https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/only-murders-building-1235000775/
Murder podcast wars against true crime geniuses. Tear-jerking show tunes about motherhood. Psychedelic blackouts prompted by Steve Martin’s horrible singing. Chaotic as it is, it is not the eccentric plot that defines the third season of Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building, which premiered on August 8. It’s the bond of a true-crime-obsessed trio starring a 2000s pop star and two classic comedians over 70, that makes it special.
The show follows young artist Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez), TV ‘star’ Charles-Haden Savage (Steve Martin), and unsuccessful theater director Oliver Putnam (Martin Short) as they solve murders and record their progress on a self-made podcast.
The irony of the trio creates a perfect dynamic that results in hilarious dialogue and chemistry between the three. Whether it be Oliver and Charles bickering like children with Mabel as the mediator, or Oliver’s claims of understanding what it is like to be young like Mabel, at the expense of Charles; their quick comebacks and sarcastic jokes makes for a realistic portrayal of a modern day family.
Their theatrical debates over modern slang, or scenes depicting Mabel attempting to teach the two men how to text, did not evoke an eye roll from me like many other TV shows trying to portray the divide between two generations. Instead, I found it endearing, and was reminded of my own conversations I’ve had with my grandparents.
Each season, their investigations are tied to their luxury apartment, the Arconia. The building is filled with countless wacky characters, like broadway-star-turned doorman Lester, or Jan, a psychotic bassoon player.
Taking place in Upper West Side Manhattan, the New York setting promotes classy and cultured personalities of all ages and identities. The attention to a wide group of people, diverse in age as well as race and identity, offers a realistic portrayal of New York’s population. Many of the community members are involved in the high end art or Broadway scenes, which gives the comedy a theatrical touch.
The relationships between the neighbors, and decades worth of drama in the art world is just as interesting as the murders at hand. Neighborly disputes, like bickering between lifelong best friends Bunny and Uma, two older women, reminds me of spats I’ve had with my own sister. The people in the Arconia feel familiar, like you’ve met them yourselves, which adds a level of humanity to the older cast that is often lost in modern TV shows.
Underneath the eccentric plot and murder attempts, the backbone of the show is the relationship between Gomez, Short, and Martin. Their dynamic is that of a family; their meaningless spats and gentle care for each other showcases a bond as strong as if they were blood.
