thepathealy:
So sorry I’m late to the party but ENLIGHTENED is my favorite show currently on television. Mike White’s brilliantly funny satire and horribly sad social observation make it the half-hour equivalent to BREAKING BAD.
I didn’t watch this show when it first aired because the above picture didn’t tell me what it was. Loving Laura Dern and Mike White like I do, I should be ashamed of myself. I should have at least looked into it. After just watching the pilot, the above picture combined with the title ‘Enlightened’ is genius and tells you everything you need to know.
The spoiler-free version of the story is this: A rather shallow and not terribly bright woman who works for a soulless corporation has a nervous breakdown. She goes to rehab at a new age facility in Hawaii. When she returns, she tries to apply her newfound hippy dippy ‘enlightenment’ on her old world. Her old life and job, her old relationships with her mother(Dern’s brilliant real-life mother Dianne Ladd) and Ex-husband(The thankfully back-in-the-saddle and drolly hilarious Luke Wilson). It’s a great workplace comedy in the vein of OFFICE SPACE(Her workmates include the great Mr. White himself, Jason Mantzoukas and a host of other gems) and laser-pointed commentary on contemporary life when you’re just trying to keep your head above water.
I sadly heard that the show(now nearing the end of its second season) is being threatened with cancelation because of low ratings. I happily have heard(a lot lately) people suddenly hearing it’s great all over the place(I’m one of them) and so maybe there will be a groundswell and it will get another season. I love it more than just about anything right now.
If you have HBO, the first season and all previous aired second season episodes are available On Demand and HBO GO. Watch it and spread the word!
