ROOM 104

[ER]

Finally finished it. An uneven series, some episodes being superb, others much less so, and with virtually every entertainment genre thrown in, from sci-fi and horror and fantasy, to comedy, drama, tragedy, irony. I sometimes thought the show would work better as a straightforward non-genre series that presented the stories of the random people who stayed in the room, but then again some of the better episodes were the most fantastical. I don't think it was a ratings hit but being so cheap and so open to almost any story someone might care to tell, I was a little surprised HBO pulled the plug on it instead of letting it run a decade.

There was a first season episode about an old couple returning to the room where they spent their honeymoon that absolutely bowled me over with how sad it was, and I think one of the best episodes toward the end of the series' run was called Prank Call, though it descended into sheer cliché and had one of the most unrealistic endings imaginable. Til that point it was riveting. I think the very best episode of the series, however, was one with Rainn Wilson called Mr. Mulvahill, that truly blew my mind!

If you ever have a spare afternoon burning a hole in your pocket, pick and choose some episodes from this show. It's definitely got its moments.