Room 742 review

The setup

A woman's key card opens room 742 and reveals a man already in it. A call to the front desk confirms the double booking and offers no alternative, at least not soon. She has been on the road since dawn, so she announces she is changing anyway, with a firm instruction that he not make it awkward. He says nothing. From the other room she complains about her endless day in the same outfit, remarks on how quiet he has gone, and finally asks whether he plans to just stand there.

Episode 2

Embarrassment comes first in episode 2, along with a complaint that he could have spoken up. Another phone call brings worse news: they are stuck together. She asks what he wants, then asks his name, and when he still refuses to answer she picks a nickname for him herself, one that tells you exactly where her mind has gone. The episode closes on her checking whether he will finally react.

Who's who

• The traveler: exhausted, blunt and unbothered by sharing a room, as long as someone talks
• The silent man: already in room 742, never utters a word, and lets her fill every silence

Verdict: 5.2 out of 10

A double-booked room is a fine premise, and making him mute is a bold choice that half works. It turns her into a stand-up act with an audience of one, which suits the point-of-view fantasy, but it also drains the scenes of friction. Episode 2's nickname is the only real jolt, and it is a punchline rather than a plot. The rest might reward patience; the free episodes do not make an urgent case for it.

Episode guide