Watching the first episode of the new season of Only Murders in the Building, I was surprised – a rare emotion while watching television at the moment – to learn how much I had missed its charm. If the last season of the cosy “let’s make a true crime podcast” show starring Selena Gomez, Martin Short and Steve Martin, was overstuffed with cameos and references, this season starts tight, and promises a more concise ride. But mostly, it creates a world that is both lovely to look at and spend time in, as easy and elegant and downright beautiful as Nat King Cole singing “A Nightingale Sand in Berkely Square”.
We begin with a hushed scene, complete with a monologue about the hopes of young artists in New York, in which Oliver (played by Short) is auditioning actors for his new play, Death Rattle (set in Upper Nova Scotia, its Agatha Christie-esque plot involves an infant being the only witness to a death). In walks Loretta (Meryl Streep, never better) who captures his spirit in seconds.
We skip ahead to the scenes that followed the second season finale, in which Ben Glenroy (Paul Rudd, also never better) fell dead during opening night. How did we get here? Four months before, at the first table read for Death Rattle, with a roomful of new faces. Immediately, dynamics are established: Ben flirts with Kimber (Joy Ride’s Ashley Park), ignores Charles (Steve Martin), and wants Loretta replaced. Mabel (Selena Gomez) is nervous about meeting a big-screen hero: “hair up or hair down? Do you think he likes ears?” There is a danger, of course, in casting huge names for a show; they can pull attention, feel underused or worse, overused. Here, the chemistry is electric: the chemistry between Streep and Rudd is a particular delight. There are too many one-liners for a single recap (and I suspect listing them may ruin their joy) but a producer Donna and her son Clifford bring some weird humour, and well-aimed jokes about intimacy co-ordinators and the Oliver’s dustiness come thick and fast. Watching Streep run through bad accents during the table may cause viewers (this one, anyway) to laugh out loud.
Back in the present day, our trio are heading to the after party for Death Rattle’s opening night, which promises to be a bleak affair. But once they arrive, they reveal their reasons for relief: Charles was worried about the workload, and can spend more time with his girlfriend. Mabel is happy there may be a reason for another season of Only Murders in The Building (okay, traces of self-reference remain, but this is at least in character). Oliver can spark his romance with Loretta. The only hitch in all this: Ben makes a return, bounding into the party with a childlike glee and fresh attitude. He has seen the errors of his ways, at least the last four months anyway, and apologises to Kimber (for making things messy) to Tai (for not giving him his trainer’s number) and to the producers (for complaining about his dressing room). Ben is back, and people are lukewarm, apart from Loretta who has no reservations for calling someone “a fucking asshole” even if they recently faced near death.
The show will go on, and it’s hard to find any complaints: the dynamic between these three is so confident and lived-in, it seems impossible there was a time they were not on our screens. Mabel heads back to her apartment, before texting Charles and Oliver for dinner. She has news: her aunt has sold the apartment, and so she only has four weeks left to stay. The two men, of course, can come visit her in Brooklyn or Queens, wherever she ends up. In their lift ride down, blood drips thickly onto Charles’ hat. As soon as they hop out, the ceiling breaks, and lying on the lift floor is Ben, presumably dead for good this time. Somewhere in the Arconia, a dusty microphone switches on, ready to listen.
You can watch ‘Only Murders in the Building’ on Disney+, and new episodes stream weekly
Henry Wong is a senior culture writer at Esquire, working across digital and print. He covers film, television, books, and art for the magazine, and also writes profiles.
