How a true crime book became a high-stakes medical drama
In short: Before it reached your screen, Five Days at Memorial underwent a complex journey through Hollywood. What began as a 2013 book by Sheri Fink survived lapsed film rights and multiple production shifts before finally landing as a prestige limited series on Apple TV+.
The journey of Five Days at Memorial is a study in the complexities of media adaptation. Originally, Scott Rudin acquired the film rights to Sheri Fink's 2013 book in 2013. However, by 2017, those film rights had reportedly lapsed. This opened a window for Ryan Murphy to suggest adapting the material as a third season of the FX anthology series American Crime Story, featuring Sarah Paulson as Dr. Anna Pou. That specific iteration never materialized, leading Rudin to shop the project elsewhere in 2019.
The project eventually found its home through Carlton Cuse, who acquired the television rights via his deal with ABC Signature. Cuse collaborated with John Ridley to develop the series, which Apple TV+ officially ordered in September 2020. The production was a significant undertaking, filming between May 25 and November 10, 2021, across both Toronto and New Orleans to depict the harrowing events at a New Orleans hospital following Hurricane Katrina's landfall.
Upon its release on August 12, 2022, the miniseries received strong critical reception. It holds an 86% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics describing the work as an unflinching and thorough recounting of a calamity. Industry organisations praised the show's technical execution; the 75th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards granted an Emmy for Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Single Episode to the "Day Two" episode, and the 21st Visual Effects Society Awards additionally celebrated its supporting visual effects.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Five Days at Memorial (miniseries)
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