by Jeff Alan, Contributing Writer
Another year, another murder in the Arconia that Charles, Oliver and Mabel must solve! The fourth season of Only Murders in the Building brings the show’s signature charm, humor, and intricate mystery back for another murderous go-around, with a myriad of new and returning characters to weave into the fold. Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez continue to shine as the best trio in television as of late, with the addition of returning characters like Meryl Streep’s Loretta, Michael Cyril Creighton’s Howard, and even Da’Vine Joy Randolph coming in for a short appearance in the early part of the season as Detective Donna Williams.
Season Four begins right where Season Three left off. Charles’ (Martin) longtime friend and stunt person Sazz Pataki (Jane Lynch) had just been shot dead in the middle of the night in Charles’ apartment, unseen by anyone, but when Charles returns to his apartment, there is no body, and Charles receives a text from her saying she has flown back home to Los Angeles for work. But the next day, Charles, Oliver (Short), and Mabel (Gomez) are approached by Hollywood executive Bev Melon (Molly Shannon) about getting their approval on the film adaptation of their podcast. They are flown to Los Angeles by the studio to meet the actors they are played by Eugene Levy, Zach Galifianakis, and Eva Longoria.
When Charles gets word that Sazz missed her next project, he begins to worry about her whereabouts, bringing the gang to scope out her home for clues, which lead them back to the Arconia in New York, where they discover a bullet hole in Charles’ window, which reveals what happened to Sazz. With this new case being personal, Charles, Oliver, and Mabel put everything on hold to solve it.
One of the things I absolutely adore about Only Murders is its three main cast members. If it was anyone else, the show would not work as well as it does. I’m not treading new ground when I say that Martin, Short, and Gomez are a combination that shouldn’t work but does, but damn, do they make this entire thing work! They continue to amaze me as they just knows how to keep the show enjoyable and entertaining. Martin goes to new emotional places in this season, with the story being very close to Charles and his life, and we see a lot of really tender and emotional moments on screen between him and Sazz (appearing as a figment of his imagination). And even flashbacks with Sazz throughout the season that ultimately put the pieces of the puzzle together as it goes on.
I was worried about so many big names being added to this season. With Levy, Galifianakis, and Longoria’s characters playing Charles, Oliver and Mabel in the film adaptation, we also get the likes of Molly Shannon as Bev, and Richard Kind and Kumail Nanjiani as never-before-seen residents of the Arconia’s West tower that the trio do some investigating into during their case. The reason for my worry was I was nervous that there would be too much star power (and there are even more cast members I’m not naming as to avoid major plot points from being revealed). Maybe it’s the script and the way it is executed, but Season Four thankfully doesn’t feel too jam-packed with actors. Everyone is introduced and intertwined naturally, which not a lot of shows can do well. It’s like when you watch the Christmas episode of The Bear — all of those big-name actors work so perfectly that you get almost giddy to see them again.
There really isn’t much negative about this season of Only Murders. Its mystery is one that I had not expected from the beginning, and after watching three seasons of the show, I try very hard to keep an eye on all the details to see if I can figure it out first. Alas, I was unsuccessful and surprised by the conclusion — pleasantly, I might add.
Only Murders in the Building continues to be one of the best shows on Hulu, and I look forward to seeing the next season play out, thanks to some fascinating threads that are left open by Season Four’s conclusion. What other mysteries can be told within the Arconia’s walls? That’s something that we will have to find out next season, and I will be waiting impatiently.
Rating: Loved It
Only Murders in the Building is currently streaming on Hulu
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