The critically acclaimed series, Only Murders in the Building, might just be the most refreshing television series released in a long time. In an age of superhero shows, fantasy shows, revivals, prequels and reunions, it seems to be a rare discovery to find a show that is both original and fresh. But Only Murders in the Building delivers a satisfying series. The show centers around Charles Hayden Savage, Oliver Putnam, and Mabel Mora, who at first, have absolutely nothing in common. Then, they discover their love for true-crime podcasts after the death of Tim Kono, a resident of their apartment building, the Arconia. The three band together and start their own podcast titled, Only Murders in the Building, in an attempt to solve Tim’s death on their own.
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After releasing two seasons of the show, Only Murders has proved time and again that it’s a television series not to be missed. The show has a classic, but new feel to it. With its plot, characters, humor, and style, they all culminate to make an authentically vintage, but modern murder mystery. So grab your microphones and put on your headphones, as we detail why Only Murders deserves a lot more attention.
Writing
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The show’s writing is genius, starting with its witty comedy, great character development, and a very interesting story that includes a lot of shocking twists and turns. Showrunner John Hoffman collaborated with Steve Martin and a team of very talented creators, to create one of the smartest, wittiest, and impactful shows in recent memory. The twists and turns from season one and season two are shocking, and that all comes down to the brilliant writing team. Only Murders is a spectacular showcase on great storytelling and the writing helps elevate and cement the show as the ultimate must-watch.
Characters
Only Murders sports a phenomenal and diverse cast of characters, most of whom are residents of the Arconia. Of course, the main draw to the show is our hilarious and iconic trio, Mabel Mora, Charles Hayden Savage, and Oliver Putnam, with the three developing an unbreakable friendship, but still holding countless secrets about themselves. Oliver Putnam is the hilariously eccentric down-on-his-luck theater director. Charles is a retired actor, who had his own cop show, Brazzos. Mabel is a mysterious, cool, loner. At least that’s what they all were at the start of the show, but now they have all developed and grown as characters and as people and watching their journey is an utter delight.
Similarly, the residents of the Arconia are a blast every time they are on-screen. While only a handful actually have some development, it is simply a joy to watch them all interact through hilarious meetings and “killer-reveal” parties, that will make your jaw and tummy hurt from laughing.
Cast
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What good would these characters be without the spectacular cast that brought them to life. The cast of Only Murders has an incredibly talented and hilarious cast. With Steve Martin and Martin Short being at the forefront of the show, which also got them nominated for numerous awards. There is no denying their chemistry and comedic timing is sensational, which shouldn’t be a surprise considering their past work, but here is where their relationship shines the brightest.
The show has also delivered many phenomenal and delightful cameos, from Sting as himself, to Amy Schumer, who plays herself. Perhaps the best and most surprising is a spectacular cameo from comedy legend Paul Rudd in the finale of season two. He is also set to be a huge player in season three. Given how season two ends, we can expect that it will be through flashbacks.
Selena Gomez
The heart of the show is easily Mabel Mora, and Selena Gomez’s exceptional performance along with it. Her performance and her character go hand-in-hand and only help the show feel much more refreshing.
Selena Gomez brings depth and nuance to the character of Mabel Mora, who went from a cool, mysterious loner to a confident and empowering role model, not only to the characters in the series, but in the real world as well. Mabel Mora is a character people should look up to, and even with her tortured past, she is still a kind-hearted and instantly lovable character, and none of this would be possible without Selena Gomez.
Her performance as Mabel Mora has also led to numerous nominations, but most notably taking home The People’s Choice Award for Comedy TV Star of the Year.
Twists
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The show delivers many spectacular and shocking twists and turns throughout its course, and Only Murders does a brilliant job at keeping you engaged and enthralled, no matter how big or small the twists and turns are. Mostly, the twists are small and serve only as a tiny thread to unravel a character’s past or future motivations, and only a handful serve the purpose of driving the overall story forward. But this is what the show does best, and it gets you as invested in the smaller twists just as much as the huge ones. If you are in the mood for a sleek murder mystery show with lots of surprises, we easily point you towards Only Murders in the Building as one of the best in the genre.
Humor
The comedy in the show is simply unmatched, from its incredibly witty writing and dialogue, alongside the spectacularly hilarious performances from the entire cast. Only Murders can be compared to murder mystery greats such as Knives Out or Hot Fuzz for many of the reasons we have mentioned on this list. But most undoubtedly, because of its laugh-out-loud comedy that oozes with style.
The main source of comedy comes from the show’s main trio. Steve Martin not only stars, but also writes the show, allowing his trademark wit to shine through it. Match that with Martin Short’s hilarious delivery and Selena Gomez’s gut-busting attitude, and we have a comedy trio for the ages. Similarly, the residents are all equally hilarious to watch on screen, as are the spectacular cameos that we hope get better and better.
