Premieres Monday, Sept. 22, 2025 at 11 p.m. on KPBS TV / KPBS+
POV spotlights "The Bitter Pill", a powerful chronicle of justice, accountability, and resilience, directed by Clay Tweel. The film follows the charismatic West Virginian plaintiff attorney Paul Farrell, Jr., as he wages a legal war against some of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies in a landmark battle fueled by personal stakes.
The film is set in Farrell’s hometown, Cabell County, West Virginia, a community at the epicenter of America’s opioid epidemic, where 20% of babies are born addicted to opioids. Farrell is determined to recover damages, bring justice to his neighbors, and rebuild a community ravaged by corporate greed. As his groundbreaking legal strategy gains national attention, the case escalates into the largest civil litigation in U.S. history. Through courtroom drama and behind-the-scenes access, director Clay Tweel’s "The Bitter Pill" captures the human cost and high stakes of a community’s battle against systemic failure.
Filmmaker Quote:
“From day one, Paul and I had the same desire for this film - to bring transparency and accountability to those responsible for the devastation of this epidemic,” said Clay Tweel, director. “I hope that the film helps to shine a light on a part of the story that people might have overlooked.”
"The Bitter Pill" made its world premiere at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival (2024). It was also featured at the Virginia Film Festival (2024), where it won the Programmer’s Choice Award, DC/DOX (2024), Santa Barbara International Film Festival (2025), and Sidewalk Film Festival (2024).
Watch On Your Schedule: Timed to Opioid Awareness Day (Sept. 21, 2025), "The Bitter Pill" will make its national broadcast premiere on POV on Monday, Sept. 22, 2025 on PBS. The documentary will be available to stream until Dec. 10, 2025 on KPBS+, a new free streaming video app designed for ease and enjoyment everywhere you watch including Roku, smart TVs and mobile devices. It’s locally curated for San Diego by the KPBS programming team. With a clean and intuitive design, discovering and enjoying KPBS and PBS content on-demand has never been easier.
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Raves include:
“a profound David and Goliath story”— Katie Rich, The Ankler
“Heartbreaking, yet compelling.” — Eric Altoff, Screen Comment
“...it’s crucial to see as it illuminates how much one judge and our judicial system can negatively affect the American people.”— Aaron Goldstein, Spoiler Free Reviews
Credits: A Fifth Season, Impact Partners, and Parkside Films co-production. The director is Clay Tweel, and the producers are Shannon E. Riggs, Tim Grant, and Mary Rohlich. The cinematographer is Ben Joyner, and the editors are Giacomo Ambrosini and Clay Tweel. The composers are Dan Romer and John Zarcone. The executive producers are Dan Cogan, Jenny Raskin, Geralyn White Dreyfous, Nina Fialkow, David Fialkow, Barbara & Eric Dobkin, Debbie L. McLeod, Jim & Susan Swartz, and Erika Dilday and Chris White for American Documentary.
