including the victims and the main parties involved in the drug.

Based on a book by Beth Macy called Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors and the Drug Company that Addicted America, the synopsis says that the series: "examines how one company triggered the worst drug epidemic in American history. The series takes viewers to the epicenter of America’s struggle with opioid addiction, from the boardrooms of Big Pharma to a distressed Virginia mining community to the hallways of the DEA.

"Defying all the odds, heroes will emerge in an intense and thrilling ride to take down the craven corporate forces behind this national crisis and their allies."

The series focuses on the pain relief medication Oxycontin, specifically its marketing, release and aftermath. The drug was claimed to be non-addictive in the vast majority of cases but many families, individuals and communities have disputed this. And years later they say they are still dealing with the consequences