Only Murders in the Building returned for its third season on August 8 on Hulu, and with a new murder mystery taking place at the Arconia, the question on everyone’s mind is naturally, who is the killer? Our murder board will help you keep track of every possible and potential suspect this season–so keep checking back!
*** WARNING: This review contains spoilers for Only Murders in the Building Season 3 Episode 1 and 2 ***
The Only Murders in the Building Season 3 premiere pulled off a double-murder twist that threw fans for a loop. Paul Rudd’s Ben Glenroy ends up dead in the first few moments of season 3 (and the final moments of season 2) as he collapses on stage at the Broadway play he’s starring in, blood pouring out of his mouth. Mabel (Selena Gomez) immediately thinks its a murder, but everyone else is just in shock over his death, and they’re even more shocked when Ben walks through the door during a party at the Arconia, very much alive. He informs them that he was dead for about an hour during which he saw the light and realized he couldn’t go out after being so rude to all of his castmates. A round of insincere apologies is delivered as he makes his way across the room adressing each potential murder suspect.
A few hours later, as Mabel, Charles (Steve Martin) and Oliver (Martin Short) head into the elevator to check out the Pickle Diner, blood begins dripping from the ceiling before Ben’s body, actually dead this time, comes crashing down.
At this point, it’s evident that someone murdered the main star of Death Rattle shortly after his “resurecction.” But who was it? And why? And is it possible that the person who initially attempted to kill him (and wasn’t successful) and the person who did succeed are two different people?
We may be looking at one victim but two killers this season—and we’re breaking down all the potential suspects below on the murder board, which will be updated week by week as the season progresses.
Loretta
Meryl Streep is a treat as Loretta, an actress who has been waiting for her break her whole life, and who suddenly gets her big moment when she’s cast in Oliver Putnam’s Broadway comeback play, Death Rattle. The series immediately casts a shroud of mystery surrounding her when Charles, as narrator, questions how far will Loretta go to hang on to her big break. We also see that she does not have a good relationship with Ben, who doesn’t apologize to her while making his rounds, instead, calling her a fellow snake and “hissing” at her. She then leaves the party underscoring that she thinks Ben is a “effing asshole.”
Kimber
Emily in Paris‘ Ashley Park is another cast member from the play who seems to have a romantic relationship with Ben, who admits that he “made everything messy” between them and vows to make it right. Is she a scorned lover?
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Ty
Ty seems to irk Ben because he’s handsome, and it seems like Ben’s self-conscious mindset is getting the best of him as thinks that’s his attempting at stealing the spotlight. His first comment to Ty suggests that they fire him, and in his follow-up apology, he is sorry for getting mad at him for wanting to use his trainer.
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Donna and Cliff
Together or individually, it’s unclear, but the mother-son duo, with a strange incestual vibe, who are co-producing the play, definitely don’t have the best relationship with Ben as he apologizes for constantly making demands to change his dressing room. He also keeps referring to Cliff as “boy,” which could’ve lit the spark.
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Jonathan
Ben’s understudy (and Howard’s boyfriend) has been sidelined as the star of the show was determined to keep himself in the spotlight at all costs, though his apology reveals that he may “consider” letting him step on the stage in the future.
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Bobo
You always have to watch out for the quiet ones who are told “no” repeatedly until they snap. Is that what happened here?
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KT
Are mangoes what led to Ben’s death? He apoligizes to KT for always stealing her mangoes, and in before you know it, she’s more than happy to be pulling the plug on the production.
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Charles
I don’t think Charles has a mean bone in his body, but I have to include him as he does have a motive—he previously got the then 8-year-old Ben fired from Brazzos, his first job, after telling the director the kid was a phony. He also seemed rather happy that the show was called off because he didn’t want to spend weeks attending the production. At the end of season 2, it was made clear that Charles and Ben had plenty of beef, as Charles even wore an outfit similar to the one Ben’s character wears on stage. There’s definitely something here that needs to be investigated.
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Dickie
Ben’s manager and his brother, seems to be treated like he’s “less than” by his superstar sibling, and you could see the resentment building, especially after Ben makes a nepotism joke.
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Tobert
A documentarian that’s “behind the scenes” can see all, and while it doesn’t seem like he has a motive outright, there’s no reason why he shouldn’t be a suspect having to endure the star’s antics silently throughout the project. Maybe he just got fed up?
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Who do you think is capable of murder? Who killed Ben? Who attempted to kill Ben? Are they the same person?
New epsidoes of Only Murders in the Building air every Tuesday on Hulu.
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