Warning: This article naturally contains spoilers for seasons 1 and 2 of Only Murders in the Building.In 2021, Hulu released their original mystery/comedy series Only Murders in the Building, created by Steve Martin and John Robert Hoffman. The idea is one that Martin says he had been thinking about years before the show was created. Three completely different strangers are brought together through a murder in their building and end up developing some of the most important relationships in their lives. Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez star in the series as Charles-Haden Savage, a lonely retired actor, Oliver Putnam, an out-of-work director desperate for a new project, and Mabel Mora, a young woman trying to work through her past trauma and start a new chapter of her life (respectively). The three are all fans of murder mystery podcasts, and when a tenant in their building named Tim Kono is killed, they decide to start their own podcast and solve the case.
Only Murders in the Building is naturally full of plot twists, leading each episode in a whole new direction. One of the best qualities of this series is that, even though it centers around murder and betrayals, audiences still find themselves laughing through the story because of how funny all the characters are. It is the perfect balance between drama and comedy. The chemistry that Martin, Short, and Gomez have on screen is undeniable, and we can’t imagine anyone playing these roles except for them. The show’s second season was just as big of a hit as the first, and, per The Hollywood Reporter, they have officially been renewed for a third season, with Paul Rudd joining the cast. Here are eight of the best plot twists from Only Murders in the Building.
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8 Mabel Knew Tim Kono
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At the beginning of season 1, after Charles, Oliver, and Mabel learn about the mysterious death of Tim Kono, which was originally declared a suicide by the police, they take matters into their own hands. Desperate for answers, the three unlikely friends start their own true-crime podcast, titled Only Murders in the Building. We soon learn that Mabel wasn’t being completely honest with Charles and Oliver about her relationship with the deceased. Mabel and Tim Kono had actually been childhood friends who met at The Arconia years ago. Tim was a part of Mabel’s “Hardy Boy” group, in addition to their two other friends Oscar and Zoe. Before Tim’s murder, he and Mabel had a falling out and hadn’t been friends since.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
7 Oliver is Not Will’s Father
One of the most surprising and upsetting moments of season 2 of Only Murders in the Building revolves around Oliver and his son Will. When Will does a DNA test and discovers that his genes are Greek instead of Irish like he thought, both he and Oliver are left wondering if Oliver is actually his biological father. Later in the season, more tests go on to prove that Oliver and Will are not actually related by blood and that Teddy Dimas, another tenant in The Arconia is actually his father. Seeing how devastated Oliver is by this news is heartbreaking to watch, but, in the end, Oliver and Will’s relationship is stronger than ever, reassuring one another that despite what any test says, they will always be father and son.
6 Charles Finds Jan Stabbed
In the beginning, Charles’ relationship with Jan seems like just the thing he needs in his life. Still crippled from his last relationship, which ended in him being stranded on a cruise with Looney Tunes, Charles is lonely, disappointed, and unsure if he will ever find love again — that is, until he meets Jan, a bassoon player who lives in the building. After getting an awkward first date out of the way, the two hit it off and start officially dating. Jan tries to insert herself in the Only Murders in the Building podcast, suggesting new suspects to consider, but Oliver and Mabel are hesitant to listen. After Oliver sends her home, insinuating that she is not a member of the podcast, Jan goes home angry and frustrated. Charles feels bad and goes to apologize, only to find her lying on her living room floor, bleeding out after being stabbed.
5 Theo killed Zoe
One of the main reasons why Mabel and Tim had a falling out was because she was bringing up their friend Zoe’s death. Zoe was another member of the “Hardy Boys,” who was found dead on the pavement in front of The Arconia after either falling or being pushed off the roof. Mabel’s friend Oscar was arrested for being involved in the death and spent ten years in prison. Towards the end of season one of Only Murders in the Building, we learn that it was not Oscar but Theo Dimas, Teddy’s deaf son, who was responsible for Zoe’s death.
4 Lucy’s Introduction
For a good portion of season one, we hear Charles and other tenants in the building bring up a girl named Lucy, whom Charles used to be very close to and for some reason has left. We then come to understand that Lucy was Charles’ girlfriend’s daughter, and for most of her childhood considered Charles to be her dad. Finally, in season two of Only Murders in the Building, we get to meet Lucy, and she plays a huge role in solving Bunny’s murder. She shows everyone the secret passageways in the walls, discovers the murder weapon, and fills a huge hole in Charles’ heart.
3 Bunny’s Cliffhanger Death
Arguably the biggest plot twist in season 1 of Only Murders in the Building takes place during the last couple of minutes of the season finale. Charles, Oliver, and Mabel are celebrating the success of their podcast and the fact that they solved Tim Kono’s murder on the roof with champagne. After they run out, Mabel heads back to her apartment to grab another bottle. When she opens the door, she sees Bunny stumbling towards her in a tie-dye hoodie covered in blood. Mabel tries to help her, but Bunny dies on her living room floor, with Mabel hovering over her and now also covered in blood. This leads her to be the police’s prime suspect and she, Charles, and Oliver are all escorted out of The Arconia in handcuffs.
2 Poppy is the Murderer
Poppy White may seem like a quiet and normal girl in Only Murders in the Building, but she is anything but that. After disappearing from her hometown in Oklahoma and moving to New York to work for her hero Cinda Canning, all she wants is to be taken seriously by her boss. Desperate for respect, she does everything she can to bring Canning top stories to cover, but after being tired of waiting around for an interesting murder to cover, she decides to create her own. Poppy killed Bunny so that Cinda Canning could make a podcast series about it and look at her assistant in a new light.
1 Jan Killed Tim Kono
After ten episodes of trying to figure out who killed Tim Kono in season 1 of Only Murders in the Building, the wait finally comes to a shocking end during the finale. Charles’ girlfriend Jan turns out to be a psychotic killer who poisons the men who abandon her or make her feel second-best. After a love affair between Kono and Jan, Tim decides to break things off and ends up murdered. When Charles realizes that Jan committed the crime and confronts her, Jan poisons him and tries to finish him just like she did with Tim. Oliver and Mabel come to his rescue, and, together, the three of them are able to stop Jan before the police come and arrest her.
