The Encounter
As rain lashes down outside, episode 1 of Losing Alice begins with a young girl carrying balloons. She enters a hotel and asks the receptionist for directions to a room. She’s there to surprise her Father, Amir Ben-Dor, and heads up to Room 209. In his room, she sits on the end of the bed and holds a gun up to her head, firing and killing herself.
We then cut to artist Alice Ginor. While riding the train home she’s recognized by a fan, a girl called Sophie. She talks about her work, specifically script writing, before begrudgingly agreeing to hold the door shut while the girl uses the toilet. When Alice arrives at her stop, she steps out the train and leaves Sophie in the cubicle.
Alice heads home and greets her three kids, who are all excited to see her – especially given she has a bag of cupcakes. Her husband David is there too. Alone, Alice asks about Sophie and her connections. David discusses her script, and the almost perverted, sexually-charged story Sophie’s concocted.
It turns out producers are pouring money into it and a curious Alice winds up reading it. The script’s title? Room 209.
After reading the steamy segments, Alice heads back to bed and starts having sex with David… until her daughter Yaara walks in. Awkward! Anyway, the young girl claims someone is in her room but after checking, Alice finds nothing.
In the morning, David and Alice prepare for their big premiere. While David takes the kids to school, Alice has a lively encounter with her neighbour, confirming another 2 months of contract work around the property. Obviously that’s not exactly ideal given she needs to write her script.
Coupled with her seeming obsession over Sophie, checking the girl’s social feeds while sat at her desk, Alice eventually has enough and heads out to confront the builders, including Tamir who’s the one in charge.
At the office, David meets Sophie. After lavishing praise on her script, David learns that the man they were supposed to meet, Hilik, has gone missing – and has been for the last 72 hours. The meeting is a dud, leaving the pair to begin talking about their future prospects. Afterwards, David phones Alice and lets her know about the meeting. She’s agitated and beginning to feel self conscious in Sophie’s presence.
David does his best to help but Alice is wrapped up in her own world. Alice heads to the premiere but all the attention is obviously on David. After a drink is accidentally spilled on her, Alice heads into the bathroom to clean up. Only, Sophie shows up and praises her outfit. The two talk a little, with Alice encouraging Sophie and telling her that things will work out soon.
As we flash back to Room 209 again, this young girl heads out the room clutching her stomach with blood spatters across her dress.
The Episode Review
Losing Alice gets off to a trippy, dark, and hedonistic start this week; an episode that starts boiling hot before cooling into lukewarm territory. The opening certainly sets the scene for a good amount of suspense and tension, but the rest of the episode doesn’t do an awful lot with that.
The idea of sandwiching in flashbacks to Room 209 between a more cohesive storyline is a good one though and the trio of characters at the centerstage of this one – Alice, David and Sophie – look set to build this up into a formidable noir drama.
It seems likely that Sophie is the girl from that hotel room, which is why she was able to come up with the ideas of the story herself. She’s also a little unhinged too, what with her stares and forward demeanour on the train. Still, it remains to be seen if that will play a part further on down the line.
For now though, Losing Alice delivers a pretty good first episode, one that leaves the door open for the rest of the show. Given we’ve got three episodes this week, it’s on to the next!
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Episode Rating
(3.5)