Summary
Elizabeth falls apart as the company suffers multiple setbacks. It’s a fascinating exploration of sexism and mental instability in modern business.
This recap of the Hulu series The Dropout season 1, episode 3, “Green Juice,” does not contain spoilers.
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Earlier this week Michael Keaton won the best actor at the SAG Awards for his portrayal of a drug-addicted doctor in the superb Hulu original Dopesick, which I highly recommend (now available on Disney+ and Hulu). With The Dropout, Amanda Seyfried looks set to follow suit, with her gritty depiction of the fraudulent CEO Elizabeth Holmes in a rousing, stand-out performance. Seyfried takes the role to new heights in episode three, as she struggles under the weight of her vision and starts to completely lose the plot.
The Dropout season 1, episode 3 recap
“Green Juice” is a fascinating watch, with a stunning script that captures the momentum of earlier episodes and continues to build upon them. The filmmakers explore the many setbacks Elizabeth faces and the goals she races towards. There’s sexism and CEO stereotyping in the workplace and a mental battle of morality in her own head. These themes are easy to spot but blend expertly into the piece. Steve Jobs and Apple being a major aspiration of hers, this episode openly hones in on this central motif.
The episode begins with the hotly anticipated release of the iPhone and ends with Elizabeth dressed all in black, replicating the entrepreneur’s iconic look. Elizabeth wears her heart on her sleeve and apparently her inspirations also; she’s in awe of Apple. The connections between Holmes and Jobs are more than skin deep, they’re both tenaciously driven and entirely consumed by their work. They alienate themselves and focus squarely on their own visions to the point of distraction.
Talking of insanity, this is the episode where Elizabeth really starts to mentally collapse. She’s paranoid of her employees, hiring security systems and asking her secretary to spy on the staff. Elizabeth dresses carelessly, cutting off her own bra straps in one frantic scene. She talks to herself in the mirror, even changing the tone in her voice. This is an unstable individual, desperate for help, yet doggedly trying to run a company singlehandedly. Her muted boyfriend Sunny attempts to give advice, but is constantly shut down.
The ending
Elizabeth hires two ex-Apple employees and pushes forwards with trials. The demanding Board wants results and once again she is deceitful. Her lies lead to a human trial on cancer patients when the device still doesn’t even work properly, things are rapidly spiraling out of control. Countless staff members quit and others are fired, resulting in the Board giving her a vote of no confidence. In an inspired twist, Elizabeth accepts the Board’s grievances, yet completely flips the script. She brings on board Sunny as Chief Operations Officer, with a nice 20 million dollar cash injection, which allows her to keep her position.
This is a magnificent episode that encapsulates Elizabeth’s mental state effectively, with the show happily descending into complete madness. There’s an avalanche of issues for her to deal with and no give. She repeatedly speaks to herself in the mirror, used as a motivational mantra to hide behind, which further shows the making of a complex yet fascinating character. An electrifying drama that can’t be missed.
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