THE DROPOUT (S1 E1-3): Drops Your Attention

The world of the miniseries is one of the most fascinating developments within the television medium. Compressed seasons and limited episodes tackling issues, scandals, crime, and entertainment, the miniseries delivers a promise for bingeable entertainment, not only changing the way we consume TV but our expectations of quality as well. Formulaic narratives have given way into deep examinations, opening our eyes to new perspectives and viewpoints, entertainment answering a new demand. And while recent series like Inventing Anna, Pam & Tommy, and Dopesick have not only engaged, but also entertained and informed, Hulu’s latest venture The Dropout fails to become a wholly engaging look at the scandal and whirlwind downfall of Elizabeth Holmes and her company Theranos.

While lack of intrigue could be to the increasing exhaustion generated by the cycling of content surrounding scandal and downfall, compassion and empathy are vital elements missing from The Dropout – the interest threatening to elude its audience. And while Amanda Seyfried delivers a strong performance, it is not enough to keep audiences hooked.

”I’m in a Hurry”

The Dropout’s first episode opens with an interrogation and deposition-like recording set in 1997, Holmes (Amanda Seyfried) answering questions about herself and her company. This narrative structure is a continuous feature of the series, its tidbits alluding to what is to come while also establishing the scandal the past will bring us too. We know what happens, but as these tidbits are given, there is an attempt to intrigue the audience with the ultimate question – how did this all happen?

Transitioning to Houston in 1993, we are introduced to Elizabeth Holmes of the past, a bright and ambitious teen with a future at Stanford University and a determination to be a billionaire. Yet, as her aspirations reach for the sky, she and her brother arrive home to find their father back from work early, the scandalous downfall of Enron putting him out of work. While the series does not elude to her father being involved directly, the setting of their home, neighborhood and college aspirations speak to the potential positions her father may have held. The series forces audiences to question – has she always been surrounded by scandal?

From here, “I’m in a Hurry” moves quickly through her relationships with family, friends abroad, and the eventual relationships (or at times lack of) that she develops at Stanford. And while the awkwardness and socially distant aspects of her character are established early on, it is her drive that is given center stage. There is an authenticity that comes across in this drive, Amanda Seyfried giving the language to her body, her chest pulling her forward, emulating the feeling she is always in a hurry to get to her destination. It speaks to Seyfried‘s ability to understand her character inside and out and it shines – a shine the episode needs to keep its audience engaged.

And while Seyfried is a high point, the episode overall drags, falling to form the compassion and empathy it is striving to craft around her. It wants the intensity and the intrigue, a build-up to what is to come, yet it falls flat, teetering on the precipice of boring. By the time audiences learn of Holmes’ rape while at Stanford, there is an understanding of how the trauma shaped her, but the need for empathy fails to truly develop.

It’s a shame that such an interesting case study of the human drive and ego would begin with such a lackluster opening – and sadly, the episode to follow would deliver on the same note.

“Satori”

Where “I’m in a Hurry” raced to the finish line of Elizabeth’s time at Stanford to the conception of her idea, “Satori” tackles not only the struggles to bring the prototype to life but the funds to back it. Starting with a demo day, everyone is waiting with high anticipation to see if all their hard work will pay off, the first attempt to use the Theranos prototype is a potential kicking-off point for bigger and better things. Yet, when the prototype fails, it is not only the need to push further on its development that weighs heavily but the Theranos funds that are quickly depleting.

It is here that the scandal truly begins, Elizabeth’s need and desire to be a millionaire becoming muddled in the idea of getting the money vs. helping people. Meeting with investors, failure turns to success as she finds her feet, the advice and pressure that follows delivering an even heavier weight to the need for a successful prototype.

It is here in “Satori” that we begin to see Elizabeth change, not only in the confidence she builds while garnering investors but in her drive to win at all costs. She pushes her team to work in shifts 24 hours straight to achieve a successful prototype for the upcoming Novartis pitch – a pharmaceutical company severely needed to fund their growing research and development. And while the pressure on her team initially works, cracks begin to form and the future begins to slip away.

Where “I’m in a Hurry” captured the spirit behind Holmes, “Satori” proved the ability of Elizabeth to wield and hone her drive, to push herself and others to new limits, while also showing the price of achieving a goal at all costs. As she lies to investors, sure that the ends will justify the means, Holmes begins to sink under the weight of it all.

“Green Juice”

Opening in 2007, The Dropout finally begins to wield the intensity it so desperately needs to keep its audience. And sadly, it is not until the pieces begin to fall that it becomes entertainment. Like trash TV, audiences feed on the misfortunes of others, and The Dropout is no different. As we watch Elizabeth Holmes manipulate investors, and even her own employees, there is a disillusioned nature to every decision she makes. While much of her behavior is in the hope it will all work out in the end, there is a reality she lives in that does not speak to the true reality of the situation.

As Holmes waits in line for the release of the first iPhone, there is a euphoric nature that carries over to her company. She barely has a product that works and she is pulling Apple employees to Theranos to help with the design. She sees only the end result and not what she is currently dealing with. And as the cracks begin to developed and break at work, so too are they at home.

It is the first episode to genuinely tackle the idea of a female entrepreneur and CEO in a world run by men. As her clothes and style are critiqued, Holmes struggles with how she should present herself in the face of her idols (ie. Steve Jobs). And as each of these struggles piles on, she begins to lean into the manipulation that has gotten her this far – an absorption of behavior and a play on the board not only ensuring that she stays the CEO, but heals the cracks at home.

Finally finding its legs, the scandal of Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos begins to navigate the waters of narrative and artistic creation, at last delivering the intrigue and intensity it has promised. All we can hope is that it stays.

Conclusion

The crux of The Dropout‘s issues are in its inability to make Elizabeth Holmes a character worthy of compassion and empathy. There is a formulaic delivery in her starting years, leading to the decisions that will be her inevitable downfall. And where Netflix’s Inventing Anna leaned into Anna Delvy as the criminal, The Dropout‘s first three episodes feel more of rationalization for criminal behavior. Audiences will struggle to profess sympathy for Elizabeth Holmes, her main objective to become a billionaire, her cries of trying to change the world drowned in the potential harm her scandal caused.

Where the intrigue to find out more has finally been achieved by the end of the third episode, it will be interesting to see if compassion for its central character can be achieved during the rest of the season.

What did you think of the first episodes of The Dropout? Let us know in the comments below!

The Dropout premieres with new episodes on Hulu every Thursday!

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