Higher State Of Consciousness
I’m always interested in anthology series episodes that push the boundaries and try something different. While Room 104’s latest episode does attempt to inject some supernatural vibes into the show, the writing and lack of exposition ultimately hold this back from better a better episode, descending into a confusing 25 minutes that does little to really explain what’s happening, even during the climactic moments of the drama. We begin the episode with Bracamonte lying in bed with a drip attached to him while his daughter Dolores watches on. After speaking Spanish together, Brandon questions what’s happening before Bracamonte appears to control him from the bed. Hurrying outside, this dying man implores his daughter to lock the door. As the two talk, they discuss his death before he tells her that one way or another, he will die in bed tonight. As things get heated between them, a knock at the door brings her brother inside. There, they discuss the family business which brings Bracamonte’s powers into focus again as he conjures up a green beam of energy that seems to repel the man away, into the bathroom. While he’s out the room, Bracamonte tells her this is the only way to free his soul. After singing to her, telling Dolores to fly, she heads into the bathroom and confronts her brother, where they discuss the will together. When he heads back out, the trio have a stand-off as they all start talking about the occult and things beyond this plane of reality. As she stabs her brother after Bracamonte collapses on the floor, she screams to the heavens and rips her shirt open, as a mysterious figure arrives before her. Room 104 has always been a bit of a mixed bag over the seasons and I can’t remember the last time I watched an anthology quite like this where the quality swings between excellent and mediocre so frequently. Unfortunately, Room 104’s latest episode fails to ascend higher than the mediocre planes it exists in, with weak characterisation and an utterly bizarre storyline. Still, the episode itself is intriguing enough to watch until the end but this is unlikely to be an episode you return to in a hurry.
