The Dropout

As Episode 1 of "The Dropout" (2022 release; 8 episodes of about 50-55 min each) opens, it is "July 11, 2017" and Elizabeth Holmes, CEO of the Silicon Valley startup unicorn Theranos, is in a court deposition, answering uncomfortable questions about whether/how she misled investors. We then go to "Houston 1995" as young Elizabeth is running track awkwardly. We then move to "2001" as her dad loses his job in the Enron corporate collapse.... At this point we are 10 min into Episode 1.

Couple of comments: this mini-series is the brainchild of Elizabeth Meriwether ("New Girl") and directed by Michael Showalter ("The Big Sick", "The Eyes of tammy Faye"). In other words: top talent is on board here. Let me admit that I was somewhat skeptical of this mini-series, having seen the excellent 2019 HBO documentary "The Inventor: Out for Blood In Silicon Valley" that made me wonder what additional insight this mini-series could provide on what drove Elizabeth Holmes to do what she did. Turns out: quite a lot. We learn of origin details that I hadn't heard before (such as how Elizabeth and Sunny actually met). And to top it all, Amanda Seyfried is in top form and delivers a more than credible performance as Elizabeth. One of the big advantages of this mini-series over the HBO documentary is that we now know how it all plays out, as a verdict in the law suit against Elizabeth Holmes was rendered in early 2022. Bottom line: having seen the initial 2 episodes so far in "The Dropout", and regardless on how you feel about Elizabeth Holmes, "The Dropout" is a surprisingly entertaining mini-series that has caught my attention, and I'm looking forward to seeing the remainder episodes.

The initial episodes of "The Dropout" premiered on Hulu on March 3, and are now available on demand (where I caught the initial 2 episodes), with new episodes being released on Thursdays. If you have any interest in Silicon Valley or in corporate malfeasance, I'd readily suggest you check out "The Dropout", and draw your own conclusion.

UPDATE 3/17/22 I'm now 5 episodes into it, and I admit I'm outright transfixed by it. A train wreck is about to come and I can't wait to see it all happening.

UPDATE 4/7/22 Just watched the 8th and final episode. I have updated my rating for this mini-series to 9 stars, yes it is that good. This fascinating mini-series simply got better with each episode. The last 2 episodes, when the house of cards finally falls apart, is TV-viewing at its very best. The performance of Amanda Seyfried is towering, and surely worthy of an Emmy nomination, if not win.

First 3 episodes in and i think she is a credible Elizabeth Holmes, mostly, except that she is way too pretty. Otherwise, her acting on this role works for me and largely keeps the grip on the show.

Looking forward to the rest of the season.

This started out on the wrong foot making Holmes look like a "victim of society," couldn't catch a break, men stepping over her and sabotaging her. Anyone who knew anything about the story knew all of that was a bunch of bull and I almost stopped watching but gave it one more episode and from there on, the show told the story like it was.

It gave just a dramatic glimpse of what Holmes and her company really were, a bunch of fake, fraudulent, backstabbers. So overall decently told be she was not manipulated and just became a horrible person, she always was.

With the exception of the bad chinese (maybe that's also intentional, who knows), Amanda Seyfried is great at portraying Elizabeth Holmes. She looked like her, she got the weird and awkward manner, the deepen of the voice. You look at her and think that she is Elizabeth Holmes.

Story itself is good. It moved in quick pace and everyone they got are amazing. The one that played Edmund Ko, Stephen Fry as Ian Gibbson, are standouts for me. Sunny was also great.

It does give sympathetic look on Elizabeth but also don't completely erase her fault and crime. There are indeed bad bloods on her hands.

I watched a documentary few years back about Elizabeth Holmes Fiasco!! Basically Diary of a Selfish, Greedy and Dangerous Sociopath!

This series, helps fill in a few blanks, but yeah, gotta agree with another reviewer who mentioned that the timing of this coming out before the Real Elizabeth is to be sentenced in the supposed near future, doesn't really sit right.

I hope she goes to jail for at least 20 years, but, alas, people with money get a slap on the hands and walk away, doesn't matter who they killed, endangered or defrauded. But God help the poor average American who gets caught with a bit of pot, in one of the few states where it's still illegal, you will have your home and car and bank account taken away and go to jail for a good 10 years, even if it was strictly for medical purposes like cancer or PTSD.

Where are all these Creepy Millennials coming from??? Like this Holmes gal and Zuckerberg, with their intelligence, lack of humanity or consequences and their truly creepy, dead shark eyes. ICK, gives me the Willies!

And people, PLEASE!!! Stop being a YES MAN to your Creepy, Evil, Greedy Bosses. When you see they are doing harm to society. Leave and Blow the bloody whistle!!! Don't wait for innocent people to suffer or die.

Series is worth a watch if you are following or interested in this Bizarre Real life Case. But the Documentary was better.