TV Talk: ‘Spider

Jan 09, 2024

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Hollywood has yet to produce a new movie star since the start of the social media era for many reasons — social media made stars overly accessible and less like chiseled faces on a Hollywood Mt. Rushmore; film devolved into all superheroes, all the time, sending actors scurrying to premium cable and streaming for prestige projects — but actor Tom Holland may be one of the few new faces to come close.

Sure, he rose to fame as the title star of "Spider-Man" movies, but then he showed he could open a film with "Unchartered," which, yes, was based on established intellectual property (a video game), but Holland still seems to be an ascendant Hollywood talent. It makes sense that Apple TV+ would want him to star in its latest scripted series, "The Crowded Room."

And it is easy to see how a star known mostly for embodying a good guy would be drawn to "The Crowded Room," which gives Holland the opportunity to play against type — at least initially.

Holland stars as Danny Sullivan, a New York high schooler in the 1970s tormented by his stepfather. Danny smokes a lot, steals, sells pot and apparently, based on his greasy, unkempt locks, never washes his hair.

It also turns out Danny has some personal challenges that are foreshadowed in the show's title and its opening credits and brought into stark relief eventually — but not nearly soon enough! — in conversation with police interrogator ’Rya (Amanda Seyfried), following a shooting Danny is involved in.

Seyfried is always a credit to any project she's in (see: "The Dropout"), and those two-hander interrogation scenes with Holland are far more interesting than episode after episode of morose, boring flashbacks that fill in the history of Danny's life but ultimately mean little when those details are negated by revelations deeper into this 10-episode series. (Three episodes are now streaming with one new episode on subsequent Fridays through July 28.)

Writer Akiva Goldsman ("Star Trek: Discovery") adapted "The Crowded Room" from Daniel Keyes’ 1981 nonfiction book "The Minds of Billy Milligan," which previously was adapted as a four-episode, 2021 Netflix docuseries. Don't look up anything about those if you don't want to be spoiled.

Goldsman's adaptation takes major liberties with the real story that inspired all of these projects, ultimately making Danny a more cuddly character, who, with the help of ’Rya, may be able to overcome his challenges. This is where "The Crowded Room" uses viewer affection from Holland's past roles to replicate and affirm his good-guy status in this latest character. It makes what initially seems like a departure for Holland much less so by the time "The Crowded Room" reaches its end.

While ostensibly a psychological thriller, "The Crowded Room" too often lacks thrills (sorry, an overreliance on lens flare doesn't count). Instead, it's another bloated limited series that has enough story to support only half of its total running time. Not enough happens in many episodes, and much of what we learn about character backstories ultimately turns out to be unnecessary, a desultory waste of viewers’ time.

You can reach TV writer Rob Owen at [email protected] or 412-380-8559. Follow Rob on Twitter or Facebook. Ask TV questions by email or phone. Please include your first name and location.

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