Emma McCarthy

Exploiting the tragedy of Elisa Lam, this series gives us an over dramatised insight into the conspiracy theories paraded by the ‘web sleuths’ trying to solve this ‘crime’. The centre of it all, the Cecil Hotel in LA which is painted as spooky, malevolent and evil. While it does have a sketchy past, the tragedy it faces over the years is not surprising nor spooky. Just incredibly sad. Bring people together who are desperate, vulnerable, suffering with addiction problems and some who are violent, and you’re bound to get the issues this hotel faced. And as for Elisa Lam, this documentary gave far too much credence to the salacious and disrespectful, grief thief web sleuths. Dissecting the lift footage which yes, at first look was a bit creepy, but in context plausible and desperately sad. I really feel for Elisa’s family being put through this. This documentary could have been used to highlight the mental health issues she and many others face especially those on Skid Row. Instead we were subjected to four hours of historians and web sleuths rubbing their hands with salacious glee.