Three reviews of Hulu’s The Dropout, based on your level of Elizabeth Holmes scandal awareness
Most people are familiar with the story (and crimes) of Elizabeth Holmes at this point. After all, the former-Theranos-CEO-and-scammer has been the subject of not only a federal grand jury but two books, two podcasts, two documentaries, an episode of 60 Minutes, and several pieces of investigative journalism. Now, just as she’s been found guilty on four counts of defrauding investors, Holmes’ meteoric rise and fall is also the subject of Hulu’s new miniseries The Dropout.
Such a pipeline is not uncommon these days — this season of TV alone will see a handful of shows like Inventing Anna or WeCrashed, based on stories so grabby they could hardly be contained to a single medium.
And like some of the other projects, The Dropout boasts a lot of big names behind it. Elizabeth Meriwether (New Girl) wrote the pilot, with Michael Showalter (The Eyes of Tammy Faye) directing more than half the episodes. Amanda Seyfried stars as Elizabeth Holmes, who’s joined by Lost’s Naveen Andrews, Stephen Fry, Law and Order star Sam Waterston, and Succession’s Alan Ruck as various members of her brain trust. (Along with plenty more high profile character actors across the seven episodes screened to critics, of eight total.)
But the delay of TV always means betting big on audiences still caring, or a show being able to provide more perspective on a story that might be well-litigated in the public eye by the time it reaches airwaves. Does The Dropout have what it takes? It might depend on how much you’ve engaged with the story so far.
What I know about Elizabeth Holmes basically boils down to a game of scammer Mad Libs: She dressed like Steve Jobs (on purpose?) and did a funny voice. She made an … app? And is in … jail? Hiding? Because it was
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