Episode 1 of The Dropout commences with a recorded interrogation of Elizabeth Holmes, as she begrudgingly complies with an investigation into alleged irregularities at her healthcare technology firm, Theranos. However, to fully grasp the situation, we must rewind to the beginning.
Elizabeth, a high school student with grand aspirations of revolutionizing the world with a groundbreaking invention, finds herself on the path to Stanford, her dream destination for realizing this goal. However, her journey was not without obstacles. Her father, Chris, had been recently dismissed from his job after his company was exposed as a fraud. This left them with no choice but to reluctantly seek financial assistance from their acquaintances, Richard and Lorraine.
Richard, a successful entrepreneur who had sold his medical training company for a whopping $50 million, offered his support despite Elizabeth's disdainful attitude towards him. But Elizabeth was adamant that they didn't need his help. She pleaded with her father not to accept his money, arguing that she would make her own mark in the world.
After graduating high school that summer, Elizabeth embarked on a journey to Beijing, where she enrolled in an immersive Mandarin program. It was here that she encountered Sunny Balwani, a seasoned entrepreneur who had founded and sold a software company for $40 million. Their bond grew stronger during the program, and even after Elizabeth moved to Stanford in 2002, they remained in regular contact.
College life delighted Elizabeth. Despite being a freshman, she managed to secure a spot in a graduate-level research group under the guidance of Professor Channing Robertson.
As she returned for her sophomore year, Elizabeth presented Dr. Robertson with a groundbreaking medical invention concept: a compact patch capable of offering both diagnosis and treatment within the confines of one's home. She eagerly sought his investment in this vision. Intrigued, but cautious, he directed her to Dr. Phyllis Gardner, who promptly dismissed her invention as unfeasible. Gardner advised Elizabeth not to cut corners in her pursuit, urging her to simply enjoy being nineteen for now.
Elizabeth heeded this advice for a fleeting moment, indulging in a night of revelry at a party. However, the aftermath found her curled in bed, wracked with emotion. Rumors swirled among her roommates that she had been raped, yet they remained skeptical. Sunny, undeterred by her distress, persisted in his calls, only to be met with Elizabeth's fierce rebuke, demanding he cease his obsessive pursuit of a nineteen-year-old.
Amidst this turmoil, Elizabeth found solace in her mother's hand at the police station. Authorities informed her that the evidence against her alleged assailant was insufficient, leaving him unnamed. Her mother vowed to stand by her, warning that men would take advantage, but the choice to let it hinder her lay solely in Elizabeth's hands. She chose to persevere.
By March 2004, Elizabeth returned to Professor Robertson with a reinvented concept. Her patch had transformed into a sleek box, resembling an iPod, that utilized just a drop of blood to conduct home-based blood tests. With Robertson's endorsement, Elizabeth leased an office in a risky neighborhood, withdrawing from Stanford and redirecting her tuition funds into her fledgling company, Theranos.
Meanwhile, Lorraine whispered gossip about Elizabeth's audacious move to Richard, igniting his ire. He felt betrayed, believing Elizabeth should have sought his counsel. "They think they're better than us," he muttered disdainfully of the Holmes family.
One fateful day, as Elizabeth stepped into her car outside her new office, a stray bullet shattered the window, sending her into a panic. She instinctively dialed Sunny, and when he arrived, she clung to him, feeling his promise to safeguard her.
The episode culminated in a flash-forward, revealing an investigator grilling Elizabeth. He probed if she had ever disclosed that her invention was non-functional, that her technology posed a threat to lives. She termed these as "mistakes," insisting she believed she was doing the right thing by moving ahead, despite the obstacles.
