Best known for their quirky comedies and unconventional dramas, the Duplass brothers have become indie darlings over the years, boasting an impressive body of work that defies genre conventions. Horror fans will most likely recognize Mark Duplass as the star and co-creator of the Creep films, but that’s not the only time that the brothers have dipped their toes into the horror genre.
With HBO’s Room 104, a peculiar anthology series where every single episode takes place inside the same motel room, the brothers set out to prove that you don’t need massive budgets and novel locations in order to tell unique genre stories, leading to an oddly entertaining show that features everything from musical comedies to Found-Footage thrillers.
That’s why we’ve decided to come up with this list of six of the best Room 104 episodes for horror fans, as 4 seasons later, we’re left with quite a few spooky and bizarre stories that are sure to delight those of us with an interest in the macabre.
Not all of these episodes are certified horror stories, but they all contain elements that horror fans are likely to appreciate. Naturally, there are several stand-out episodes that didn’t quite make the cut, so don’t forget to share your own favorites with us in the comments below.
Now, onto the list…
6. The Knockadoo (Season 1 – Episode 03)
Featuring the legendary Tony Todd as an eccentric cult leader presenting a series of spiritual self-help DVDs, you don’t need to hear much else about The Knockadoo in order to know that the episode is a must-watch for horror fans. Fortunately, the rest of this surreal story lives up to Todd’s spooky performance, featuring darkly beautiful visuals that often make you forget that the episode takes place in the same motel room as all the others.
The ambiguous finale might not be for everyone, but The Knockadoo stands out as an eerie exploration of the very real horrors of cult mentality and the reasons why desperate people are attracted to these groups in the first place. Plus, you get to see the always-lovable Orlando Jones as a creepy cultist, which is just further icing on the cake.
5. The Plot (Season 3 – Episode 01)
It’s rare for an anthology show to have an episode exploring the origins of its own premise, but The Plot attempts to do just that. Directed by genre veteran Macon Blair (Murder Party, Green Room and the upcoming Toxic Avenger remake), this strange little period piece stars Luke Wilson and Christine Woods as estranged siblings arguing over the plot of land that will eventually become the motel housing the titular Room 104.
Naturally, spooky shenanigans occur once a demonic presence reveals itself, with the episode suggesting that there might be a supernatural reason behind the motel’s penchant for wacky incidents. You’ll probably appreciate this story more if you’ve seen the rest of the show preceding it, but there’s no denying that The Plot is an entertaining take on sibling rivalries and classic deals with the devil.
4. Ralphie (Season 1 – Episode 01)
One of the more overtly horrific stories on the show, Ralphie tells the tale of an ill-fated babysitter who’s hired to take care of a problem child named Ralph. Unfortunately, Ralph claims that his evil counterpart “Ralphie” is locked in the bathroom and shouldn’t be let out, leading to tension as the babysitter questions whether or not this is just an imaginary friend or something far more sinister.
Featuring creepy kids and Shyamalan-like twists, this first episode of the series already starts things off on a strong, creepy note. The plot might not lead down the path you’d initially expect, but this spooky little yarn makes the most out of a self-contained location and is sure to get you in the mood for more eerie motel stories.
3. Hungry (Season 2 – Episode 04)
Hungry isn’t a particularly scary episode, but the implications behind this chilling true story become more disturbing the more you think about them. Loosely based on an actual news report from 2001, Hungry follows two seemingly ordinary men who decide to meet up in a motel room in order to finally engage in their twisted fantasies.
While this bizarre tale of mutual trust and (sort-of) body-horror isn’t for the feint of heart, it does manage to present a surprisingly poignant moral dilemma about the limits of consent and bodily autonomy. I’d just recommend that you watch this one on an empty stomach.
2. Night Shift (Season 3 – Episode 10)
A cheesy homage to 70s horror tropes and vampiric storytelling, Night Shift follows a duo of estranged actors reuniting on a podcast to talk about their old show. Of course, it doesn’t take long for viewers to realize that the titular “Night Shift” was more than just fiction, with the actors revealing the tragic circumstances which led to their eventual falling out.
Feeling a lot like a lost episode of FX’s excellent What We Do in the Shadows, Night Shift is a short but sweet horror comedy that will be best enjoyed by fans of the cheesy horror programming that the episode is lovingly poking fun at.
1. Itchy (Season 3 – Episode 03)
One of my personal favorites, Season 3’s Itchy has Patrick Brice reunite with Mark Duplass for another masterclass in Found-Footage storytelling. Following the video diary of a man with a mysterious skin condition attempting to reach out to his doctor as he isolates himself in a motel room, Itchy is a deeply disturbing horror story featuring copious amounts of paranoia, psychological turmoil and body-horror.
The claustrophobic environment and conspiratorial subject matter may remind some viewers of William Friedkin’s paranoid thriller Bug, but Duplass and Brice’s mastery of the Found-Footage format make this one hell of a unique take on both real-world mental health issues and classic horror/sci-fi tropes.
