This Mike White and Laura Dern gem is still HBO Max’s most underrated show
This Mike White and Laura Dern gem is still HBO Max’s most underrated show
This overlooked dramedy is sharp, sad, and way ahead of its time.
With so much to watch on HBO Max (I did a deep dive of the TV show library you can check out here) it’s easy for even the really great shows to slip through the cracks. And if you’re an older show? Good luck. That’s exactly what happened to “Enlightened.” This little half-hour dramedy from Mike White (yeah, the guy behind “The White Lotus”) and Laura Dern grabbed glowing reviews, landed some big awards for Dern (who won a Golden Globe), and still somehow no one I’ve talked to has seen it. Which blows my mind, because it’s one of the most unique, compassionate, and sharp pieces of TV I’ve ever seen. I first saw a few episodes in film school at USC when a professor screened it for us. I went home and binged the whole thing and I’ve been talking about this show ever since. If you missed it when it aired back in 2011, now’s your chance to catch what I think is the most under-the-radar dramedy on HBO Max.
Best under-the-radar drama TV show on HBO Max
Why ‘Enlightened’ is the most underrated drama series on HBO Max
I didn’t know what to expect when I first watched “Enlightened.” I figured it was just another quirky HBO dramedy, but what I got was way deeper. It’s this quiet, thoughtful satire about personal growth, corporate dysfunction, and what it really means to try and change your life. So why didn’t anyone watch it?
The short answer: a bunch of reasons. First, the ratings were pretty soft, even by HBO standards. The show launched with basically no fanfare, got stuck in a weird Monday time slot, and never found an audience big enough to keep it going. And this was long before Mike White was a household name. Back then, he was known for indie films and writing gigs, not prestige TV. Laura Dern was critically respected but not yet in her TV icon era, either. So there wasn’t a flashy hook or big-name draw… just this quietly brilliant little show trying to find its place.
And the tone didn’t help either. Even Mike White admits it’s slow, reflective, and a little sad (not exactly the kind of thing that screams “must-see TV”). There’s no wild twist at the end of each episode, no cliffhangers, just a woman trying to rebuild her life while stuck in a soul-crushing corporate job. It doesn’t fit cleanly into “comedy” or “drama,” which made it tough to market. Even I have called it a comedy in other places, but really, it’s a dramedy, and a weird, beautiful one at that.
It also probably didn’t help that the lead character, Amy Jellicoe (played by Dern), isn’t easy to pin down. She’s not a hero, not exactly a villain. She’s human: messy, emotional, self-righteous, but also incredibly sincere. Some people bounced off that. But that’s what I love about her. She feels real. She’s trying so hard to be better, even if she’s going about it all wrong.
And yeah, maybe the fact that it centers on a complicated, middle-aged woman made it harder for some viewers to get on board. White’s hinted at that. It was airing in the era of Walter White and Don Draper, when audiences were obsessed with male antiheroes. Amy didn’t get the same benefit of the doubt. If this show came out today, it would probably have a better chance.
So that’s why I’m telling you to watch it. Even with all the buzz around “The White Lotus,” I still feel like “Enlightened” is underrated. It wasn’t picked up for a third season, never got a revival, and mostly just sits quietly in HBO Max’s library, buried beneath louder, newer titles. Every once in a while, a fan will tweet about it or it’ll show up on a “shows you missed” list, but it never quite got the recognition it deserves.
Which is a shame, because it’s just as biting and thoughtful as “The White Lotus,” only on a much smaller scale. And it came first. If you like stories about burnout, late-stage capitalism, or the messy search for meaning, this is the show. It even has a bit of “Severance” energy, especially in the way it digs into soul-crushing office life. And Mike White doesn’t just write and direct it, but he’s in the show too. He plays Tyler, the quiet IT guy who becomes Amy’s reluctant partner in crime. That dynamic alone is worth watching for.
What is ‘Enlightened’ about?
“Enlightened” kicks off with Amy Jellicoe, a high-level exec who has a full-blown meltdown at work and gets sent off to a wellness retreat. When she comes back, she’s all positive vibes and self-help mantras… but the world hasn’t changed. She’s demoted to the basement data-processing department, surrounded by weirdos and misfits, and stuck in a job that slowly drains her soul.
But she’s not done. Amy becomes obsessed with exposing the corruption in her company. Not just because it’s wrong, but because she needs to feel like she matters. She wants to be a force for good, but she also wants revenge, and that mix makes her both relatable and frustrating.
You also get intimate portraits of the people in Amy’s life: her tired mom, her ex-husband (played by Luke Wilson), her coworkers. And that personal aspect makes the whole thing feel grounded. It’s not just about whistleblowing. It’s about loneliness, second chances, and figuring out who you are when everything falls apart.
After you watch the first episode of ‘Enlightened,’ let us know what you think in the comments below.
Other underappreciated drama TV shows on HBO Max
If “Enlightened” isn’t quite your thing, HBO Max still has a bunch of under-the-radar dramas that are worth your time. If you’re into intense period pieces with killer action, start with “Warrior.” It’s based on a concept from Bruce Lee, and the story follows Ah Sahm, a Chinese immigrant navigating gang rivalries and racism in 1870s San Francisco. The fight scenes are wild, but the show’s also got real emotional weight and a cool historical backdrop.
Want something quieter and more emotional? Try “My Brilliant Friend.” It’s based on Elena Ferrante’s novels and follows two girls, Lila and Elena, as they grow up in postwar Naples. Their friendship is messy, complicated, and honestly kind of heartbreaking, and the show captures it all with stunning cinematography and a really lived-in, emotional feel. It’s slow in the best way, and somehow still got overlooked.
Or if you’re more into crime dramas, “Tokyo Vice” is your move. It’s set in early 2000s Tokyo and follows an American journalist who gets caught up in the world of organized crime. The vibe is slick and atmospheric, with a killer cast (Ansel Elgort, Ken Watanabe), and by Season 2, it turns into a full-on yakuza thriller. If you’re looking for something gritty and stylish that’s flown under the radar, this one’s a hidden gem.
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