The trouble with Mike White and Laura Dern's new HBO show, "Enlightened," is that it's not funny, dramatic or entertaining.
The highlight of "Enlightened" is easily Dern, who shines in her role as Amy, a woman who suffers a nervous breakdown and embraces a new, Zen lifestyle. Even when everything isn't quite there, she makes it hard to turn away from the screen. Her presence makes the audience wish the show could have ironed out some of the tonal problems so that she can really shine.
Dern's skillful acting keeps Amy from being the butt of an easy joke. It would have been simple for the show to just mock Amy as crazy for peddling her New Age philosophies to anyone who will listen. Instead, "Enlightened" finds its humor in how apathetic everyone in her life is about her change — most of them would rather her be angry than have to deal with her annoying new outlook.
Amy's mother, Helen (Diane Ladd), thinks her daughter needs to get over all of these new philosophies and find a house already, and her former husband (Luke Wilson) flat−out tells her he liked her better before. The conflict of the show is rooted as much in others' perceptions of Amy trying to change herself as it is in her transformation itself. It's an interesting idea that would have worked if it had a more consistent or nuanced showrunner.
"Enlightened's" sympathetic portrayal of Amy elevates the series from a mere parody of New Age ideas. While the show never advocates Amy's new outlook, its tone is never mocking, either. "Enlightened" maintains a delicate balance that often prevents it from being funny, but it does stop Amy from appearing overly pathetic.
The show could have done a better job of developing its scenes, which have potential, but ultimately go nowhere. For example, one scene that fails to reach its full potential is when Amy is forced to do ridiculously mundane tasks at work. Instead of focusing on the awkwardness of Amy's return to the work environment and expanding on the characters' interactions, the scene just focuses on Amy's inappropriate boss.
Equally uninspiring are the flashbacks depicting Amy's life before her breakdown. These are meant to show what caused her mental collapse, but end up just being boring or pointless. Despite Dern's magnetism, without her new philosophy Amy is just an average person, and it's hard for viewers not to think, "Why do I care about you?" If the writing were funnier or if Amy's character were given more to do, this technique might work, but as it is, it just feels like filler. And when a show only lasts 30 minutes, it shouldn't need much filler, especially so early in its run. "Enlightened" works best when it stays in Amy's present.
While it appears Amy wholeheartedly believes in her new outlook, her conviction doesn't stop her from being frustrated at all the obstacles that are still in her life. The moments when she gets mad for just a second before returning to her Zen lifestyle give hope that there might be an interesting character buried somewhere deep down — but is it worth watching "Enlightened" for the moments that interrupt its blasé norm?
While HBO's "Enlightened" is struggling to find a tone, it is not unsalvageable. It has a great lead actress and the potential for some interesting dynamics. HBO is known for letting shows develop and giving them a chance to breathe before canceling them, so it is possible that "Enlightened" can become a series very much worth watching in the future. Only time will tell if "Enlightened" makes it.
