Michael Sheen's Serial Killer Drama 'Prodigal Son' Has Landed In The UK

Michael Sheen's new serial killer drama Prodigal Son has finally landed in the UK.

The American crime drama aired originally on Fox in September last year, but has now landed on Sky for us Brits to enjoy.

It centres around former FBI agent Malcolm Bright (Tom Payne), whose father, Martin Whitly (Michael Sheen), is a famous serial killer, known as "The Surgeon", who killed as many as 23 people in cold blood.

Malcolm is now working as a psychological profiler for the New York Police Department, due to his innate (call it genetic) ability to think like a serial killer.

But when a copycat killer starts to mimic his dad's killings, Malcolm is forced to reach out and ask him about his methods in more detail.

Malcolm's contact with his father will undoubtedly help the case, but what affects will their interaction have psychologically, hearing the ins and outs of his horrific crimes?

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The series landed on Sky Atlantic on Tuesday (July 28th), and will be airing weekly for 20 episodes.

You can also catch up on the episodes on Sky Go and NOWTV after they air on screens.

Speaking to LADbible about the sinister role, Michael Sheen said: "I liked that my character had developed a disguise to be good at his 'job' - his vocation, because his vocation is killing people, hunting and killing.

"And this disguise is someone who is funny, charming, puts you at ease, who you enjoying being in the company of. Which, of course, makes it a lot easier for someone who wants to kill you."

Reflecting on how he researched the role ahead of time, he added: "In terms of my character, he's a surgeon, he's very well-respected and liked and has a lot of access to people because of that.

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"So, I looked at Harold Shipman for that reason and the way people dropped their defences and thought that because he was this loved and revered community doctor there was no way he could be doing anything bad to them - while he was killing people's relatives."

For those that don't remember, Shipman was a GP from Greater Manchester, who killed more than 200 people between 1975-1998 - in fact, police say they may never know the exact number.

Much like Whitley, the doctor operated by befriending and charming many of his victims, which is why police say he remained undetected for quite so long.

If you're looking for a dark new drama to sink your teeth into, then this is it.

Topics: TV News, TV Entertainment, Sky

Joanna Freedman

Joanna is a journalist at Tyla with a particular interest in highlighting women's issues and telling inspiring first person stories. She's also their resident foodie, and loves covering exciting new beauty launches, too. Contact her at [email protected].

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