
The Dropout
Money. Romance. Tragedy. Deception. The story of Elizabeth Holmes 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 th...
AI overview.ABC News, a prominent media organization, is renowned for its comprehensive news coverage and investigative journalism. The network's reputation for delivering …
Insights from recent episode analysis
On the show
- Amanda Seyfried1 ep
- Liz Meriwether1 ep
- Brad Mielke1 ep
Also: Elizabeth Holmes, Elizabeth
Audience Interest
- true crime stories
- business scandals
Podcast Focus
- Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos
- deception and ambition
Publishing Consistency
- 32 episodes total
- active for 7 years
Insights are generated by CastFox AI using publicly available data, episode content, and proprietary models.
Most discussed topics
Brands & references
Total monthly reach
Based on 3 signals.
Built from
By chart position
- 🇺🇸United States · True CrimeHOME#16510K to 2.1M
- 🇨🇦Canada · True Crime#1138K to 162K
- 🇬🇧United Kingdom · True Crime#2816K to 69K
- 🇦🇺Australia · True Crime#2013K to 55K
- 🇧🇷Brazil · True Crime#496.5K to 27K
- Per-Episode Audience
Est. listeners per new episode within ~30 days
627K to 2.6M🎙 Sporadic cadence·32 episodes·Last published 1w ago - Monthly Reach
Unique listeners across all episodes (30 days)
627K to 2.6M🇺🇸81%🇨🇦6%🇬🇧3%+4 more - Active Followers
Loyal subscribers who consistently listen
251K to 1.1M278K real followers tracked across platforms
Market Insights
Platform Distribution
Reach across major podcast platforms, updated hourly
Total Followers
—
Total Plays
—
Total Reviews
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* Data sourced directly from platform APIs and aggregated hourly across all major podcast directories.
| Date | Episode | Topics | Guests | Brands | Places | Keywords | Sponsor | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11/3/26 | Bonus: Theranos Whistleblower Erika Cheung Reacts to 'You Can See Everything' | When Erika Cheung joined Theranos just out of college, she believed in Elizabeth Holmes and her promise to revolutionize healthcare, but what she witnessed inside the company would eventually help expose its fraud. 13 years later, Erika talks to Rebecca Jarvis about her experience watching "You Can See Everything" - what she hopes people will take away from the film and the Elizabeth Holmes story - and what whistleblowers need most now. Listen to this episode ad-free when you subscribe to 20/20 True Crime+. Subscribers get early access to new shows, ad-free listening, exclusive bonus content, and access to hundreds of extra episodes from the 20/20 True Crime Vault. Start your free trial at apple.co/2020truecrime today. Terms apply. | 43m 45s | ||||||
| 4/28/26 | true crimeinvestigation+3 | — | ABC News20/20+1 | — | true crimeBlood and Water+3 | — | 28m 06s | ||
| 11/19/22 | Elizabeth HolmesTheranos+3 | — | Theranos | — | Elizabeth HolmesTheranos+3 | — | 7m 27s | ||
| 8/11/22 | Hulu seriesEmmy nominations+3 | Amanda SeyfriedLiz Meriwether | HuluABC News+2 | — | Amanda SeyfriedLiz Meriwether+5 | — | 46m 02s | ||
| 7/8/22 | TheranosSunny Balwani+3 | Brad Mielke | ABC NewsTheranos | — | Sunny BalwaniTheranos+3 | — | 6m 39s | ||
| 3/6/22 | Elizabeth Holmestrue crime+3 | — | HuluABC News+1 | — | Elizabeth HolmesAmanda Seyfried+3 | — | 1h 17m 19s | ||
| 1/5/22 | Elizabeth Holmesfraud trial+5 | — | ABC News | Silicon Valley | Elizabeth Holmesverdict+5 | — | 44m 55s | ||
| 12/21/21 | criminal trialclosing arguments+4 | — | ABC News | — | Elizabeth Holmesclosing arguments+4 | — | 1h 13m 25s | ||
| 12/14/21 | trialdefense strategy+5 | — | ABC News | — | Elizabeth Holmesdefense+5 | — | 54m 36s | ||
| 12/7/21 | trialtestimony+3 | Elizabeth Holmes | TheranosABC News | — | Elizabeth HolmesSunny Balwani+5 | — | 1h 11m 39s | ||
Want analysis for the episodes below?Free for Pro Submit a request, we'll have your selected episodes analyzed within an hour. Free, at no cost to you, for Pro users. | |||||||||
| 11/30/21 | trialfraud+3 | — | ABC News | — | Elizabeth Holmestrial+5 | — | 49m 54s | ||
| 11/23/21 | trialprosecution+5 | Elizabeth | Theranos | — | Elizabeth HolmesTheranos+5 | — | 1h 01m 37s | ||
| 11/16/21 | The Beginning of the End | In this episode, we hear from two Theranos lab directors -- one who never met Elizabeth or stepped foot into the company's lab, another who ultimately voided more than 50,000 Theranos tests after a damning government inspection. And we hear from an irate investor who says Elizabeth Holmes cut off communication with him when he asked for basic information about the company. Plus, 10 weeks into the trial, with only 24 witnesses out of a possible 181 on the government's initial list having taken the stand, we hear a surprising update from prosecutor Jeffrey Schenk: This week might be the prosecution's last before it rests its case. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices | 43m 24s | ||||||
