The premiere episode of "Hell Motel" unfolds in the eerie ambiance of Autumn 1995, as a formidable storm rages outside. It's a classic horror prelude, setting the stage for Joey and Caitlyn, a young couple, who opt to seek refuge at the Cold River Motel until the tempest subsides. Upon arrival, they are welcomed by a couple manning the reception, who kindly offer them the honeymoon suite. The camera meticulously captures the key, numbered 7, while a discreet, unnoticed bloodstain adorns the receptionist's sleeve – an ominous detail lost on the unsuspecting duo. Tragedy strikes swiftly as a masked murderer appears at their doorstep, terminating their lives in a brutal fashion.
Thirty years leap forward, and a diverse ensemble converges upon Cold River Motel for a weekend immersed in the allure of true crime. The infamous killings of yesteryear, colloquially dubbed the Cold River Slaughter, have captured the fascination of the true crime enthusiast community, sparking numerous theories and heated debates. The motel has undergone a management change, now helmed by a couple, Portia and Ruby. En route, we are briefly introduced to the eclectic group:
Paige, a once-renowned scream queen who portrayed Caitlyn in a cinematic retelling of the events, now faded but still holding onto her glory days. Crow, a laid-back spiritualist, contrasts sharply with Blake, a true crime author whose intensity matches his passion for unraveling mysteries. Kawayan, an artist fixated on murder, and Andy, an academic deeply versed in true crime, round out the intellectual contingent. Adriana, a woman whose unusual quest involves sleeping with serial killers, completes this unconventional assembly.
Once settled, the group discovers the motel's isolation extends to a lack of cellular signal, though satellite Wi-Fi is mercifully provided by their hosts. Dinner serves up an unsettling surprise as Hemingway, the chef, presents a main course named "Caitlyn" – revealed to be lamb – accompanied by a cocktail containing a splash of the chef's blood blended with vodka, evoking mixed reactions among the guests.
When a couple arrives, desperation etched across their faces, seeking refuge and assistance, Portia and Ruby greet them with frosty indifference. They summarily deny them shelter, instead ushering the pair back out into the chill of the night, toward the lone RV parked in the lot.
This episode focalizes heavily on Paige, whose past on set unfolds through haunting flashbacks. That fateful night, coerced by the motel owners, Paige dons the guise of Caitlyn for a photo shoot that leaves her wracked with discomfort. Later, as she approaches the couple in the RV, hoping for a ride home, her conscience weighs heavily. Paid to relive Caitlyn's ordeal, Paige finds herself increasingly unnerved by the charade, contemplating abandonment despite her stagnant career.
Somehow, the RV occupants manage to secure a room within the motel, their fortune partially sealed by the failure of their own showers. However, Portia and Ruby harbor no warmth towards their unwelcome guests.
While tensions simmer upstairs, downstairs, in the dimly lit basement, the séance commences. Participants encircle the mystical ring, yet it remains incomplete—Hemingway, their chef, conspicuously absent. The revelation hits hard: Hemingway has met a grim fate, incinerated alive within the locked sauna. Suspicion falls swiftly on the motel owners, particularly as the wifi signal wanes, plunging them further into isolation. Matters worsen when the RV, sabotaged and blown to smithereens, traps everyone within the motel's confines.
Yet, a chilling truth emerges: Floyd and Shirley, the seemingly harmless couple from the RV, are revealed as the perpetrators of the original massacre, having once sacrificed Caitlyn to their dark designs.
