FOX’s devilishly twisted psychological thriller Prodigal Son returns with new episodes beginning Tuesday, April 13, at 9pm ET/PT. As wild and weird as the sophomore outing has been, it’s just getting warmed up.
Last seen, NYPD profiler Malcolm (Tom Payne) continued to do damage control in the aftermath of Ainsley’s (Halston Sage) psychotic blackout. Meanwhile, as a reward for good behavior, their father, Martin (Michael Sheen), got a janitorial job in the infirmary at Claremont Psychiatric. Martin entered the service of Dr. Vivian Capshaw (series newcomer Catherine Zeta-Jones), whose interest in “The Surgeon” serial killer extended beyond his ability to wash bedpans.
“I was a fan of the show,” Zeta-Jones, an Oscar and Tony winner, says of coming onboard. “It’s pretty good family drama with a twist of danger. It’s a dark family, and I gravitate to darker material.”
There will be no shortage of that for her Capshaw character, who in her first episode received a crash course from Martin on the use of a cordless drill in a medical emergency.
“She should have surely known who The Surgeon was, admired him from afar, and now she’s sequestered in the bowels of this facility with that very person, and it was intriguing to me,” Zeta-Jones says.
Zeta-Jones also leapt at the chance to work with Sheen. Despite being from the same area of Wales and having several mutual acquaintances, the accomplished actors’ paths had not crossed before Prodigal Son.
“There’s a familiarity to working with Michael that is just inherent, which is very comforting when you walk onto the set for the first time and the cast and crew all know each other,” Zeta-Jones says. “I know that, as our story unfolds, I’m going to be introduced to this wonderful cast here more than being in this kind of grayed and very, very intense situation with Martin Whitly.”
“I was super excited, happy that someone like Catherine would want to join our little gang, really,” Payne says. “I’m excited for where our storyline goes in the show.”
Also joining the gang is Alan Cumming (The Good Wife), who has a recurring guest role as Europol investigator Simon Hoxley. Known as “The MindSleuth,” Hoxley is Malcolm’s overseas counterpart, and he’s coming to New York City to pursue a lead in the case of Endicott’s murder.