Killer High: The Series - Season 1

The series begins with "The Silent Crisis," an intimate look at the early stages of the fentanyl epidemic in the Central Valley. Through firsthand accounts from grieving parents, investigators, addiction specialists and emergency physicians, the documentary reveals how counterfeit pills and fentanyl-laced drugs transformed the opioid crisis almost overnight.

The episode follows families forever changed by overdose while law enforcement and medical experts explain why fentanyl became one of the deadliest drug threats facing California.

Four years after the first documentary, the series returns to examine how the crisis has evolved.

At the center of the story is Howie, whose decades-long battle with addiction nearly cost him his life. As he works to rebuild his future in recovery, viewers witness the daily challenges of sobriety, the lasting impact of fentanyl addiction and the determination required to help others find hope. The episode also explores how California's response to the crisis has evolved through expanded education, enforcement and prevention efforts.

The final chapter shifts its focus toward healing and the future.

The documentary follows the Patla family as they continue honoring their daughter's memory through fentanyl awareness after her death one day before her high school graduation. It also reunites viewers with Howie, whose recovery journey introduced in Episode 2 leads him to form a close friendship with Danny, another recovering addict. Together, the pair launch Fentanyl Anonymous, a grassroots recovery movement offering a judgment-free community for people seeking sobriety and hope. Alongside those stories, researchers explore promising new approaches to addiction treatment, from mindfulness-based recovery to groundbreaking neuroscience that could one day reduce cravings and prevent relapse.