10 Spookiest 'Room 104' Episodes to Stream on HBO Max Right Now

Room 104 traverses a remarkably wide range of genres. From sci-fi mysteries to musical comedies (and even a couple true stories too strange for fiction), the Duplass brothers’ outrageous, wildly inventive ode to The Twilight Zone has something for just about everyone. The show's format makes it easy to dive right in.

Horror was always among the underrated anthology’s strongest suits, so there’s no better time than the season of fright to stream it on HBO Max. Whether you’re a newcomer to Room 104 or a returning visitor, these spooky, bite-size episodes are sure to keep you for an extended stay.

10 'Crossroads' (S3 Episode 11)

A young woman (played as an adult by June Squibb) makes a literal deal with the devil—the devil’s Executive Assistant (Paul F. Tompkins), to be precise—in exchange for a lifetime of material pleasure. Decades later, she isn’t keen on upholding her end of the bargain.

The episode is eerily reminiscent of The Box, a short story by Richard Matheson about a couple that receives a deadly, enticing opportunity. Matheson’s story was turned into an episode of The Twilight Zone before Richard Kelly (Donnie Darko) adapted it for the big screen. Like that parable about karma and greed, “Crossroads” cautions us to wish carefully.

9 'Drywall Guys' (S3 Episode 5)

In town on an extended construction gig, congenial-to-a-fault Greg (Sam Richardson) gets stuck bunking with Randy (Sam Little), a sad-sack loser whose sleepwalking is beginning to thin Greg’s outward affability. The setup doesn’t sound too frightening, but a mysterious black bag quickly sends things spiraling out of control.

“Drywall Guys” is a demented comedy of manners that would make for a highly entertaining feature about the perils of being a people pleaser. The ending will leave you wondering what other secrets the room’s walls entomb.

8 'Foam Party' (S4 Episode 7)

A valentine to teen horror movies from the ‘90s, “Foam Party” is about five friends who get together for a night of effervescent fun but find themselves in a fight to survive some seriously rogue soap bubbles. A polarizing episode, to say the least, "Foam Party" doesn't end on a clear note. Still, it's more interesting than some of the show's relatively straightforward genre exercises.

There are various ways to read the episode’s metaphor—the self-annihilation of cultural conformity? The ways a needy personality sabotages one’s search for connection?—but “Foam Party” has enough surface-level scares to keep you engaged no matter how you analyze its underlying message.

7 'Itchy' (S3 Episode 3)

One of the best things about the series is the way it constantly reinvents itself, shuffling both genre and composition from episode to episode. More than a fantastic entry of Room 104, “Itchy” is an unnervingly effective piece of body horror. A young man (Arturo Castro) with a rare dermatological disorder tries a radical treatment course.

The events are ingeniously presented as found footage on an iPad. Castro’s jittery performance, matched so well by the shaky camerawork, deserves its own feature-length showcase. Director Patrick Brice, who made the hugely entertaining Creep, demonstrates short fiction’s capacity for immersive storytelling.

6 'Mr. Mulvahill' (S2 Episode 2)

Rainn Wilson plays a man desperate to confront his third-grade teacher (Frank Birney) over a formative childhood incident. No episode of Room 104 benefits more from being watched without prior knowledge than “Mr. Mulvahill”. You should just trust that things in this tale of obsession and displaced memories aren't quite what they seem.

It’s tough to argue this is a horror, but Stephen King fans are in for a real treat. However, you end up genrefying “Mr. Mulvahill”, the episode represents the very best of what this haunting, oftentimes profound anthology has to offer.

5 'A Nightmare' (S2 Episode 8)

Jess (Natalie Morales) is trapped in a nightmare that intensifies each time it repeats. The concept is a perfect vehicle for telling a story of facing repressed trauma, a subject Room 104 is eager to explore even when it’s not in horror mode.

“A Nightmare” doesn’t scale the creative heights of “Itchy” or “Mr. Mulvahill”, but this meat-and-potatoes slasher is full of old-fashioned seasonal scares. Additionally, Natalie Morales, director of the aforementioned “Foam Party”, is a compelling screen presence. As far as Halloween-themed entertainment goes, you could do a lot worse than this gripping 30 minutes of television.

4 'Night Shift' (S3 Episode 10)

A podcaster (Marielle Scott) interviews the stars (Josh Fadem and David Paymer) of a ‘70s cult television show (a reference, it seems, to Dark Shadows). Over the course of a spine-tinglingly tense evening, secrets and old jealousies are brought to the fore.

Neither the scariest nor the most inventive episode of the series, “Night Shift” nevertheless has value as a commentary on the power of new media to recontextualize the past. That’s not exactly what we come to scary stories for, but “Night Shift” has enough pop culture references and classic vampire thrills to keep horror fans engaged.

3 'No Hospital' (S3 Episode 8)

A dying patriarch (Tony Plana) invites his son and daughter (Angie Cepeda and Timm Sharp) to room 104, so they can discuss the future of their family’s business. However, it isn’t long before old rivalries bubble to the surface. "No Hospital" is proof of what the superhero genre could achieve if it wasn't preoccupied with intergalactic-scale spectacle.

Part of the show’s magic has always been its ability to use high-concept fantasy and horror as vehicles for intimate stories about self-actualization. The premise may be larger than life, but the stakes are personal.

2 'Phoenix' (S1 Episode 8)

Presumed dead, the sole survivor of a plane crash (Amy Landecker) checks into room 104 under a fake name and deliberates whether to contact her family or seize the moment and start life all over again. However, a mysterious visitor (Mae Whitman) warns she has less time to decide than she thinks.

The episode’s ‘70s-era art deco production design, imbuing “Phoenix” with the colors and textures of a Cold War noir, is a series standout. Even if you won’t be able to articulate its narrative beats in literal terms, this paranoid thriller’s implications are sure to leave you unsettled.

1 'The Plot' (S3 Episode 1)

If Room 104 has an origin story, it’s “The Plot”. An estranged brother and sister (Luke Wilson and Christine Woods) meet after their father’s death to discuss his estate—several undeveloped acres they plan to transform into a motel for motorists who’ll soon be passing through on the nearly complete Interstate Highway.

As it doesn’t actually take place inside the room but on the land where it will eventually be built, the episode is distinct in appearance and setting. “The Plot”‘s blend of folk horror and Chinatown-style noir is bone-chillingly good.

KEEP READING: Underrated Horror Anthologies (And Where To Watch Them)