The Dropout Showrunner Explains The Recent Trend Of True Limited Series

The Dropout showrunner Elizabeth Meriwether explains why true limited series are currently so popular. Chronicling the real-life rise and fall of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes, The Dropout made its Hulu debut on March 3. It follows Holmes (played by Amanda Seyfried), starting as she struggles to adjust to living on campus at Stanford University before ultimately withdrawing to focus on the company that would lead to her undoing. Over the course of eight episodes, The Dropout also tackles Holmes’ relationship with the significantly older Sunny Balwani (Naveen Andrews), and highlights some of the familiar big names that she interacted with on the way to her downfall.

Having recently premiered its first three installments, The Dropout is only one of the latest true stories fashioned into a limited series. In recent weeks, audiences have also seen the release of Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee-based series Pam & Tommy, also on Hulu, and the Showtime series Super Pumped, which focuses on Uber. Netflix has Inventing Anna, which centers around the titular real-life scammer. Network television has capitalized on the trend as well, with NBC offering The Thing About Pam starring Renée Zellweger, based on the podcast of the same name.

Related: The Dropout: Original Elizabeth Holmes Actress Was Wildly Different

Speaking with /Film, to promote The Dropout, which releases new episodes each Thursday, Meriwether was asked about the recent trend of stories revolving around scammers and Silicon Valley downfalls. The showrunner, who also created the popular sitcom New Girl, said the public interest had a lot to do with how ideas of truth have shifted in the past few years to become “fuzzier.” Meriwether said she felt these stories were beginning to “[come] under the microscope.” Read her full quote below.

“I don’t know. It’s really incredible, the amount of stories that are coming out. I mean, I do think in the past few years, the idea of an objective truth has gotten a little fuzzier. I think people have so much skepticism about everything and there’s a feeling that a truth doesn’t exist that we can all agree on. And so I think people are examining truth and lies, and stories that people tell that we believe. I think that’s all coming under the microscope and I think that started a few years ago.”

In her comments, Holmes takes a widened view of the real-life series craze, which is only continuing with shows like HBO’s Winning Time and Apple TV’s WeCrashed. From an industry perspective, the trend may have something to do with the seismic changes happening in the box office amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Hollywood chasing true stories is nothing new. However, in the past, many of these limited series might have been made into two-hour films in the vein of David Fincher’s The Social Network. But with the box office ever-increasingly only finding room for the biggest of blockbusters during the pandemic, movies may be more likely to become miniseries. In the current limited series trend, an impressive cast list appears to remain, however, and likely even expands to accommodate the increased screen time. The story, as well, is explored more in-depth than a The Dropout movie, for example, might have allowed.

The changes needed to make a limited series work aren’t always successful, as increased runtimes do not always equate to an improved narrative. For its part, The Dropout has garnered largely positive reviews for the way it balances tones and still finds a unique angle to a story that has been told in several other mediums. It’s a reminder that, with the right people involved, and the right approach in mind, it is possible to create something unique and exciting within a heavily saturated genre trend that offers few signs of slowing down.

More: The Dropout: Cast And Real Life Character Comparison Guide

Source: /Film

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Author: Abdullah Al-Ghamdi