Review: Murder, Memory, and Misdirection: Only Murders Season 5 Episodes 1-3 Returns with Style

In a trio of content-rich episodes, Hulu drops its first look at the latest season of its original series megahit, Only Murders in the Building, September 9.

Back for its fifth season, the Emmy-winning murder mystery comedy, starring Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez, has managed to do what many other series in this era of streaming fickleness and one-season cancellations, as of late, have struggled with — staying relevant and engaging for its audience.

 With 40-plus episodes under its belt, one might believe Only Murders would become somewhat formulaic and seemingly pigeon-holed with its approach each season to follow the unravelling of a whodunit of someone having to be connected to a certain apartment building; and yet, each season feels as if the content is fresh, dead bodies notwithstanding, and somehow original to the viewer with each new iteration. Just five minutes in this go-round, we are quickly reminded that there will be no shortage of humor, intrigue, and celebrity cameos to spread around to uncover just who murdered yet another unsuspecting person connected to the art deco landmark in New York City’s upper westside.

This season’s whodunit centers around the death of a beloved character who has always just been there, lingering in the background, like a fixture on the wall of others’ lives — available when needed most, but whose name you cannot quite recall until now when you are reminded, he’s been there all along holding the door to the next plotline. Out of mind, when out of sight.

Enter the life of Lester, played by Teddy Coluca, the venerable doorman of the Arconia, the very one whose unexpected death in the courtyard fountain closed out season 4, and teed up our trusty trio of podcasters’ newest crime-solving mystery for a fifth installment.

Only Murders, once again, masters the delicate blend of its trademark humor and suspense with new twists, anchored by the character dynamics of Charles, Oliver, and Mabel, as they sift through context clues and a-ha moments to put the pieces of the unfolding mystery puzzle together.

The kickoff to the series’ latest offering picks up squarely where we left off, in the apartment of Oliver Putnam (played by Short) following the once-successful Broadway producer’s wedding to actress Loretta Durkin (played by the incomparable Meryl Streep), and the discovery of Lester’s body swirling in a pool of his own blood in the Arconia fountain.

Things are set in motion when the discovery of a missing body part turns up in the vintage cut glass goblet of Oliver’s wedding shrimp leftovers. As the self-proclaimed super sleuths try to make sense of the rogue body part without a body, as if it were an everyday occurrence, Mabel recalls the mysterious woman named Sofia (Tea Leoni) who had approached her and Charles to investigate her missing husband on the night of Oliver’s wedding. Could the single digit be connected to her husband’s disappearance? To find out, our trusty trio go in search of Sofia for more details on her husband, Nickey Caccimelio, played by Bobby Cannavale.

The budding crime-solvers mistake Sofia for a mobster’s wife, when the trio pulls up to her home once featured in the original Godfather movie. No lie. Only to learn the truth that her and husband merely own the dry-cleaning store connected to the Arconia. It has been days since she last saw her husband.

The plot thickens when the investigation uncovers yet another body in said dry cleaners, sending the true crime aficionados on the trail to find the connection to their doorman’s death. Seriously, the body count in this apartment building should really be studied. But I digress.

Sandwiched between episodes 1 and 3 of the new season, is a poignant and well-placed walk down memory lane in episode 2. Entitled, “After You,” framed as a mockumentary on NYC doormen, we take a deeper dive into Lester’s history with the building and ongoing relationships with each of its residents, which he often documented through bird analogies in a hard-bound ledger he always kept within arm’s reach. The ledger was given to Lester by his one-time mentor and previous doorman, George. Deep within its pages holds the secrets of the Arconia and its tenants, and, for anyone whose been paying attention, most likely a key piece of the impending murder reveal.

Nevertheless, the episode deftly weaves Lester’s past to preset-day through nuanced moments that often call back to the series’ season 1, the details of which provide a nice throughline for those who have been fans of the series from jump. Moments that were once hinted at — such as Oliver’s first marriage, Charles’ epic stardom as a TV action hero, and even Mabel’s loneliness, living with her aunt as a child with no friends – are all played out in technicolor memories for those who have stayed tuned in for the past five years.

And, for the first time, we get to meet Lester’s wife, Lorraine, played by Academy Award-winner, Diane Wiest, as the opera singer with the voice of a nightingale, and also learn that he had two children and did not actually live in the building.

Through Lester’s time at the Arconia, a hidden room, the existence of which was thought to be folklore on Charles’ part, is discovered at the bottom of the building once used as horse stables. It seems the Velvet Room, as it had come to be called, had a history of playing host to a rather colorful cavalcade of guests, often with ties to the mob and other high-powered beautiful people of NYC. Think VIP room for made-men and women running the city over rousing rounds of roulette and other nefarious casino gaming. Today, those “mobsters” have corporate day jobs and country club memberships.

The amateur sleuths learn that the room may somehow have ties to not one, but two deaths — a once-secret place that had been hiding in plain sight from the building’s residents since Lester came to be a permanent fixture, himself, at the Arconia.

For those who do not like to stray too far from the familiar, rest assured, the performances of the cast leads bring their signature chemistry with the other characters to enhance the show's charm. Gomez as the straight (wo)man to Martin and Short continues to infuse her Mabel Mora alter ego with a healthy mix of sarcasm, sharp wit, intelligence, and vulnerability, reflecting her complex background and the struggles she continues to face with her place in life. While at the same time, Short plays Oliver Putnam with his signature vibrant and dynamic panache, characterized by flamboyance, dramatic flair, and a relentless passion for the arts. Oliver's larger-than-life personality shines through in his over-the-top expressions and theatrical mannerisms, even as he grapples with how his relationship with the deceased doorman is being perceived by his friends and neighbors. Martin delivers another nuanced performance of Charles, as the former television detective, that blends humor and depth. With his onscreen persona experiencing a decline in his career and a change in the dynamics of his friend group, with Oliver getting married, Martin’s character embodies a mixture of nostalgia for his past fame and a yearning for relevance in the present.

However, one of the most commanding characters of the series remains the Arconia, itself.  The fictional residential building plays a central role in the series, serving as both a setting for the characters’ interactions and a backdrop for the mystery that unfolds, and most notably, in this season, a slew of secrets. The elegant, upscale, and historic Manhattan apartment complex, characterized by its charming architecture and distinctive design elements, continues to demand its time on screen with its intricate details and grand entrance, which contribute to its luxurious appeal.

Inside, the Arconia’s mix of opulent common areas and cozy individual apartments reflect the personalities of its diverse, yet decidedly eccentric residents. Its rich history and unique atmosphere create an intriguing contrast to the show's comedic and suspenseful elements, highlighting the quirky dynamics between the residents and their shared passion for true crime, or better stated, their oblivion to the fact that their home may not truly be the safest building on the block.

If only the walls could talk, there’s no telling what more the Arconia could reveal this season. Stay tuned to find out – or, if anything just to see the parade of noted celebrities slated to come in spurts throughout the season.

Created by Steve Martin and John Hoffman, Only Murders in the Building has garnered another seven Emmy nominations for its season 4, to include its fourth consecutive for Outstanding Comedy Series. Will our podcasters-turned-crime solvers kill it in awards night? Find out for yourself on Sunday, Sept 14, when the 77th Emmy Awards telecast live from the Peacock Theater at L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles on the CBS television network.

The first three episodes of season 5 are available for streaming now on Hulu, with new episodes dropping weekly, thereafter.

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