Only Murders in the Buildingcomes back for season two at the end of the month, and a new trailer dropped yesterday. OliMabel (the “Charles” is silent) are back to try and clear their names after being set up at the end of the last season. The mystery of season one was solid, but if I’m being honest, the appeal ofOnly Murdersfor me is primarily two things: 1) the chemistry of Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez, and 2) the real estate porn. The fact that it is also a fun little murder mystery is almost beside the point.
We’ve known for literal decades that Steve Martin and Martin Short have great chemistry, but the addition of Selena Gomez proved to be the secret sauce, turning an iconic comedic duo into an iconic comedic trio. I would watch these three play Scrabble and be perfectly content. Like have you seen them in interviews together? Utterly charming. Completely disarming. None of them need the help but somehow, they’re all better together.
And then there’s the real estate porn. Raise your hand if you, too, have googled “real life Arconia building”. (It’sThe Belnordon the Upper West Side of Manhattan, if you were wondering. You can live there for mid-to-high seven figures.) The interiors, though, are sets, but they are perfectly imagined and decorated. I love Mabel’s unfinished apartment, I hope she never puts up drywall in the living room. It kind of reminds me of St. Giles House, where the Earl of Shaftesbury leftmasonry and ceiling beams exposedto show the age of the house.
But the mystery does seem good the second time around, too. The trio has to clear their own names this time, and someone is f-cking with them in the process. There are new characters played by Shirley MacLaine, Cara Delevingne, and Amy Schumer, as well as returning faves Nathan Lane, Tina Fey, and Amy Ryan (who can’t be in for more than a cameo, right?). Until proven otherwise, my first and only theory is that Cinda Canning is setting them up, because she is lowkey awful. I will waste no more time on speculation because trying to out-guess mysteries ruins the fun and you’re only punishing yourself, and also, I am too busy wishing my apartment had a hidden passage. All I want in life is a haunted house with a hidden passage and/or staircase! Am I asking too much?
Attached - Selena and Martin at the LA premiere ofOnly Murders in the Buildingin LA.
