The Hulu original Only Murders in the Building has consistently garnered awards and critical praise since its 2021 debut. Audiences are apparently just as taken with it because the streamer has officially renewed the comedic mystery for a fourth season.
Warning: Spoilers ahead.
A Simple Yet Effective Premise
Only Murders in the Building, created by John Hoffman and Steve Martin, stars Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez, the two Martins as employees of the entertainment industry, Gomez as a young woman trying to find herself in the city, and the three of them as members of the national club of people obsessed with true crime podcasts.
After a death occurs in the Arconia, the fictional stunning New York City apartment complex at which the three of them reside, the trio start a true crime podcast of their own, giving it the same name as the series and promising to only investigate deaths that happen within the walls of the Arconia.
What Makes Only Murders in the Building Successful
While Only Murders is well-written and well-produced, there are a variety of other aspects that make it wildly entertaining. First and foremost, Only Murders in the Building has an impeccable cast. The three stars have great chemistry, and while the two Martins play men with sizable egos, the leads never overpower the contributions of the ensemble.
To said ensemble’s credit, it’s been rife with talented actors both staying for multiple seasons and dipping out after an episode or two, with lesser-known talents like Amy Ryan (The Office) and Ashley Park (Emily in Paris) and A-list celebs like Meryl Streep, Tina Fey, Matthew Broderick, Paul Rudd, Jesse Williams, Jane Lynch, and more.
The series is also incredibly aesthetically pleasing. The first season took place in New York City in the fall and was therefore beautiful to watch for obvious reasons, but the set had charm indoors, too. The apartments where Martin, Short, and Gomez’s characters live are some of the most well-decorated and well-designed sets on television right now. The wardrobe and makeup are well done, too, and even the opening credits are mesmerizing.
Selena Gomez, Steve Martin, and Martin Short in ‘Only Murders in the Building’
Season 3 did viewers the additional service of taking on a more overtly thematic approach. The murder victim and many of the new supporting characters were somehow involved in the theater, and subsequently much of the scenes took place either on stage or in the back of the house. The writers took the opportunity to teach viewers more about theater, all of which were welcome lessons that were natural, added to the plot, and weren’t pandering. Only Murders in the Building has always been adept at weaving a motif, and while the thespian theme was more conspicuous than themes of past seasons, it tied up beautifully by the finale in an unexpected way.
As both finales did before, Season 3 ended by setting up a new murder (if you haven’t yet watched the third season but have seen the other two – brace yourself. It’s a bit of a punch in the gut). While it seems Season 4 might take our trio outside of New York City for a change, they’ll have to spend at least some time investigating in the Big Apple, especially considering one of them has a personal connection to the victim.
We’re hoping for more calming scenery, entertaining scripts, and unexpected celebrity cameos when the show returns, and we couldn’t be happier that it was renewed for Season 4.
Only Murders in the Building is streaming now on Hulu.
