Laura Dern stars in and executive produces the new HBO comedy/drama series Enlightened debuting on October 10, 2011. Mike White (Year of the Dog) co-stars, writes, directs, and executive produces the 10 episode first season of the half-hour show which also features Luke Wilson, Diane Ladd, Sarah Burns, Timm Sharp, and Amy Hill.
Also directing Enlightened‘s first season episodes are Miguel Arteta (four episodes), Jonathan Demme (two episodes), Nicole Holofcener (one episode) and Phil Morrison (one episode).
The Plot:
Amy Jellicoe, an ambitious executive at a global conglomerate, has been her own worst enemy for most of her adult life. Her self-destructive choices, both at home and at work, have resulted in a very public, humiliating nervous breakdown. After an extended stay at a treatment center in Hawaii, Amy returns to her fractured life, determined to lead a more enlightened existence. But her newfound noble intentions only ratchet up the drama, wreaking unexpected havoc on those around her.
“There are so many anti-heroes populating TV series right now, I wanted to do a show about someone who is dysfunctional and far from perfect, but whose impulse is to do good and try to be the best person she can,” stated White. “Amy is living a very ordinary life, but her relentless drive to make her world better makes her unique – and in a way, dangerous. I also wanted to a write a show that was centered around a woman, but wasn’t a dating show. Amy has a lot more on her mind than just her romantic life – and I hope people will find that relatable and refreshing.”
Adds Dern, “Amy is a mass of contradictions, a woman of good impulses who often does the wrong thing, a woman who wants to make things better but sometimes produces the opposite result. As she tries to decide what’s really important to her, she tries to live a deeply authentic life, but her passion and honesty often backfire, making her efforts to change herself and her world far more complicated.”
Enlightened October 2011 Episodes:
Episode #1: “Pilot”
Debut: MONDAY, OCT. 10 (9:30-10:05 p.m. ET/PT)
Other HBO playdates: Oct. 11 (10:30 p.m.), 12 (midnight) and 13 (12:30 a.m.)
HBO2 playdates: Oct. 12 (11:30 p.m.), 14 (10:30 p.m.) and 16 (8:30 p.m.)
Following an on-the-job breakdown, Amy Jellicoe (Laura Darn), a corporate buyer, returns home from an extended stay in a holistic treatment center. With a kinder-and-gentler attitude, Amy moves in with her mom, Helen (Diane Ladd), while making overtures to her company, Abaddonn Industries, to get her job back. Meanwhile, she reconnects with her ex-husband, Levi (Luke Wilson), but a relaxing evening short-circuits when he reverts to his old ways. The next morning, after reciting her new mantra – “I will change, and I will be an agent of change” – Amy returns to the office to start a new chapter in her life. But will Abaddonn take her back?
Teleplay by Mike White; story by Mike White & Laura Dern; directed by Mike White.
Episode #2: “Now or Never”
Debut: MONDAY, OCT. 17 (9:30-10:00 p.m.)
Other HBO playdates: Oct. 18 (9:30 p.m.), 19 (midnight) and 20 (12:30 a.m.)
HBO2 playdates: Oct. 19 (midnight), 21 (10:30 p.m.) and 23 (8:30 p.m.)
Amy’s hopes of landing a dream job take a hit when she’s demoted to the basement of Abaddonn, working in data entry amongst a group of social misfits. The job has its perks, however, as she uncovers a litany of corporate improprieties while surfing the net in her downtime. Meanwhile, Amy’s attempts to improve the lives of her ex-husband Levi and mom Helen fall on deaf ears.
Written by Mike White; directed by Miguel Arteta.
Episode #3: “Someone Else’s Life”
Debut: MONDAY, OCT. 24 (9:30-10:00 p.m.)
Other HBO playdates: Oct. 25 (10:30 p.m.), 26 (midnight) and 27 (12:30 a.m.)
HBO2 playdates: Oct. 26 (11:30 p.m.), 28 (10:30 p.m.) and 30 (8:30 p.m.)
Jealous of Krista’s (Sarah Burns) good fortune and fed up with her humiliation at Abaddonn, Amy considers leaving the company for a socially responsible job at a homeless shelter. But the low pay, combined with a huge unpaid bill from the treatment center, give her pause.
Written by Mike White; directed by Miguel Arteta.
Episode #4: “The Weekend”
Debut: MONDAY, OCT. 31 (9:30-10:00 p.m.)
Other HBO playdates: Nov. 1 (10:30 p.m.), 2 (midnight) and 3 (12:30 a.m.)
HBO2 playdates: Nov. 2 (11:30 p.m.), 4 (10:30 p.m.) and 6 (8:30 p.m.)
Wary of reverting to her old, hard-partying ways on her first weekend home, Amy talks Levi into taking a rafting excursion to the Kern River, which they frequented during happier times, when they were married. The idyllic trip takes a downturn, however, when Amy discovers that her mission to implement change in Levi may be more difficult than she realized.
Written by Mike White; directed by Mike White.
Source: HBO
