'Only Murders in the Building' Introduced Its Most Delicious Mystery Yet
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When Only Murders in the Building premiered in 2021, I thought Hulu hired a psychic—or at the very least, an excellent team of writers. How else could they have created such a risky, yet culturally relevant show, while expertly channeling the talents of Selena Gomez, Steve Martin, and Martin Short? The series, which follows a gaggle of pseudo-detectives (played by the aforementioned trio) who start a crime podcast, debuted at a time when true-crime fatigue was at an all-time high.
After years of gruesome podcasts going viral (and then receiving heavy criticism for taking advantage of victims' stories), Hulu created a solution: A feel-good comedy where true-crime lovers could indulge in the mystery of a murder without any real consequences. Along the way, they'd find some clever satire of the Serial-esque podcasts of the world, to boot. (Reading a Squarespace ad after the killer cuts up a body? Nice.) Only Murders in the Building worked perfectly—and Hulu had itself a bonafide hit.
Fast-forward two years and Only Murders in the Building has hit a crucial point in its lifetime: Season Three. We always talk about the ominous sophomore slump, but in the post-Peak TV landscape, Season Three is when things get weird. Take The Witcher and Ted Lasso, for example. This is usually the point where writers lose track of the plot—or run out of ideas. Let's hope that I didn't just curse the next season of The Bear.
If you were worried that Only Murders in the Building would meet a similar fate, I have great news: the beloved series is still going strong. The first two episodes premiere today—and yes, they include the same zingers and absurd twists and turns we Arconiacs have grown to love. Season Three begins one year after the events of Season Two. After successfully solving yet another murder, Mabel (Selena Gomez), Charles (Steve Martin), and Oliver (Martin Short), decide to take up other hobbies. For Oliver, that means producing a Broadway show called Death Rattle, which is canceled when his lead actor, Ben Gilroy (Paul Rudd), drops dead during a rehearsal. Despite this season's theatrics, I wondered if this plot could hold my attention. Another murder? Cool! A league of suspicious suspects? Typical.
The rest of this story contains spoilers for Only Murders in the Building's Season Three premiere.
Just when I thought I had Only Murders in the Building figured out, Ben shows up alive and well. “I was dead dude, for like an hour,” he says to his wide-eyed castmates on opening night. (For the record, I was also wide-eyed and confused—the man literally dropped to the ground with blood in his mouth about 20 minutes prior.) According to Ben, his mysterious ailment could be chalked up to something he ate. Interesting!
With a new lease on life, and full of Paul Ruddian charm, Ben declares that he’s ready to “kick ass” and reprise his role. During a hilariously twisted speech, he confronts his castmates and apologizes for being so high-maintenance. Then he accuses his co-star, Loretta (Meryl Streep,) of being a “snake,” saying that Charles was probably happy when he died. Somehow, Ben’s egoistic spiel ends with a truce and a promise to return to the stage. Before he’s able to do so, he drops dead once again. For real this time. And thus, a new mystery unfolds.
Episode Two brings us to Ben’s star-studded funeral. After discovering his body and realizing that—yet again!—they have prime podcast fodder on their hands, Mable, Charles, and Oliver attend the service and begin sleuthing. At the funeral, Mable meets a superfan and agrees to go to his apartment (rookie mistake!) to learn more about Ben. She and Charles are kidnapped and nearly killed. Before they meet their demise, though, the NYPD shows up and arrests their captor.
It’s these wildly dramatic (and fully ridiculous) moments, Only Murders in the Building thrives. While Charles and Mable are tied up, he makes a joke about catching the superfan, who he believes is Ben’s assailant. “At least we found the killer,” he says. “It usually takes us at least eight episodes.” This, of course, is not true. Because later on, Mable points out that the fan thought they murdered Ben... but they didn't actually murder Ben, it turns out. Which (if you’re still with me) means the real killer is still at large.
Before Episode Two ends, we’re introduced to two more subplots. In just a few short weeks, Mable will be kicked out of her apartment. Plus, Oliver suffers a mini-heart attack. With this much brewing at once, it’s safe to say Only Murders in The Building isn’t losing steam anytime soon. This season's plot has clearly been carefully constructed. What happens next lies in Hulu’s mischievous little hands. All we have to do is sit back, watch, and enjoy the show.
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