Prodigal Son (TV series)

The series centers on Malcolm Bright whose father Martin Whitly is an infamous serial killer known as "the Surgeon". Malcolm discovered what his father was doing when still a child and alerted the police, who finally caught Martin. By the time of the show, Malcolm has cut all ties with his father, changed his name, and has not seen him for ten years. Previously an FBI profiler and now working for the NYPD, Malcolm is forced to confront his father when a copycat serial killer emerges. He must use Martin's insights to help solve horrible crimes while handling inner battles. He must also deal with his father constantly trying to insert himself back into Malcolm's life. He is helped by Gil, an NYPD lieutenant and father figure, and the officer who responded to Malcolm's call all those years ago. ==Cast==

Main • Tom Payne as Malcolm Bright (né Whitly), a disgraced former FBI profiler who works for the NYPD. He possesses the unique ability to view crimes from the perspective of the killer, allowing him to pick up on things that other cops might miss. This gift haunts him, causing him to live in a perpetual state of fear that he will one day succumb to the same sociopathic tendencies as his father. • Aurora Perrineau as Dani Powell, a police detective under Arroyo's command who is sympathetic to Malcolm's difficulties • Keiko Agena as Edrisa Tanaka, an NYC medical examiner with a romantic interest in Malcolm • Bellamy Young as Jessica Whitly (née Milton), Malcolm's mother and a businesswoman from an old money high society family, who suffers from alcoholism as a result of her drinking to cope with her husband's crimes • Michael Sheen as Martin Whitly, Malcolm's father, a renowned cardiothoracic surgeon, who is incarcerated in an asylum after committing 23 murders as "the Surgeon" Recurring • Esau Pritchett as Mr. David, a worker at the Claremont Psychiatric Hospital who is in charge of Dr. Whitly • Charlayne Woodard as Gabrielle Le Deux (season 1), Malcolm's psychologist since his father's arrest • Molly Griggs as Eve Blanchard (season 1), Malcolm's deceased girlfriend, a lawyer who has an interest in fighting human trafficking • Dermot Mulroney as Nicholas Endicott (season 1), a pharmaceutical tycoon who has a secret association with Dr. Whitly • Armando Acevedo as Hector • Alan Gary as Burt • Christian Borle as Friar Pete (season 2), a new patient at the Claremont Psychiatric Hospital • Catherine Zeta-Jones as Vivian Capshaw (season 2), a resident medical doctor at the Claremont Psychiatric Hospital == Production ==

Development On January 28, 2019, it was announced that Fox had given the production a pilot order. The pilot was written by Chris Fedak and Sam Sklaver, who executive produces alongside Lee Toland Krieger, Greg Berlanti and Sarah Schechter. Production companies involved with the pilot include Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television. On March 12, 2019, it was announced that Lee Toland Krieger would be directing the series. On May 9, 2019, it was announced that the production had been given a series order. The following day, it was announced that the series would premiere in the Fall of 2019. The series debuted on September 23, 2019. On October 7, 2019, the series was picked up for a full season of 22 episodes. In March 2020, Warner Bros. Television suspended production on the series upon the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, episode 20 served as the first season finale. On May 21, 2020, Fox renewed the series for a second season which premiered on January 12, 2021. On May 10, 2021, Fox canceled the series after two seasons. Casting In February 2019, it was announced that Lou Diamond Phillips, Aurora Perrineau and Frank Harts had been cast in the pilot's lead roles. On February 10, 2020, Dermot Mulroney was cast in a recurring role. On December 7, 2020, Christian Borle and Michael Potts joined the cast in recurring capacities for the second season. On January 6, 2021, Catherine Zeta-Jones joined the cast for the second half of the season. ==Episodes==

Series overview Season 1 (2019–20) Season 2 (2021) ==Release==

On May 13, 2019, Fox released the first official trailer for the series. Internationally, the series aired on Global in Canada, on Sky One in the United Kingdom, on Fox One in Australia, and on Colors Infinity in India. From January 9, 2026, the series is available on Netflix. ==Reception==

Critical response The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 58% approval rating with an average rating of 6.19/10, based on 33 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "Though it shows promise, Prodigal Son sidelines a spectacular Michael Sheen in favor of a more pedestrian procedural storyline that often drifts too deeply into the grotesque." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 61 out of 100 based on 14 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Ratings Season 1 Season 2 ==Home media==

Warner Archive Collection released the complete first season as a manufacture-on-demand DVD and Blu-ray on September 8, 2020. ==References==