FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE NOT YET SEEN ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING, THIS IS A NON-SPOILER REVIEW.

  • SELENA GOMEZ in Only Murders in the Building. Courtesy of Hulu.

Legends of comedy Steve Martin and Martin Short are returning to the screen as leads with a new mystery/comedy series in Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building.  They are accompanied by Selena Gomez, who has also been off of the screen and concentrating on her music career, as of late.  This new show about a trio of true crime-obsessed New Yorkers, will be an absolute joy for anyone who enjoys witty humor, a whole lot of heart and a whodunit that will keep you guessing until the very end.  

WHAT IS THE SERIES ALL ABOUT?

  • SELENA GOMEZ, MARTIN SHORT, and STEVE MARTIN in Only Murders in the Building. Courtesy of HULU.

The series follows Mabel, Charles and Oliver; three New Yorkers in need of love, and a good mystery to keep their attention spans running.  One night a murder in their apartment brings the three together to solve a crime, that they believe the police got all wrong.  The three decide to chronicle their case by starting a true-crime podcast that begins to gain traction.  But, as they delve further into the death of their neighbor, secrets come to light that will threaten their investigation and their lives.

Only Murders in the Building is one of those shows that will keep a smile on your face throughout every second of its runtime.  It is full of heart and humor, and although a tad silly; always proves to be just as intelligent.  And even though this is probably going to be a hot take, Hulu’s new original series is everything that I wish Rian Johnson’s Knives Out should have been.  It never takes itself too seriously, it has an incredible cast all at the top of their game with some amazing cameos, and… the whodunit mystery continues to be engaging; throwing unexpected twists at you at every turn.

HOW IS THE CAST?

  • SELENA GOMEZ and STEVE MARTIN in Only Murders in the Building. Courtesy of HULU.

And it is so wonderful to see Steve Martin and Martin Short back together again.  Their chemistry with one another is unparalleled and it radiates off of the screen.  They are both playing forms of different characters they have played before, but bring something new to the table all of the same.  Their choice to bring in Selena Gomez was probably the most inspired choice, however.  Although Gomez is playing a bit of a stereotypical millennial; there are times she seems a bit disinterested in the proceedings… Her comedic timing is 100% on point, and as her character grows within the series, so does her performance.

Only Murders in the Building reminds me a bit of Netflix’s new Sandra Oh-led show The Chair.  In which, it bridges the gap in age inequality and brings generations together.  Although Mabel is a millennial and Charles and Oliver are Baby Boomers, they are able to find common ground with each other over their love for true crime.  They might not understand each other all of the time, but they are willing to learn from each other.  This is an enormously refreshing theme to see be brought back to the screen and I truly hope it continues.  

IS THE MYSTERY ENGAGING IN ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING?

  • SELENA GOMEZ in Only Murders in the Building. Courtesy of HULU.

The biggest surprise for me (as I was expecting the humor to be on point from this creative team), was how intriguing the mystery is in this show.  At first, it starts small, but the web of lies and secrets continues to build into something that is truly unanticipated.  All of the things you want to see in a whodunit are here: hidden passageways, death threats, red herrings, shocking twists and turns, femme fatales, a string of clues and so much more.  The moment you think you know what is actually going on, the show flips the script completely.

All in all, Only Murders in the Building is a huge return to form for two comedy legends and a former-Disney Channel star.  The camaraderie between the cast is so believable, the humor is laugh-out-loud funny, the mystery is captivating, and it also has so much heart.  This is one not to miss!

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