Last season of HBO’s Enlightened saw corporate executive Amy Jellicoe (creator and lead Laura Dern) go to rehab, become philosophically awakened and determined to become “an agent of change”. Unfortunately her worldview on the power of self-help and meditation bothered her employers who rehired her in data processing.
This season finds Amy uncovering a history of corruption by the CEO and her becoming a whistleblower. But does she care about the crimes of the company or is this revenge for them disregarding her views? The season comes to a brilliant finale fuelled with conflict, breakdowns and with Amy expressing her distaste for corporate chairmen abusing their influence on behalf of working women.
Laura Dern is a powerhouse as the annoyingly idealistic but strong minded Amy; she’s socially awkward, irritatingly positive and flawed, but you’re still behind her the whole way. Unfortunately the series has been cancelled so catch Enlightened on DVD or online.
4 out of 5 stars.
Originally published in BULL Magazine, May 6, 2013.
See the trailer for Season 2 of HBO’s Enlightened here:
Eden Caceda 