Prodigal Son: Season 1

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 12 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 25 Ratings

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7.2

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7.2	Your Score
7.2	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 25 Ratings

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Season Details & Credits

FOX | Season Premiere Date: September 23, 2019

Summary: Criminal psychologist Malcolm Bright (Tom Payne) helps solves murders with the NYPD while dealing with his father (Michael Sheen), who was a serial killer and still wants a relationship with his son in this crime drama from Chris Fedak and Sam Sklaver.

Genre(s): Drama

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Season 1 Episodes

tbd
S1:E20. The Professionals
Air Date: April 20, 2020
tbd
S1:E20. Like Father...
Air Date: April 27, 2020
tbd
S1:E19. The Professionals
Air Date: April 20, 2020

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

Amanda Bell

Sep 20, 2019

Michael Sheen is dancing with light feet in this role, clearly having a blast playing a serial killer who is at once a duplicitous menace and a charming conversationalist. Read full review

Daniel D'Addario

Sep 20, 2019

Performances carry the day, here: Payne is edgy and hopped-up as a young man in a perpetual state of ultra-anxiety. ... Sheen cleverly carries off a character with all the urbane wit of Hannibal Lecter, but evil buried further under the surface. ... The show, though, is completely in control, deploying Sheen carefully, well, and never too much. It’s a program that provides a creepy jolt while never reveling in darkness for its sake. Read full review

RogerEbert.com Brian Tallerico

Sep 23, 2019

“Prodigal Son” isn’t going to set ratings charts on fire, but it’s a solid mystery/drama after a long Monday, one that plays on our increasing obsession with serial killers and grisly murders with an engaging, talented ensemble. Read full review

Glenn Garvin

Sep 21, 2019

So weirdly stupid that it might actually be good. Or, then again, just weird and stupid. Read full review

Mike Hale

Sep 23, 2019

Through three episodes, Sheen goes very light on psychotic menace, a refreshing choice that also allows for future revelations about Martin’s motives. When the show leaves Martin’s cell, it becomes an unexceptional procedural. Read full review

John Anderson

Sep 19, 2019

The entire story line, in fact, is a bit extreme for prime-time network TV. The problem is, the creators seem to think so, too. Any sense of dread is diluted by the light comedy generated among the supporting cast. ... It's a bit baffling. ... Basically, “Prodigal Son” is, at the outset, a dark show that doesn’t take its darkness seriously enough. By episode 2 matters settle down, and pilots are always misleading, so there’s hope the program will find a groove. Read full review

Dan Fienberg

Sep 23, 2019

This isn't 1995 and there's too much available TV to tune in regularly for a 42-minute broadcast drama of which I love only five minutes. ... Prodigal Son is trapped in that all-too-familiar position that most network dramas find themselves in these days, between wanting to tell cable-style arced stories and satisfying broadcast murder-of-the-week mandates. Read full review

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7.2

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User Reviews

Kai5

Nov 16, 2019

The critics giving this a bad rating really would rather go watch Game of Thrones just so they can see naked people and swords. It's really, really sad that people don't appreciate intellectual television anymore. The same as it's always been, I suppose. You give them a smart character, theyThe critics giving this a bad rating really would rather go watch Game of Thrones just so they can see naked people and swords. It's really, really sad that people don't appreciate intellectual television anymore. The same as it's always been, I suppose. You give them a smart character, they give you a cancelled show.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

markcd1234

Oct 14, 2019

I really enjoyed the show so far, it's pretty suspenseful. The acting is good and each story leaves you wondering who did it.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

MrFlankster

Nov 13, 2019

This show is nuts. In a great way. It didn't start to pick up steam until episodes 5 or 6, but once it did... nuts! I hope it sticks around.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

youngandgrey

Sep 26, 2019

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Really Good Drama. The mystery and procedural element take a somewhat backseat to the characters. Its a cop show, but, not in the traditional sense. The best parallel I can make to this show is the recently ended Elementary. While in Elementary, Sherlock is tortured by his drug addiction and possibly relapsing into drug addiction. The main character-Malcolm Bright (played by Tom Payne) is tortured by the fact that he found his serial killer father bodies as a child. He is plagued by night terrors, and a fear that he will fall in his fathers footsteps. The father is a horrifically subtle evil character, similar in vein to Hannibal Lecter played to perfection by Michael Sheen. Lou Diamond Phillips is a good addition to the cast as Malcom`s old friend that happens to be saved from being murdered by Malcom`s father by Malcom. I recommend this show for anyone looking to fill their withdrawl from Elementary, and who would like a fresh take on the proceedural formula.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

Ededed

Jan 26, 2020

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Too weird, and usually I like weird.

Feels like the writers try to insert every weird twist into the plot they come up with without a real long term storyline in mind. We know having a convicted serial killer in the family is bound to create some mental health issues, but this is too extreme to be watchable. Mommy dearest obviously has deep and hidden issues and I would not be surprised if she is somehow involved in the killings her husband was convicted for. Oops, spoiler alert!

Gave up on this. Couldn’t keep my attention.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

sjskydiver

Mar 28, 2020

Absolutely one of the worst shows I've ever wasted my brain on this year. I'm so disappointed because it had so much potential. It's so stupidly predictable, it's laughable. "My Boy!" Really? Who believes this? Ugh.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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Seasons & Episodes

59

Series Overview
Season 1

59
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: September 23, 2019
- tbd
  S1:E20. The Professionals
  Air Date: April 20, 2020
- tbd
  S1:E20. Like Father...
  Air Date: April 27, 2020
- tbd
  S1:E19. The Professionals
  Air Date: April 20, 2020
- tbd
  S1:E18. Scheherazade
  Air Date: March 30, 2020
- tbd
  S1:E17. Stranger Beside You
  Air Date: March 23, 2020
- tbd
  S1:E16. The Job
  Air Date: March 16, 2020
- tbd
  S1:E15. Death's Door
  Air Date: February 17, 2020
- tbd
  S1:E14. Eye of the Needle
  Air Date: February 10, 2020
- tbd
  S1:E13. Wait & Hope
  Air Date: February 3, 2020
- tbd
  S1:E12. Internal Affairs
  Air Date: January 27, 2020
- tbd
  S1:E11. Alone Time
  Air Date: January 20, 2020
- tbd
  S1:E10. Silent Night
  Air Date: December 2, 2019
- tbd
  S1:E9. Pied-A-Terre
  Air Date: November 25, 2019
- tbd
  S1:E8. Family Friend
  Air Date: November 11, 2019
- tbd
  S1:E7. Q&A
  Air Date: November 4, 2019
- tbd
  S1:E6. All Souls and Sadists
  Air Date: October 28, 2019
- tbd
  S1:E5. The Trip
  Air Date: October 21, 2019
- tbd
  S1:E4. Designer Complicity
  Air Date: October 14, 2019
- tbd
  S1:E3. Fear Response
  Air Date: October 7, 2019
- tbd
  S1:E2. Annihilator
  Air Date: September 30, 2019
- tbd
  S1:E1. Pilot
  Air Date: September 23, 2019