Room 104 – No Dice

We first meet Enid (Linda Lavin), a long-time fan of the show “No Dice” and host Chip Crawford (Gary Cole). Through a program called “Dreams to Reality” she is getting the opportunity to meet with Chip as she is, after all, his biggest fan. Unfortunately, Chip does not share the same enthusiasm as he ambles up to the door to Room 104 with assistant Stephanie (Jennifer Kim) in tow. Chip is ready to go in, do his little ten minute spiel about connecting with fans and bolt.

As Enid’s nurse Julius (Terrence Terrell) opens the door for Chip and Stephanie to enter, Chip turns on that game-show charm he is known for. He offers Enid cheap nostalgia prizes as she gazes up speechless. This seems to be Chip’s modus operandi. However, Stephanie refuses to let Chip leave the room after he tries to cut the visit shorter than ten minutes. Enid finally finds her voice and shares her wish: to play “No Dice” right there in Room 104. Chip tries everything to get out of a longer visit, including throwing Stephanie under the bus. Finally, Stephanie has had it and decides to leave Chip in the room to spend more time with Enid. During this time Julius also leaves the room for a smoke break, standing guard even as Chip tries to leave at one point.

With just Chip and Enid in the room the real fun begins. Enid is able to pick away at Chip’s façade little by little, reminding him of his glory days as the host of “No Dice.” He was charismatic, clean-shaven and more like himself. Unfortunately for Chip, the niceness has worn off and we see him for being a bitter, angry man who has always done what the network wanted—never what he wanted for himself as host.

But Chip is not the only one with secrets as we learn that Enid was Enid Brown from Madison, WI, once a contestant on “No Dice” on June 6, 1993, Episode 1,053. She had gotten to the “hot table” at the end of the game and decided to “Let It Ride” for the chance to win a Golden Grandfather Clock. After rolling a 7 the network made her roll again as an inebriated Chip had had his hands on the table and ruined the roll. The second roll was not a winner and Enid was angry as she had rightfully won. Nevertheless, she continued to be a dutiful fan of the show and now wants to play the hot table once more to prove she was a winner.

Fueled by the anger of his situation, Chip decides to grant Enid her wish and creates the final round of “No Dice” in the hotel room, complete with trivia round. The anger dissipates as Chip’s game-show persona shines through, pleased at Enid’s quick answers on Chip’s career and real name. When it comes to the final round Enid throws the dice one more time. As Chip goes to pick them up he realizes that Enid has rolled snake eyes. Fortunately for Enid, it seems Chip decides to turn one of the dice so that it shows a “1” and a “6” to make “7”: the winning number. Enid and Chip celebrate Enid’s win, Chip finally looking happy to give Enid her wish.