TV review: Compelling real-life story The Dropout should make for good telly — but doesn't

We get inside Elizabeth Holmes’ relationship with her parents, but unfortunately that seems loving and supportive, which doesn’t exactly make for decent drama

The Dropout is the story of Elizabeth Holmes (Amanda Seyfried) and Theranos is an unbelievable tale of ambition and fame gone terribly wrong. How did the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire lose it all in the blink of an eye? Sunny Balwani (Naveen Andrews) and Elizabeth Holmes (Amanda Seyfried). Pictures: Beth Dubber/Hulu

It might be time to call time on swindler shows for a while. Inventing Anna and The Tinder Swindler are both well worth a watch on Netflix, but The Dropout is on Disney Plus now and I found it hard not to drop out.

That should make for good telly. It doesn’t. Amanda Seyfried is convincing as Holmes, full of intensity, rage, ambition and social awkwardness. Her relationship with the older Sunny Bulwani feels about right. The subtext that she has to try harder because she’s a woman isn’t over-played. But it’s all just a bit meh.