| 11/9/21 | Patterns | Nine weeks into the criminal trial of Elizabeth Holmes, we've heard from dozens of witnesses -- Elizabeth's colleagues, board members, investors, clients, scientists, accountants and corporate executives. It's impossible not to feel the repetition. We learn that a fake Pfizer memo wasn't the only document Theranos falsified, and we're introduced to a man with deep connections to many of the central players in Elizabeth's orbit. Patterns in the prosecution's questioning are beginning to become clear, and experts show us it's all part of a greater plan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices | 37m 49s | ||||||
| 11/2/21 | The Investors | This week, we hear from high-profile companies and individuals who invested millions of dollars into Theranos, the prosecution reiterating that these investments were made on the basis of what they say was a pattern of misinformation, exaggeration and outright lies coming from Elizabeth Holmes herself. And we hear from a Pfizer scientist who speaks to the supposedly doctored Pfizer document that Theranos showed investors to help lure them in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices | 41m 50s | ||||||
| 10/26/21 | The Therabros | This week, we got a peek into how things at Theranos could at times be a full-on family affair. Elizabeth recruited her brother Christian to the company. He, in turn, recruited five of his Delta Tau Delta fraternity brothers to join him. The group would come to be known as "The Therabros." We hear from one Therabro who would rise to the rank of Elizabeth's lead of strategic operations. He interacted with VIP investors, board members, military officials and business partners, and revealed to the court what the government says was a disturbing pattern of misinformation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices | 36m 08s | ||||||
| 10/19/21 | The Clients | Theranos' biggest clients, Walgreens and Safeway, are on the stand this week, testifying to what exactly they say they were told before signing multimillion-dollar deals with the blood testing startup. In email exchanges, text messages and board presentations, the prosecution paints a picture of deception while the defense claims the industry giants should've known better. Plus, we hear from Sunny Balwani's dermatologist of 15 years, who happened to also become Theranos' lab director. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices | 39m 58s | ||||||
| 10/12/21 | Crime and Punishment | This week, two jurors ask to be excused, citing stress around punishment and the responsibilities in deciding the future of Elizabeth Holmes. A young woman, with unusual ties to this case, gives her perspective as a trial observer, and a veteran Silicon Valley investor puts the Theranos saga in larger context. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices | 29m 35s | ||||||
| 10/5/21 | Sounding the Alarm | This week, we hear some shocking insights from a former Theranos lab director who says he tried to stop the train before it ran off the tracks. From failing machines to a lack of proficiency testing, he tells of the pressure he felt to vouch for tests while maintaining his integrity as a lab director. And he describes how he says he tried to delay the Walgreens launch, pleading with a "nervous" Elizabeth, who went forward nonetheless. But does an aggressive and lengthy cross-examination undermine his claims? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices | 35m 39s | ||||||
| 9/28/21 | The General and the Patient | This week, a high-profile witness from Elizabeth's superstar board of directors surprises the courtroom by taking the stand: 4-star general and former U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis. He speaks of being dazzled by the potential of Theranos' devices on the battlefield and the disillusionment he felt when the full story came to light. Plus, we meet a patient whose Theranos test results led to a terrifying ordeal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices | 34m 39s | ||||||
| 9/21/21 | Mystery Men | This week, we hear from Erika Cheung, one of the whistleblowers who originally set Elizabeth's downfall in motion and who says she was subjected to disturbing intimidation tactics as a result. Legal experts analyze the success of each side's opening arguments. And a mysterious man named "Hanson" causes quite the stir. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices | 34m 28s | ||||||
| 9/14/21 | Setting the Stage | Elizabeth, holding hands with her partner, Billy and her mother, Noel, breezes into the courthouse to hear opening statements in her financial fraud trial. The government and the defense set the stage, giving us a roadmap of how their sides of the case will unfold. The prosecution says this is a case about fraud, lying and cheating, while the defense paints a picture of an ambitious young woman trying to change the world. She made mistakes, they say, but didn't break the law. And we hear from the case's first witness: Theranos' top ranking financial employee who has a lot to say about how Elizabeth may have misled investors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices | 40m 42s | ||||||
