‘The Dropout’ on Hulu Is a Perfect Thriller for a Weekend Binge

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Looking for a compelling show to watch over a weekend? Check out The Dropout. Released in 2022, it’s still worth watching, recommending, and talking about – especially its complicated main character and how well the show is made. Ideally, a great thriller should be both thought-provoking and full of surprises, but often shows deliver on just one. There’s nothing wrong with pure entertainment, but it’s fantastic when a show, like Netflix’s You, manages to be both engaging and meaningful.

Although The Dropout is a very different show from the suspenseful thriller about the charming but dangerous killer, Joe Goldberg, it’s equally captivating. Plus, there’s an interesting reason to watch The Dropout: a famous actor was so impressed by the series that it led to a significant change in their career.

‘The Dropout’ Is a Great Weekend Binge

I was completely hooked by The Dropout on Hulu – it’s a fantastic eight-episode series! It tells the story of Elizabeth Holmes, played brilliantly by Amanda Seyfried, and her company, Theranos. She promised a revolutionary blood test that could detect illnesses much earlier, but sadly, it turned out to be a false promise. It’s incredible and heartbreaking to learn that she received an eleven-year prison sentence in 2022 for fraud, and is currently scheduled to be released in August of 2032. The series really captures the whole unbelievable story.

When creating a movie based on a true story, one of the biggest challenges is deciding what parts of the story to include. Should the film cover someone’s entire life, or focus on a particularly important period? Some biographical movies struggle with this, but the most successful ones handle it well. The recent series The Dropout is a good example – it’s enjoyable even if you don’t know anything about Elizabeth Holmes. But even those familiar with the story – perhaps from the podcast or the book Bad Blood – will still find it compelling.

The Dropout begins in 2002, when Elizabeth Holmes was a student at Stanford University and traveled to Beijing. The series tracks her ambitious goals at Stanford, her decision to drop out, and her unwavering confidence in her vision. The eighth episode, titled “Lizzy,” is particularly intense, as the consequences of Holmes’s choices finally surface. Ultimately, the show explores themes of ambition, the clash between dreams and reality, self-belief, and the impact of past trauma. While not a traditional documentary, it feels incredibly authentic.

Amanda Seyfried’s performance is the biggest draw in the Hulu miniseries The Dropout, but the supporting cast is fantastic too. It’s rare to see a crime thriller with such a strong ensemble. LisaGay Hamilton shines as the editor at The Wall Street Journal where journalist John Carreyrou (played by Ebon Moss-Bachrach, the man who actually reported the story) works. The series also features excellent performances from Sam Waterston as George Shultz, Stephen Fry as scientist Ian Gibbons, and Laurie Metcalf as Stanford professor Phyllis Gardner, who challenges Elizabeth’s ambitions. And there’s more talent: Naveen Andrews, known from Lost, is particularly compelling as Elizabeth’s partner and Theranos’ COO, Sunny Balwani.

Many true crime miniseries can feel sensationalized, with villains who seem unrealistic. Others simply don’t offer much new insight into well-known cases, like the disappointing The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox. The Dropout, however, is a compelling story about a famous figure, and it stands out as one of the best shows of its kind.

Why Jennifer Lawrence’s Elizabeth Holmes Movie Never Got Made After ‘The Dropout’


Hulu

Amanda Seyfried wasn’t the first choice to play Elizabeth Holmes. According to a report from The New York Times reporter Kyle Buchanan on X, Jennifer Lawrence was originally set to star in a film about Holmes, titled Bad Blood and directed by Adam McKay, but she left the project after finishing The Dropout.

I always love picturing my favorite actors relaxing and watching TV, just like anyone else! It’s funny to think they have the same guilty pleasures we do. There’s this project, ‘Bad Blood,’ that’s been listed on director McKay’s IMDb for a while now, but honestly, after years of silence, I’m starting to think we probably won’t ever see it come to life. It’s a shame, but that’s how things go in Hollywood, I guess.

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Even though Adam McKay has directed some fantastic films like The Big Short, it’s probably okay that he didn’t end up making a movie about Elizabeth Holmes. Most of us would agree Jennifer Lawrence would have been great in the role, but Amanda Seyfried is truly excellent in The Dropout. Playing someone like Holmes is incredibly challenging, as so many people already had strong opinions about her based on what they’d read or heard.

Many actors might have tried to make Holmes seem sympathetic, but Seyfried takes a different approach. She focuses on evoking raw emotion. Sometimes, as Holmes pushes forward despite hurting others, you feel frustrated with her. Other times, like when her college assault is revealed, you feel empathy, because what happened to her was horrific. But then you’re angered again by her relentless pursuit of Theranos, even when she knows the technology is flawed.

Jennifer Lawrence could have been great in the role, given her ability to handle diverse genres – from the high-energy Hunger Games to more sensitive films like Die My Love and Silver Linings Playbook. However, as she pointed out, it’s hard to imagine another actor bringing much else to the part. Amanda Seyfried, while consistently good in everything she does, truly shines in The Dropout. She delivers a particularly moving and compelling performance, bringing this difficult true story to life in a way that feels uniquely hers.

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2026-03-01 04:22