A cancelled Fox show that was added to Netflix last week has broken into the platform’s top 10 this week.
Prodigal Son only ran for two seasons from 2019 to 2020 on Fox, but it cultivated a passionate fan following who were devastated to see it axed. Now, the show can find a whole new set of fans on Netflix.
The show follows a gifted criminal profiler who has some unconventional family problems: his dad is a serial killer.
Watch With Us breaks down why Prodigal Son is worth the hype, and answers if the show will get a third season after all.
‘Prodigal Son’ Features a Twisted Father-Son Relationship
A huge part of what makes Prodigal Son so great is that it features a dark and unconventional central relationship. In a nutshell, Tom Payne plays Malcolm Bright — a talented FBI profiler now working with the NYPD and desperately trying to escape associations with his convicted serial killer father, Martin (Michael Sheen), a former doctor who committed 23 murders and was given the macabre moniker “the Surgeon.”
Malcolm had initially not seen his father for ten years, but is forced to confront him when a copycat serial killer emerges. Thus, a Clarice Starling-Hannibal Lecter relationship emerges, as Malcolm finds himself looking to Martin for insight on how to capture the copycat. This dynamic is further complicated by Martin’s desire to worm his way back into his son’s life, as well as Malcolm’s persistent fear that his gift for criminal profiling is linked to a dormant sociopathy. The back-and-forth between Martin’s charismatic manipulation and Malcolm’s haunted paranoia makes for frequently compelling scenes.
‘Prodigal Son’ Is a Wild Blend of Dark Humor and Gory Crime Procedural
In the first episode of Prodigal Son, Bright and his partners free a man strapped to a time bomb by chopping off his arm, a sequence which finishes off with a shockingly corny dad joke — this basically sets the tone for the ensuing bonkers series. If you thought Hannibal got away with a lot on network TV, then you will be pleased with what Prodigal Son has to offer in its wake. The series successfully combines violence, melodrama, crime procedural and black comedy into an oddball concoction that is unforgettable.
This perfect combination of genres and tones stems from the show’s ability to be completely earnest; Prodigal Son’s subversiveness is conveyed free of irony or “wink-winks” from its characters. This gleeful, earnest chaos that is distinctive to the show allows Prodigal Son to stand out amidst the usual glut of crime procedurals. Witty banter never feels forced, plot lines are fun and memorable and there is an emotional core that may surprise you.
The Performances Are What Really Make the Show Special
Tom Payne in Prodigal Son. David Giesbrecht / ©Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection
If you love to watch actors hamming it up, then you’ll probably love Prodigal Son. Michael Sheen in particular shines in his performance as Martin Whitly, clearly drawing from the inspiration of Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter and making something entirely his own. As Whitly, Sheen pulls off this delicate balance of being sinister, charismatic, scheming and also weirdly lovable. That’s kind of the best type of villain performance — when you can’t help but love the bad guy.
Meanwhile, Tom Payne’s portrayal of the tormented Malcolm Bright is both empathetic and believable, as he wrestles with his litany of internal demons related to his monstrous father and the trauma he sustained from him. While it’s Payne and Sheen’s chemistry that really anchors Prodigal Son, we’d be remiss if we didn’t shout out the supporting cast. Keiko Agena’s performance as forensic doctor Edrisa Tanaka is a highlight, as is Lou Diamond Phillips as Gil Arroyo, NYPD’s major crimes lieutenant and the surrogate father to Malcolm.
Will ‘Prodigal Son’ Get a Season 3?
While renewed interest in Prodigal Son via its popularity on Netflix may turn some studio heads, as of right now, there are no plans to bring the prematurely canceled show back for a third season. The series was canceled in 2020 after only two seasons when — in spite of its passionate fanbase — it failed to bring up ratings.
But never say never: if Suits managed to clinch a spinoff after blowing up on Netflix, there could be something in store for Prodigal Son’s future.
Stream Prodigal Son now on Netflix.
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