The First Draft

I don’t know about y’all, but I am seemingly infinitely interested in true crime! Podcasts, TV shows, etc. Whatever I can get my hands on.

That doesn’t mean I exclusively like true crime stories though. I started watching a show called Prodigal Son on Hulu and if you have any interest in crime or profiling I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT. I would want to wait to write a review until I have fully absorbed the season finale but after what I watched today I just couldn’t contain myself.

This show is so good. It covers basically all of the crimes you could think of, and so much more. It focuses on a wealthy American family who was shook to their core when they realized their father/husband was in fact the notorious serial killer: The Surgeon. He’s hidden it successfully for years, until his son is old enough to snoop around… and that’s all I’m going to say about that, because I’m not here for spoilers.

The protagonist or “prodigal son” as it were, is a somewhat tortured man named Malcolm Bright (previously Whitly). He struggles with mental health problems, has problems getting along with others, and is obviously brilliant. He was an FBI profiler but he lost that position (because he can’t get along with others) and went back to New York City and his family home. It’s not long before he runs into father figure and NYPD lieutenant Gil Arroyo, and the next thing you know, he’s working with them on the homicide squad!

His sister is equally brilliant, but she was young enough that she doesn’t actually remember living with her infamous father. Her name is Ainsley Whitly, and I like her brother, she kept her family name. She is a reporter, working her way up the ranks in her news organization. We watch her grow in her career throughout the series, and come to find out she’s not the pretty little flower people want her to be. She’s tough, like all the Whitley’s and she can definitely handle the trial-by-fire situations that seem to go hand-in-hand with being a member of her family.

Last but not least, is Jessica Whitly. the matriarch of the family, and the wife to The Surgeon. Jessica has seen more scrutiny than the children, naturally, because all of this happened right under her nose. She’s a beautiful upper-class socialite, born and raised, and she did what she could to try and protect her children from the aftermath. She’s far from a perfect person, and I kinda disliked her at first, but throughout the show you learn that she really did what she thought was best at the time. She’s strong, and she’s do anything to protect her children. She’s flawed, but that’s what makes her seem real.

As for The Surgeon himself… you’ll have to watch the show yourself to find out! I mean it when I say this is honestly one of my top 5 shows in the last couple of years. It’s interesting, in a sort of way that you never know what’s going to happen. Even for people who tend to guess plot lines, like me. So if you’re looking for something to binge-watch this quarantine (or in general), check it out!