Elizabeth Holmes: Devil or Visionary?
Hulu’s ‘The Dropout’ is the latest inspiring step forward for limited series.
Courtesy of HBO
Is Elizabeth Holmes the devil or a visionary? Throughout history, there has been a multitude of scams. Some praying on the human belief that our aspirations and good intentions can create a better future. And then there are others that steal from the wallets of their fellow human beings. After watching Hulu’s new limited series, ‘The Dropout’, it’s hard to decide which category Holmes falls under.
“Isn’t it amazing, how far decent people will go when they’re sure they’re right”
‘The Dropout’ ushers the audience through Elizabeth Holmes’s various stages of life. From a teen with lofty ambitions to change the world, to someone who would become synonymous with names such as Enron and Madoff. The looming question that the show appears to answer is where did it all go wrong? However, the answer isn’t as simple as a date and time. It’s a step-by-step process, that eventually turns into a landslide, in this case, of epic proportions.
True stories are a difficult plane to land. As a showrunner, being able to balance truth and entertainment can create a problem within itself. Online fact-checkers confirmed the majority of what occurs in the series was based on real events. Unlike similar series such as ‘Inventing Anna’, the names of everyone involved were not changed to protect the innocent. The show includes everyone involved, and even uses real clips of President Biden (then Vice President) speaking about Theranos in 2015.
Courtesy of HBO
The show unfolds chronologically instead of relying on cinematic trickery to jump around the main plot. As such it mirrors the actual rise and fall of Theranos, with Holmes’s role and journey interweaved within the larger context. Meaning that the series has a certain arc of rising ambition at the beginning, where you as the audience are aligned with some of the characters by actually rooting for the blood machine to achieve its promises. However, as the show progresses the scandal snowballs and you align with other characters, actually rooting for the company’s downfall. I’ll admit, at times you hope that the company can turn things around, but given that this is a true story, the outcome is obvious.
Courtesy of Hulu
Amanda Seyfried plays Elizabeth Holmes in such an authentic way that you forget she’s acting. The unique voice transition throughout the series to the mannerisms all keenly match Holmes's journey throughout the story. Seyfried plays every stage to perfection and it may be her best work to date, apologies to the ‘Mamma Mia!’ fans out there.
For anyone looking to commit their own corporate fraud, ‘The Dropout’ is a cautionary tale. It warns about the real-life consequences and human effects of such endeavors. No matter how altruistic your intentions may be in the beginning, the means do not justify the purpose.
