Can't get enough of Elizabeth Holmes? Here's what to watch after 'The Inventor'
Theranos ex-CEO Elizabeth Holmes has yet to lock down a date for her criminal trial, but in the court of public opinion, a verdict has already been rendered.
If you've been on the internet at all in the past week, you've likely seen a small truckload of viewer reactions to HBO's The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley -- many of them delighting in the damning portrayal of Holmes and her alleged multi-million dollar fraud.
But HBO wasn't the first to profile the entrepreneur and they won't be the last. From podcasts to movies, the now-defunct blood-testing company is the subject of a whole slew of projects, nearly all of which position Holmes as their star subject.
Of course, not all of these projects are created equal. Here's a rundown on which Theranos projects you should check out in the wake of Holmes' reckoning.
HBO's The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley (documentary)
Alex Gibney's highly stylized documentary about Elizabeth Holmes is the ideal starter pack for anyone just getting in on the Theranos obsession.
The Inventor lays out the basics of the Theranos fiasco, but focuses most of its energy on understanding Holmes' bizarre personality and behavior. Gibney uses Holmes' demise as a case study for his larger observations, namely the baffling psychology of fraudsters and the societal shortcomings that allow them to succeed.
It's an effective, bite-sized take on a complex and elaborate multi-year debacle that's certainly worth its two-hour runtime.
The Inventor is currently streaming on HBO.
ABC Radio's The Dropout (podcast)
True crime fans know that where there's a crime, there's a podcast -- and ABC's The Dropout is the most comprehensive Theranos-centered podcast on the market.
Created and narrated by host Rebecca Jarvis, this six-part series tackles Holmes' downfall from multiple angles and with meticulous detail. Heard throughout are a wealth of exclusive interviews with people close to Holmes and her downfall, collected over the course of Jarvis's three-year investigation into the company.
If you're looking for the most complete Theranos narrative with the most informational value, The Dropout is your best bet.
The Dropout is available on ABC Radio and most other podcasting platforms, including Stitcher and Spotify.
ABC News Nightline's The Dropout (documentary)
If you don't have time to listen to all of The Dropout in podcast form, you can instead check out its companion Nightline documentary of the same name.
Also helmed by Jarvis, The Dropout doc is a tightly packed crash course in all that the podcast has to offer, condensing as much information as possible into its short 80-minute runtime.
The production value and drama of The Dropout is notably inferior to that of The Inventor, but it is also a more complete picture of what happened -- and continues to happen -- with Theranos and its leaders. Namely, The Dropout addresses the allegations and criminal charges facing former Theranos COO and president Ramesh Balwani.
While the doc keeps the bulk of the blame with Holmes, it explores the wrongdoing of other execs like Balwani as well as the ill-advised support provided by Theranos's board of directors, emphasizing the "it takes a village" nature of large-scale fraud.
The Dropout is streaming on ABC, Hulu, and YouTube.
Bad Blood by John Carreyrou (book)
No one deserves more credit for their Theranos investigative coverage than Wall Street Journal reporter John Carreyrou.
Interviewed for both The Inventor and The Dropout, Carreyrou first broke the story of Elizabeth Holmes' large-scale deception in his 2015 article, "Hot Startup Theranos Has Struggled With Its Blood-Test Technology." The modest headline heralded the beginning of the end for the tech company once valued at $9 billion, and positioned Carreyrou as Theranos' most prominent naysayer.
Carreyrou expands upon his original reporting in his 2018 book, Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup. It's a longer endeavor than any other project on this list, but nothing beats a source close to the subject matter.
Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup is available for purchase on Amazon.
Bad Blood directed by Adam McKay (upcoming movie)
From her big blue eyes to her mysteriously deep voice, "the next Steve Jobs" practically begs to be portrayed in an Adam McKay movie. So, who better to take on the role than Holmes lookalike Jennifer Lawrence?
Lawrence was first tied to the role of Elizabeth Holmes in 2016 and writer Vanessa Taylor (The Shape of Water) was signed to adapt Carreyrou's book for the film's screenplay early last year. Since then, very few updates have been offered.
While no official release date has been announced, Bad Blood is rumored to hit theaters next year. Here's hoping the Holmes fixation hasn't run its course by then.
Those are all of the major Theranos projects in the works right now, but if you're still not satisfied... you could always check out more Mashable coverage on Theranos and Elizabeth Holmes.
Seriously, we've got a lot of thoughts.
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