In this episode of the It’s Tom-plicated: A Tom Holland Podcast, hosts Alex Marcus and Manish Mathur enter darker psychological-thriller territory with Apple TV+’s limited series The Crowded Room. Covering the first five episodes — “Exodus,” “Sanctuary,” “Murder,” “London,” and “Saviour” — the hosts unpack Holland’s performance as Danny Sullivan, a young man arrested after a shooting in 1979 New York, whose story unfolds through interviews with investigator Rya Goodwin, played by Amanda Seyfried.
The conversation digs into the show’s mystery-box structure, its shifting timelines, and how effectively the first half builds suspense around Danny’s past, Ariana, Yitzhak, Candy, Marlin, and the “Ghost House.” The hosts also discuss whether the series works as a showcase for Holland outside of blockbuster filmmaking, how his vulnerability shapes Danny, and whether the show’s slow-burn approach is emotionally gripping or frustratingly drawn out.
Along the way, they consider the series’ heavy subject matter, its depiction of trauma and memory, the supporting work from Amanda Seyfried, Emmy Rossum, Sasha Lane, and Lior Raz, and the complicated ethics of turning material inspired by The Minds of Billy Milligan into prestige television. The episode also looks at the broader critical divide around the series, which received notably mixed-to-negative reviews from critics despite a more favorable audience response.
In two weeks, Alex and Manish will return with the second half of their coverage of Apple TV+’s The Crowded Room (Episode 6-10).
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Podcast artwork courtesy of Rohitha Brahmandam.
