ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING: SEASON FIVE
Starring: Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Meryl Streep, Michael Cyril Creighton, Téa Leoni, Bobby Cannavale, Renée Zellweger, Logan Lerman, Christoph Waltz, Keegan-Michael Key, Beanie Feldstein, Dianne Wiest, and Jermaine Fowler
Creators: Steve Martin and John Hoffman
QUENTIN
In its fifth season, Only Murders in the Building remains as well acted and charmingly elegant as ever despite its increasing reliance on low-key shark-jumping. Honestly, the series might be better served by dropping the podcast gimmick entirely to simply focus on the dynamic between these lovable misfits (the series’ strength). The overuse of guest stars and the (admittedly self-aware) plot point of The Arconia being a hotbed for murder is getting a little tired. Also, if I may brag a bit, I called the killer fairly early on, so the writing is losing a step on the whodunnit front. Still, it's enjoyable, just losing steam.
AMARÚ
At some point in time, the number of murders that only happen in the building had to get stale, and for Season Five, it kind of did. At least until episodes that highlight great characters like Teddy Coluca’s Lester remind you why you fell in love with the Arconia’s goofy tenants. Unfortunately, a few endearing episodes aren’t enough to live up to the first couple of seasons’ freshness, no matter how many new guest stars you add (I’m always here for Logan Lerman). Steve Martin Short, Selena Gomez, and the ensemble are funny enough to power through, but this season got much older much quicker.
ROBERT
When rumors swirl of a show ending, even if unfounded, an audience might start coming to terms with a conclusion. I remember hearing of Steve Martin’s impending exit during Season Three of Only Murders in the Building, and I thought it made sense given the age of two-thirds of the stars and the increasing tenuousness of believability in the premise. Two seasons later, and despite my consistent joy at witnessing the dynamic of the main cast together and with the peripheral characters, perhaps an earlier end would’ve served the show better. Kudos for staying relevant this long, but the next best death might be its own.
