Sarah Paulson plays Nurse Ratched in Netflix's Ratched, created by Ryan Murphy

Ratched, a Netflix drama series, premiered on 18 September 2020. Sarah Paulson played the title character, Mildred Ratched, a nurse who takes a job at a psychiatric hospital in 1947 California.

The show was co-created by Ryan Murphy, the producer behind American Horror Story, with whom Paulson had worked many times. It was conceived as an origin story for the nurse who appears as the antagonist in Ken Kesey's 1962 novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and in the 1975 film adaptation, where she was played by Louise Fletcher.

The series drew mixed reviews, with critics often praising its lavish, stylised look and Paulson's performance while questioning its tone and storytelling. Netflix had ordered two seasons, and the show added to Paulson's long run of collaborations with Murphy. Her co-stars included Sharon Stone, Cynthia Nixon and Finn Wittrock. Holland Taylor, Paulson's partner, was also in the cast, which is why the project is often mentioned in coverage of their relationship.