| 9/7/21 | The Jury | This week, after 11th-hour bombshell allegations of abuse were revealed, we meet the seven men and five women who will ultimately be deciding Elizabeth Holmes' fate. We take a peek inside the courtroom, and speak with some of the potential jurors who were dismissed. We'll hear firsthand what Elizabeth's demeanor is like in the courtroom, what the prosecution and defense appeared to be looking for in a jury, and details about who was actually chosen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices | 27m 06s | ||||||
| 8/31/21 | Bombshell | Today, after four postponements, a global pandemic and a baby, Elizabeth's long-awaited trial finally begins with jury selection. With millions of pages of discovery, a potential witness list of more than 200, and nearly 4,000 exhibits, Elizabeth's team of heavyweights has their work cut out. And at the 11th hour, the biggest bombshell yet -- Elizabeth's team has alleged that she was subjected to a decade of physical, sexual and psychological abuse. How will this play for a jury? Will Elizabeth take the stand, and what are the chances of a conviction? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices | 44m 44s | ||||||
| 8/31/21 | Where Have You Been, Elizabeth Holmes? | It's been over three years since Elizabeth Holmes was charged with multiple counts of fraud. Once the youngest female self-made billionaire, she was poised to change health care forever. Now she faces decades in prison if convicted. What has Elizabeth been up to while the government has been building its case against her? The answer includes a trip to Burning Man, a new relationship and a baby born just over a month before her trial. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices | 38m 22s | ||||||
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Distribution & Reach
About the show, platforms, and key insights.
Distribution & Reach
About the show, platforms, and key insights.
ABC News, a prominent media organization, is renowned for its comprehensive news coverage and investigative journalism. The network's reputation for delivering timely and accurate news makes it a trusted source for audiences seeking in-depth analysis on current events and high-profile stories. "The Dropout" stands out within the true crime genre by delving into the dramatic rise and fall of Elizabeth Holmes and her company, Theranos. The podcast uniquely intertwines themes of ambition, deception, and tragedy, exploring how Holmes's groundbreaking claims about health technology led to her downfall and legal troubles. With 32 episodes, it presents a narrative format that combines storytelling with interviews and expert insights. Listeners, ranging from true crime enthusiasts to those interested in business ethics, are drawn to the show for its captivating examination of a real-life scandal. The podcast offers value by providing a nuanced perspective on ambition and the consequences of deception, prompting reflection on the intersection of innovation and morality.
By the numbers
- Total followers: 20M
- Total plays: 19182M
- Total reviews: 23K
Platforms
TuneIn
- Followers: 6.5K
Castbox
- Followers: 247K
- Plays: 3.4M
YouTube
- Subscribers: 20M
- Views: 19179M
- Videos: 122K
Podcast App
- Followers: 24K
- Reviews: 23K
Podcast Republic
- Followers: 687
- Reviews: 6
Find them online
Key insights
What the show covers
- Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos
- deception and ambition
- impact on healthcare
- criminal charges and trial
Audience interests
- true crime stories
- business scandals
- healthcare technology
- legal battles
Platform reach
- available on major podcast platforms
- ABC News distribution
- potentially broad audience
- no specific platforms detected
Publishing consistency
- 32 episodes total
- active for 7 years
- weekly or more often
- consistent release schedule
Chart history for The Dropout
Peaked at #9 in HU, top 10 in 1 of 44 tracked markets, currently #9 in HU.
| Market | Genre | Peak | Current | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HU | — | #9 | #9 | — |
| Canada | — | #11 | #11 | — |
| PE | — | #15 | #15 | — |
| United States | — | #16 | #16 | — |
| Norway | — | #16 | #16 | — |
| Australia | — | #20 | #20 | — |
| New Zealand | — | #20 | #20 | — |
| IS | — | #22 | #22 | — |
| IL | — | #22 | #22 | — |
| AE | — | #27 | #27 | — |
| United Kingdom | — | #28 | #28 | — |
| SG | — | #30 | #30 | — |
| Finland | — | #31 | #31 | — |
| Ireland | — | #32 | #32 | — |
| Denmark | — | #33 | #33 | — |
| TR | — | #39 | #39 | — |
| Mexico | — | #39 | #39 | — |
| Netherlands | — | #41 | #41 | — |
| PL | — | #42 | #42 | — |
| HK | — | #44 | #44 | — |
Chart Positions
44 placements across 44 markets.
Chart Positions
44 placements across 44 markets.