The Big Picture

• Michael Sheen's portrayal of Martin in Prodigal Son showcases his immense acting range and talent.
• The dynamic between Martin and his son Malcolm in the series is a complex and twisted cat-and-mouse game.
• Prodigal Son's cancellation left fans wanting more of Sheen's dark and charismatic portrayal of a sociopathic serial killer.

Not a lot of actors get to portray serial killers during their careers (unless you're Anthony Hopkins or Evan Peters, of course). But Emmy-nominee Michael Sheen played his most deliciously evil role in FOX's gone-too-soon series, Prodigal Son. As Martin Whitly, Sheen played a former doctor who had earned the nickname, The Surgeon, after he was found guilty of killing 23 people. Instead of serving his sentence in prison, he was relegated to a psychiatric institute where he was free to continue his nefarious mind games with everyone he came in contact with.

Martin became obsessed with rekindling a relationship with his son, Malcom Bright (Tom Payne), who was a forensic profiler. This career path was a natural fit, since Malcolm was able to use his insights into his father as a way to better understand the criminal mind. The series followed Malcolm's quest to solve crimes, as well as to better understand his father and his own neuroses. But it was Sheen's charisma and unhinged portrayal of a true sociopath that made Prodigal Son such a uniquely captivating thriller to watch.

Michael Sheen Can Play Any Role

The role of Martin would have proved to be a major challenge for most other actors. How do you portray a truly evil person who still has some positive qualities, too? The reason Martin was so believable was because of Sheen's immense acting talents. The Welsh actor has an illustrious resume, with over 100 acting credits on it. Perhaps his first well-known role was playing Tony Blair in The Queen back in 2006, alongside Helen Mirren. He played another real-life figure when he appeared as David Frost in Frost/Nixon in 2008. Television was graced with his presence as Dr. William Masters in Masters of Sex (2013-2016) and as Aziraphale in Good Omens (2019-present), which were two very different parts. Each diverse role further demonstrates that Sheen is just as comfortable playing a prime minister as he is playing a heartless killer.

As Martin, Sheen was given a huge task: to make a serial killer more than just a one-dimensional baddie. Martin was a well-rounded character, who was as dedicated to his career as he was to his family. But despite the sarcastic quips and snide remarks, Martin remained someone who was merely fascinated by people (especially what makes them tick). Martin had a complicated, dysfunctional relationship with his son, Malcolm, who, as a young child, was the one who turned Martin in for his crimes.

Despite this tension, Martin was still always trying to recruit Malcolm into a life of crime. The conversations that took place between the two characters often felt like a cat-and-mouse game, where Martin was committed to grooming his son into being a killer just like him. Martin also enjoyed interacting with his ex-wife, Jessica (Bellamy Young) and his daughter, Ainsley (Halston Sage), but he truly came alive when he was trying to dissect Malcolm's behaviors. Martin's intelligence and sly humor came across only because Sheen was able to portray him with subtlety and depth.

'Prodigal Son' Reveled in Twists and Turns

Prodigal Son tended to focus on Malcolm's world, whether that was investigating his personal demons or following him along on a weekly NYPD case to solve. There were plenty of twists and turns in each episode when it came to the cases Malcolm was trying to crack. But there were also plenty of bigger mysteries that revolved around Martin's past murders. Malcolm set out to determine where some of his memories stemmed from (especially one where a woman seems trapped inside a box), and all the twisted roads led back to his deranged father. Martin wasn't just a serial killer who focused on disposing of his victims. He was also intent on playing mind games with everyone around him. He was not above using these manipulations when it came to his loved ones either, and the series definitely explored those lasting effects on Malcolm's mental health.

There were a lot of intriguing parts about Martin, but Sheen definitely played up the fact that Martin was both a respected doctor who saved lives and also a killer who ended them. But it was Sheen's mirth that also allowed some humor to seep through the inherent darkness in each episode. When referring to his murderous after-hours hobbies, he mused, "I never hurt a patient on purpose. I follow the Hippocratic Oath to the letter, albeit with one small asterisk." Instead of just being a one-note villain, Sheen brought Martin to life as a man with many sides.

Martin is definitely Sheen's darkest character to date, and there were so many directions the show could have headed if it had continued past its second season. Who knows how else Martin could have manipulated those around him to continue his twisted games? Perhaps he would have been able to influence his children even further (and possibly even have turned one of them into a fellow killer). But since Prodigal Son wasn't picked up by any other network after its premature cancellation, it became another fan-favorite show that was canceled way too early. There's one thing that Sheen has proven. He is one of the most talented actors gracing our screens right now, no matter what kind of character he plays.

Prodigal Son is available to stream on Max in the U.S.

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