Only Murders in the Building returned for its third season—and it’s clear that the third time may just be the charm.
*** WARNING: This review contains spoilers for Only Murders in the Building Season 3 Episode 1 and 2 ***
OMITB Season 1 and 2 were fantastic, and just when you thought they reached a wall in terms of murders at the Arconia, the creative forces have managed to recreate the third season by infusing it with some of the best of the best of a successful whodunit.
The theater setting was a wonderful pivot as it naturally embodies a mysterious vibe—not to mention the play, Death Rattle, was about a murder mystery. And then there’s the new crop of suspects that not only look suspicious but come with motives as well that the season will get to explore on a deeper level as the core trio—Mabel (Selena Gomez), Charles (Steve Martin), and Oliver (Martin Short)—follow the breadcrumbs.
All the suspects are very intriguing in their own right but particularly Meryl Streep’s Loretta. Watching Streep in her element is a breathtaking experience—from her initial audition for Oliver’s show to her “trying things” and accents in the first table read to her eventual romantic play at the showrunner himself. Streep’s breadth of skills proves that she was made not only for this genre but this series and character, specifically. I’m excited to see what’s to come from Loretta as we pull back the curtains on her complex character, as I’m certain the clues will eventually lead the trio to her door at some point.
Only Murders in the Building — “The Show Must…” – Episode 301 — Curtain up on Season 3! And Leading Man down! After Ben Glenroy’s collapse on stage, Charles, Oliver & Mabel piece together the show’s first days with a suspicious cast & crew to determine if foul play was involved. Spoiler alert… Loretta (Meryl Streep) and Oliver (Martin Short), shown. (Photo by: Patrick Harbron/Hulu)
It would’ve been fully understandable (and even expected) for a third season of yet another murder mystery set in the same setting to come off as stale, but the core three always keeps us on our toes. They haven’t exactly made too many strides when it comes to character development as they still largely feel like the same people we first met when the show premiered in 2021, however, they are in different places in their lives, which offers new perspective. This also isn’t their first rodeo as they are no longer “amateur sleuths” but seasoned podcasters. Murder is kind of their thing, and they’ve solved two separate homicides in the past, even if they were plenty of hiccups along the way. No one else in the Arconia is more equipped to investigate yet another murder.
At one point, Mabel questions, “Who are we without a homicide,” and she’s right. They may not always get it right—she and Charles did allow themselves to get lured by a stalker and kidnapped right off the bat—but they know that they have what it takes to solve a case that the police think is already put to rest.
We, the audience, also know these characters so well, so we know that even if they get into some hairy situations, we’ll follow them wherever they go. Plus, the banter between the core three is top-notch this season, as are Oliver and Charles’ antics—it never gets old, and it’s one of the reasons we love the show and the chemistry between the trio works so well.
Mabel has relegated herself to the background as she’s not a main presence in the play, taking it all in and observing and sleuthing to pick up on any and all possible clues. If she was around Ben, the victim, more often, she may have been able to sniff out that Gregg was not, in fact, his security guard, but she was so determined to crack the case, she threw caution to the wind. It’s an important reminder that when it comes to murders, you cannot just follow anyone claiming to have information to their house. Lesson learned.
One thing that’s been done differently this season is the red herring of bringing Ben back to the land of the living—his death on stage was a “false alarm” of sorts—only for him to actually die a mere few hours later. Paul Rudd is magnificent… an actual treasure that we need to protect at all costs.
Digging into his character is going to be interesting as he’s made an enemy of just about everyone amid his prolific career. He’s rubbed people the wrong way, so everyone had a motive to kill him, and it’s possible that the person who initially attempted it and the person who actually succeeded are two different people—thus giving us two murder mysteries for the price of one.
We know and love Charles, so there’s no way he’s the murderer, though his connection to Ben, and how getting him fired from Brazzos, shaped his life and self-esteem, is definitely a game-changer and will likely come into play again in the future.
Could it be Loretta, who thinks Ben is an asshole and seemed all too disappointed when he walked into the room alive and well? During his apology tour, he didn’t extend one to her, hissing at her instead, so in a way, he kind of provoked her. I’d be surprised if she didn’t act on her feelings of hatred.
Could it be Donna and her son Cliff as there’s something off and wrong about their incestual vibe? Maybe they wanted to sabotage the play so it never saw the light of day.
Is it Kimber, who seemingly had a romantic fling with Ben as he apologizes for making “everything messy between us,” or is it Ty, who apparently got onto Ben’s bad side for wanting to use his trainer?
Other potential suspects include Jonathan, his understudy, Bobo, who was always told no, or KT, whose revenge would’ve been all about mangoes.
The list is long—and also includes Ben’s brother who seemed to despise working for him and Tobert the documentarian, who maybe got some footage that could help them figure it out—but the coming episodes will hopefully allow Oliver, Charles, and Mabel to whittle it down without accusing too many innocent people (though that seems to be their M.O).
Only Murders in the Building/ Hulu
And finally, there’s Oliver’s heart attack, brought on by the stress of everything, including the reviewer telling him that the Broadway show, his comeback of sorts following the failed “Sing,” did not, in fact, sing. He’s told to take it easy and chill out, but anyone who knows Oliver knows that he’s incapable of just sitting back—in a whimsical and dizzying dream that finds Mabel, Charles, and Oliver’s son Will putting on a cabaret (I need more of this!)—he dreams up the idea to give Death Rattle some Putnam-dazzle… all before his arrhythmia gives him a slight poke reminding him of its existence just when Mabel proposes a new season of the podcast. Maybe Oliver will take a step back and let his son in on the investigation. I’d like to see Will play a bigger role!
Another season, another twisted murder mystery at the Arconia (maybe Mabel’s decision to move is a good idea)—and I’m strapping in for the ride for as long as they can milk it.