If you’ve visited At Home Daily previously, you may have run across one of our previous articles on true-crime podcasts. Basically, a few of us are fans of the true-crime genre, including podcasts and streaming shows (Discover Plus, Netflix, and Hulu in particular have a bunch of them). So, we were a little intrigued when Hulu announced their original series, Only Murders in the Building. The show has released the first 7 of its 10 episode season already and we thought it would be fun to give a little rundown on the show and how the plot has developed as we head into the final 3 episodes in the upcoming weeks.
This will be virtually spoiler-free since I don’t want to ruin the viewing experience for anyone.
Who is in it?
Normally we would kick things off with a summary of the storyline, but this show happens to include three well-known actors, so let’s start with the Who before we get to the What. The plot focuses on three main characters.
Steve Martin as Charles-Haden Savage - a washed-up actor whose claim to fame is that he starred in a popular police procedural TV show in the 1980s. He now lives alone in the Arconia building and spends most of his time listening to his favorite true-crime podcast, not engaging with too many of his neighbors. It’s a solitary existence, but one he has chosen for himself.
Martin Short as Oliver Putnam - a struggling (i.e. past his prime) Broadway director who is trying to hustle his way to a new project. He has a very strained relationship with his son, who he goes to for money as he struggles to find that next big opportunity. He also lives in the Arconia building and is as much a true-crime podcast junkie as Savage.
Selena Gomez as Mabel Mora - a young woman who lives in an apartment in the Arconia that she says she is renovating for her aunt (the owner). Mabel is also an amateur sleuth and an enormous fan of true-crime.
It’s an interesting blend of two more seasoned actors and the much younger Gomez. The show also features some fun guest stars in Tina Fey, Sting, and Jimmy Fallon.
What’s the Story?
In the first episode, we meet our three main characters, who only know each other in passing from the building. Savage and Putnam also know each other by reputation and seem to have a somewhat chilly relationship.
After we meet our three heroes, we learn there has been a death in the building and all residents are evacuated. Savage grabs a table at a local restaurant where he settles in to listen to the latest episode of his favorite true-crime podcast. In walks Putnam and later Mabel, who join him once they all realize they are huge fans of the same podcast.
Perhaps amped up by listening to the podcast together, when they learn the reason for being shut out of the building is the death of another resident, they decide to sneak back into the building and check out the crime scene. The police don’t take kindly to their snooping and the lead detective (Detective Williams) notes how much she hates true-crime junkies.
The police soon close the investigation, deciding it was a suicide. But our amateur detectives soon find clues that suggest it was, in fact, a murder! As huge podcast fans, they decide to create their own true-crime podcast to document their investigation. They call the podcast Only Murders in the Building.
What follows is a twisty plot where not everything or everyone is as they seem. Secrets are revealed, mysteries uncovered, and potential murderers investigated. Through 7 episodes, we have an intriguing murder suspect, another murder from the past that is revealed, and plenty more interesting breadcrumbs.
Watch it or Not?
I have to admit that the first episode or two didn’t grab me. I enjoyed them but wasn’t in a big hurry to watch the upcoming episodes (that are released each week). However, as I kept watching them, the story began to pull me in. The three stars are all fun to watch in the series, particularly Steve Martin and Martin Short.
If you’re a fan of true-crime shows and podcasts (particularly podcasts) then there are some fun inside jokes. I’m going to say put this on your watch list. That could change, depending on how the final three episodes go, but it seems to be on track to deliver a good resolution to the story.
