Given the less-than-favorable critical reaction to "The Crowded Room," some folks who were initially interested in the series might be wavering a bit about going all-in on the show — even with a limited 10-episode commitment. If you count yourself among them, you should know that the series currently boasts a 90% Fresh rating from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. So even if the issues raised by critics are on point, other viewers are clearly enjoying the drama for what it is.
And what "The Crowded Room" is trying to be is a hard-hitting mental health thriller partially inspired by a shocking true story. The series was created by Oscar-winning "A Beautiful Mind" scribe Akiva Goldsman and is loosely based on the 1981 nonfiction novel "The Minds of Billy Milligan." If you're unfamiliar with that tome, Billy Milligan's story is a genuinely compelling and unsettling one. Milligan was arrested in 1979 and accused of truly heinous crimes. He did, however, eventually become the first person in U.S. history to be acquitted after pleading that they have dissociative identity disorder.
Names and alleged crimes have been changed in "The Crowded Room" in hopes of making the central figure a touch more sympathetic in the eyes of viewers. Given the overwhelmingly positive response from audience members, the tactic is working. And in case there were any questions, Goldsman and company keep the action beyond taut throughout the series' first few episodes. There's little question they'll continue to do so as "The Crowded Room" barrels toward its July 28 finale.
