Mike White’s Hidden Gem: ‘Enlightened’

by

Mike White’s acclaimed series, “The White Lotus,” is undoubtedly a significant milestone in his impressive career. However, it’s essential to acknowledge that before this popular show, White had crafted a number of underappreciated works that are arguably just as brilliant or even more so. He penned captivating scripts for films such as “Chuck & Buck,” “Orange County,” “The Good Girl,” “School of Rock,” “Year of the Dog,” “Beatriz at Dinner,” “Brad’s Status,” and “Migration.” He also developed the short-lived TV series “Pasadena” and “Cracking Up,” but it was with his first HBO production, “Enlightened,” that he truly showcased his extraordinary talent for mature television. This two-season series was a masterpiece, featuring remarkable performances by two esteemed actresses — Laura Dern and her mother, Diane Ladd.

Similar to how The White Lotus concluded its third season with outstanding viewership, Enlightened delves into the spiritual apathy induced by capitalism and the isolated affluence of middle-class white Americans using dark humor and escalating tension. Enlightened centers around Amy Jellicoe (Dern) who, after a public breakdown and a stint at a beachside New Age recovery center that focuses on holistic healing, returns home to Riverdale, California. She finds herself demoted, divorced, residing with her mother (Ladd), and essentially restarting her life at the age of 40. However, she now sees life through a new lens – enlightened.

f

Upon resuming her position at Abaddonn Industries, where Amy once held a significant executive role, she finds herself reassigned to the basement to collaborate with individuals who have encountered HR issues. Their task involves button-pushing on a project that shares the monotonous and seemingly meaningless qualities of Macrodata Refinement in “Severance”, yet it also harbors a more ominous agenda. Despite being confined to the basement, Amy’s spirit of optimism and inquisitiveness is relentless, and her suspicions about Abaddonn’s involvement in shady corporate practices begin to grow when she senses something amiss.

In the series ‘Enlightened‘, Dern delivers an extraordinary portrayal. She’s equally captivating and grating with her unwavering optimism, embodying a woman who has swapped her old vices – work, alcohol, and sex – for self-help books, meditation, and yoga. Her character’s bipolar disorder intertwines with her New Age lifestyle, creating an intriguing contrast. There’s a profound melancholy underlying her life story. Despite her new outlook, she finds the good in others, yet the world beyond her high-end rehab center is harsh and unforgiving, particularly in corporate society. She’s often mistreated, ridiculed, and dismissed, but her mental state stubbornly refuses to accept that she’s just a naive cog in a cruel machine. The YouTube channel ‘antiheroines’ offers an insightful critique on Dern’s performance in the show, which you can watch in the video provided below.

As the story unfolds, a flame ignites within Amy, vividly depicted at the end of Season 1. Determined to bring down Abaddonn, she embarks on a mission. She uncovers a sinister secret project that the basement dwellers, including herself, have been unwittingly involved in – it’s software designed to make it simpler for the company to let people go, hire cheaper workers, and reduce benefits, among other things. She also discovers Abaddonn’s attempts to conceal environmental disasters, causing untold damage to lives. Amy enlists her fellow worker, Tyler (portrayed exceptionally well by Mike White), and a journalist, Dermot Mulroney in one of his finest TV roles, to expose the truth and make a tangible, meaningful difference in the world – a task not often achieved.

An Ensemble Cast as Good as ‘The White Lotus’

In contrast to The White Lotus that boasts a diverse ensemble without a clear main character, Enlightened primarily centers around Amy. However, unlike some ensemble shows, Enlightened also boasts a richly developed supporting cast. Characters like Mike White’s Tyler are memorable, and the show devotes significant attention to them, including Diane Ladd who delivers a heartrending portrayal of a mother. Her character is complex, carrying both melancholy and deep wounds, yet also overflowing with love. Much like Tyler, she too has an episode dedicated solely to her, making for a quiet yet impactful viewing experience.

In one of TV history’s standout episodes, Luke Wilson delivers arguably his finest career performance (excluding roles in Wes Anderson films), portraying Amy’s ex-MLB player husband struggling with drugs. This time around, he finds himself at the same rehab center that Amy attended, but his journey is vastly distinct.

In the TV series “Enlightened,” Timm Sharp delivers a humorous portrayal of Dougie, a tech-bro failure in charge of the basement department who’s blissfully unaware of his widespread disliking. Despite the humor, there’s an underlying authenticity and genuine sadness to his character that adds depth. The performances by Sarah Burns, Jason Mantzoukas, Molly Shannon, Michaela Watkins, Riki Lindhome, Amy Hill, Robin Wright, and James Rebhorn are all commendable in this show.

Live, Laugh, Love

Enlightened playfully critiques the New Age movement, white feminism, and liberalism, yet it affectionately embraces its characters. Amy is not a caricature; she’s a genuine individual, and her aspiration to effect change in the world might be idealistic, but it’s sincere, and it’s uplifting.

During a conversation with NPR, Mike White articulated his goals regarding Enlightened. In his own words, he said, “The idea might sound trite, even a New Age truism, but ‘Act as the change you wish to see.’ Essentially, I’m pondering, ‘What steps can I take to manifest what I desire, and how can I create something that is empathetic and could offer solace to someone?'” He also mentioned a Buddhist practice known as Tonglen, which involves inhaling the pain or suffering of oneself or others, and exhaling a sense of hope. He further added:

In addition, the work you see can be likened to various forms such as art or fiction, where the aim is to produce something that offers hope, yet honestly acknowledges suffering. This isn’t about ignoring the pain; instead, it’s about facing it squarely. I believe that much of today’s entertainment is geared towards distraction, filling our senses with an overwhelming amount of light and sound. Regardless of whether I’ve managed to achieve this or not, there’s a drive within me to create something more thought-provoking, something that slows things down, something that encourages reflection on the questions of life, rather than something designed to divert your attention from those questions.

You can watch both seasons of Enlightened on Max through the link below:

Watch Enlightened

Read More

2025-04-08 04:32