8 Elizabeth Holmes Docs and Podcasts to Watch Before "The Dropout"

The upcoming Hulu series "The Dropout," starring Amanda Seyfried and Neveen Andrews, follows the rise and fall of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes. Holmes founded Theranos in 2003 after dropping out of Stanford college and sought to make blood testing more accessible to the public through revolutionary technology. By 2014, Theranos had an estimated value of $9 billion, but as the company continued to grow, so did suspicions about the efficacy of its technology. After The Wall Street Journal published an exposé about Theranos and Holmes, her business and the house of cards she'd built to sustain it quickly crumbled.

"The Dropout" is a dramatization of Holmes's beginnings, her quick rise to becoming one of the world's richest self-made billionaires, and her demise. If you're looking for a refresher on the story of Theranos and Holmes before "The Dropout" hits Hulu on March 3, these documentaries and podcasts have you covered!

Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos Documentaries

When the shocking news broke that Theranos was a fraudulent business, several documentaries and news specials broke down the unbelievable story.

"20/20: The Dropout"

Following the success and acclaim of the podcast of the same name, ABC released a 20/20 special called "The Dropout," which investigates the rise and fall of Theranos and includes interviews with Holmes and those in her circle, like employees, co-workers, and family.

Stream "20/20: The Dropout" on ABC.

"The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley"

Holmes and her boyfriend and Theranos COO Sunny BalwaniIn are at the centre of HBO's stunning documentary "The Inventor: Out of Blood in Silicon Valley." The documentary features various interviews with journalists, professors, advisors, investors, and whistleblowers that help dig deep into Holmes's mind and the illusion she sold to the world.

Stream "The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley" on HBO and HBO Max.

"60 Minutes: Elizabeth Holmes and the Theranos Deception"

CBS was among several news stations covering the Theranos story, releasing the 60 Minutes special titled "Elizabeth Holmes and the Theranos Deception." In it, journalist Norah O'Donnell investigates Holmes's trail of deception and those she affected along the way.

"Valley of Hype: The Culture that Built Elizabeth Holmes"

The first feature documentary from Yahoo Finance, "Valley of Hype: The Culture that Built Elizabeth Holmes," centres around the failure of Theranos and highlights the specific startup culture of Silicon Valley that influenced Holmes to launch the company ignoring all guardrails. You can watch the episode on Youtube below.

"60 Minutes Australia: Elizabeth Holmes Exposed"

Along with "60 Minutes" in America, "60 Minutes Australia" is known for its comprehensive and investigative journalism. Led by journalist Tara Brown, this special covers the fraudulent schemes of Theranos and features interviews and footage of Holmes during her time with the company. Watch the episode on Youtube below.

Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos Podcasts

Along with documentaries and TV specials, several podcasts about Theranos and Elizabeth Holmes have been produced. Find out where to listen to them below!

"The Dropout"

This is the namesake podcast that inspired both the "20/20" special and the upcoming Hulu series. Its first six episodes documenting Holmes's fraudulent business practices were released in 2019, and new episodes following her criminal trial are released regularly. The latest episode, "The Verdict," dropped on January 5, 2022.

Listen to "The Dropout" on ABC Audio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music.

"Bad Blood: The Final Chapter"

Led by John Carreyrou, the journalist that exposed Theranos and Holmes, "Bad Blood" leads listeners on a journey that examines the culture that created Holmes and led to the fall of her company. This podcast has the same name as Apple TV+'s upcoming Theranos movie starring Jennifer Lawrence.

Listen to "Bad Blood: The Final Chapter" on Apple Podcasts.

"Elizabeth Holmes: The Downfall of a Billion Dollar Startup"

The 30-minute podcast by renowned British newspaper The Times investigates the WSJ exposé that changed the course of Theranos and Holmes's life forever.

Listen to "Elizabeth Holmes: The Downfall of a Billion Dollar Startup" on Google Podcasts.