By: Christopher James
Our favorite podcasting trio return in the second season of Hulu's hit show, "Only Murders in the Building."We should’ve expected Season 2 of Only Murders in the Building to be a huge hit. The Hulu streamer became a four quadrant hit last fall, likely because it smashed together elements from all four quadrants. Older audiences tuned in for the classic pairing of Father of the Bride stars Steve Martin and Martin Short. Selena Gomez helped bring in a younger crowd as the third member of the mystery solving crew. A genuinely compelling mystery ties them together. On paper, it might read like it was made by a committee to appeal to the broadest possible audience. Yet, the series brings it all together through the shared fad for true crime stories and the culture of podcast listeners devoted to the genre.
Season Two of Only Murders in the Building recaptures the magic of the first season while upping the ante...
It’s as if the lightness of Manhattan Murder Mystery married the saucy frivolity of The Grand Budapest Hotel. Second seasons can often see a slump in quality and viewership. However, this season plays the hits while also offering enough new to keep audiences interested and the show relevant. There’s more juice (and more murders) left in the Arconia.
Charles (Steve Martin), Mable (Selena Gomez) and Oliver (Martin Short) have bigger fish to fry than a podcast follow up, they have to stay out of jail for the murder of their super.The season one cliffhanger serves as the impetus for the second season’s mystery. Bunny Folger (Jayne Houdyshell) was found murdered in the arms of podcast host Mable Mora (Selena Gomez). Immediately, the hosts of the titular podcasts and suspects number one through three in Bunny’s death. In fact, they find themselves the subjects of a rival podcast by veteran host Cinda Canning (Tina Fey), a clear nod to Serial host Sara Koenig.
Other than the murder accusation, the personal lives of each of the three hosts are looking up. Charles (Steve Martin) finds out that his show Bravos is getting a fresh reboot and he is being eyed for nostalgia casting as a series regular. Meanwhile, the new famous tenet in the Arconia, Amy Schumer (playing herself), approaches Oliver (Martin Short) for the TV rights to their podcast. Both of these career prospects are contingent on one important detail, that neither Charles or Oliver are convicted of Bunny’s murder.
These are just some of the examples of how the meta humor around the media industry seeps further into the central murder mystery of season two. It’s not just a show about crime solving, it’s about content distribution and fame. On paper, this could come off as navel gazing monotony. However, Only Murders in the Building is smart enough to make it central to the story and character arc, as both Charles and Oliver adjust to late in life fame, something they’ve long chased. Plus, Martin and Sheen are consummate professionals, able to make any line or pratfall land.
While the two men experience career highs, Mable connects with an intriguing new art friend who could be more than just a friend. Cara Delevigne joins the series as Alice, a punk artist who takes a liking to Mable, both as a curio and a person.
No one can steal a scene like Oscar winner Shirley MacLaine.There are even more memorable, new characters to delight in. It’s hard not to gasp when Shirley MacLaine stomps in as Leonora, the mostly blind, often drunk mother of the now deceased Bunny. The Oscar winning star still has plenty of hard edged zingers to dole out, something that punctuated some of her most iconic work in films like Terms of Endearment and Steel Magnolias. Few actresses can walk into a room and know they have commanded everyone’s attention. Shirley MacLaine is one of those actresses.
Even with new inhabitants, the Arconia maintains its delightfully zany character. The halls are lined with incredible character actors lending life and laughs to every moment in the building. In particular, Jackie Hoffman and Michael Cyril Creighton excel as the Pinky and the Brain of the co-op. No one can spew venomous barbs like Hoffman, who stars as Uma, a resident who makes it her personal mission to honor the wishes of the curmudgeonly Bunny. Meanwhile, Creighton’s Howard may seem kinder on the surface, but inside lurks an excitable gossip queen with a penchant for cats.
The building itself becomes even more of a character in season two, and not just because we find new hidden passages like some sort of Scooby Doo house. The mystery gets even more personal when a provocative painting forces Charles to confront his childhood memories of his Father and their time spent at the Arconia. One thing is for sure, there are more stories the Arconia has to tell and I’m here for all of them. A-
Only Murders in the Building season two is currently airing on Hulu, with new episodes releasing weekly every Tuesday.