Hulu’s The Dropout outlines the life of Elizabeth Holmes and her rise to power through her company Theranos, and the story is given deeper meaning by Holmes’ de facto theme song, “I’m in a Hurry (And Don’t Know Why)” by Alabama. The real Holmes was convicted in federal court on charges of fraud this year after financial duplicity involving her company, Theranos, famously unfolded in the public eye. The 1992 country tune stands out among the series’ soundtrack and underscores Holmes’ obsessive drive to succeed no matter the cost.
The Dropout features a time capsule playlist of '00s songs, but Alabama’s “I’m in a Hurry” is an important contrast to its peers. Holmes (played by Twin Peak’s Amanda Seyfried), is depicted in The Dropout with such ambition that her regard for humanity takes a backseat. Holmes’ signature anthem (she listed “I’m in a Hurry” as her favorite song in her high school yearbook) gives viewers a deeper glimpse into how Holmes’ drive to accomplish big things at a young age was unencumbered by time.
“I’m in a Hurry” bears a sense of impatience that turns anthemic for Holmes. In The Dropout episode 1 (aptly titled “I’m in a Hurry”), Holmes attends a college program in Beijing, China before she begins at Stanford. Holmes’ investment in education isn’t shared by her dormmates, who mock her when she speaks to them in Mandarin. She tries out the language once again on a male student who rejects her, but Holmes’ future paramour and Theranos CCO Ramesh "Sunny" Balwani overhears and is impressed (Balwani’s character in The Dropout is played by Naveen Andrews). Episode 1 features the Alabama track with its chorus, “I'm in a hurry to get things done,/ Oh I rush and rush until life's no fun.” Holmes’ unabashed focus on her education takes precedence over social connections with students her age. This truth doesn’t seem to faze Holmes, who would rather master academic pursuits now in lieu of enjoying her pre-college months abroad. Her life has a self-imposed itinerary.
Once the ball gets rolling with Theranos, Holmes can’t let it end. However, her company’s finances disintegrate almost as quickly as investor funds become available and Holmes’ abilities as a CEO are questioned. Caught between a rock and a hard place by 2013, Holmes and Balwani maneuver a partnership with Walgreens using shady ploys that cause Walgreens executives to overlook the veracity of Theranos’ research and technology (detailed in the HBO documentary, The Inventor). “I’m in a Hurry” lyrics “Shakin' hands with the clock, I can't stop, I'm on a roll and I'm ready to rock,” perfectly describe Holmes’ push to see through her commitment to achieving impressive feats before time runs out for her and her company.
Money and Holmes’ personal timetable for greatness weren’t the only elements riding on Theranos’ success. The misdiagnoses Theranos blood tests spat out when testing levels concerning cancer markers and immune disorders impacted human lives. Holmes ardently sidestepped this reality in favor of maintaining the illusion of her impressive legacy. Holmes fully embraced her carefully crafted identity as a genius, tech innovator, and business mogul. Though all the tracks from The Dropout are great, Alabama's "I'm in a Hurry (And Don't Know Why)" also doubles as the soundtrack to Elizabeth Holmes' life. It was this impatience and desire to be great that led to her eventual downfall.