Watch The Crowded Room

The Crowded Room is an upcoming anthology drama series developed for Apple TV+ based on the award-winning biography The Minds of Billy Milligan by Daniel Keyes. The first season will consist of 10 episodes and explore the story of Billy Milligan, the first person ever acquitted of a major crime in the US due to multiple personality disorder, also known as dissociative identity disorder (DID).

The show will star Tom Holland as Milligan along with Amanda Seyfried, Sasha Lane, and Emmy Rossum in supporting roles. Danny Strong serves as writer and executive producer while Akiva Goldsman directs and executive produces through his Weed Road Productions company.

The story provides an in-depth look at Milligan’s childhood filled with extensive physical and sexual abuse which led to the development of 24 distinct personas that reside within his mind. It chronicles his string of criminal activities including robbery and rape at The Ohio State University in 1977 for which he was arrested and eventually found not guilty by reason of insanity.

Viewers are taken inside the chambers of Milligan’s mind and meet his many disparate identities from the wise counselor and protector Arthur to the 5 year-old extroverted Ragen to the con artist Adalana. The show depicts Milligan’s internal struggles to maintain control and coherence amidst the chaos of so many competing voices in his head.

The drama provides insight into the harrowing effects of childhood trauma and the impact DID has on a person’s sense of identity. Milligan’s legal case also marked the first time an insanity plea based on multiple personalities succeeded in court.

With its exploration of timely themes of mental health and a star-studded cast, The Crowded Room promises to provide a riveting look at a landmark case study that brought dissociative identity disorder firmly into the public consciousness. Holland’s ability to disappear into complex characters combined with the visionary creative talent behind the scenes points to an engaging, thought-provoking viewing experience.

The Crowded Room is a series that is currently running and has 1 seasons (10 episodes). The series first aired on June 9, 2023.