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American television series (2021–present) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Only Murders in the Building is an American mystery comedy drama television series created by Steve Martin and John Hoffman. The show focuses on a trio of strangers (played by Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez) with a shared interest in true crime podcasts, who become friends while investigating a succession of suspicious murders in the Arconia, their upscale Upper West Side apartment building, and producing their own podcast about the cases, titled Only Murders in the Building. Its four ten-episode seasons premiered on Hulu in August 2021, June 2022, August 2023, and August 2024. The series was renewed for a fifth season in September 2024.
| Only Murders in the Building | |
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| Genre | |
| Created by | Steve Martin & John Hoffman |
| Starring |
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| Music by | Siddhartha Khosla |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original languages | English American Sign Language[1] |
| No. of seasons | 4 |
| No. of episodes | 40 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Producers |
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| Cinematography |
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| Editors |
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| Running time | 26–40 minutes |
| Production companies | |
| Original release | |
| Network | Hulu |
| Release | August 31, 2021 – present |
The series has received critical acclaim since its debut, with reviewers highlighting its comedic approach to crime fiction as well as the cast performances. It has received nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series and Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy. For their performances, Martin, Short, and Gomez have gained acting nominations at the Primetime Emmy Awards and Golden Globe Awards.
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "True Crime" | Jamie Babbit | Steve Martin & John Hoffman | August 31, 2021 | 1DWB01 |
| 2 | 2 | "Who Is Tim Kono?" | Jamie Babbit | Kirker Butler | August 31, 2021 | 1DWB02 |
| 3 | 3 | "How Well Do You Know Your Neighbors?" | Gillian Robespierre | Ben Smith | August 31, 2021 | 1DWB03 |
| 4 | 4 | "The Sting" | Gillian Robespierre | Kristin Newman | September 7, 2021 | 1DWB04 |
| 5 | 5 | "Twist" | Don Scardino | Thembi L. Banks | September 14, 2021 | 1DWB05 |
| 6 | 6 | "To Protect and Serve" | Don Scardino | Madeleine George & Kim Rosenstock | September 21, 2021 | 1DWB06 |
| 7 | 7 | "The Boy from 6B" | Cherien Dabis | Stephen Markley & Ben Philippe | September 28, 2021 | 1DWB07 |
| 8 | 8 | "Fan Fiction" | Cherien Dabis | Matteo Borghese & Rob Turbovsky | October 5, 2021 | 1DWB08 |
| 9 | 9 | "Double Time" | Jamie Babbit | John Hoffman & Kristin Newman | October 12, 2021 | 1DWB09 |
| 10 | 10 | "Open and Shut" | Jamie Babbit | John Hoffman & Rachel Burger | October 19, 2021 | 1DWB10 |
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 1 | "Persons of Interest" | John Hoffman | John Hoffman & Noah Levine | June 28, 2022 | 2DWB01 |
| 12 | 2 | "Framed" | John Hoffman | Kristin Newman | June 28, 2022 | 2DWB02 |
| 13 | 3 | "The Last Day of Bunny Folger" | Jude Weng | Ben Smith | July 5, 2022 | 2DWB03 |
| 14 | 4 | "Here's Looking at You" | Jude Weng | Valentina Garza & Rachel Burger | July 12, 2022 | 2DWB04 |
| 15 | 5 | "The Tell" | Cherien Dabis | Matteo Borghese & Rob Turbovsky | July 19, 2022 | 2DWB05 |
| 16 | 6 | "Performance Review" | Cherien Dabis | Ben Smith & Joshua Allen Griffith | July 26, 2022 | 2DWB06 |
| 17 | 7 | "Flipping the Pieces" | Chris Teague | Stephen Markley & Ben Philippe | August 2, 2022 | 2DWB07 |
| 18 | 8 | "Hello, Darkness" | Chris Teague | Madeleine George | August 9, 2022 | 2DWB08 |
| 19 | 9 | "Sparring Partners" | Jamie Babbit | Kirker Butler | August 16, 2022 | 2DWB09 |
| 20 | 10 | "I Know Who Did It" | Jamie Babbit | John Hoffman, Matteo Borghese & Rob Turbovsky | August 23, 2022 | 2DWB10 |
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | 1 | "The Show Must..." | John Hoffman | John Hoffman & Sas Goldberg | August 8, 2023 | 3DWB01 |
| 22 | 2 | "The Beat Goes On" | John Hoffman | Ben Smith & Joshua Allen Griffith | August 8, 2023 | 3DWB02 |
| 23 | 3 | "Grab Your Hankies" | Adam Shankman | Matteo Borghese & Rob Turbovsky | August 15, 2023 | 3DWB03 |
| 24 | 4 | "The White Room" | Adam Shankman | J. J. Philbin | August 22, 2023 | 3DWB04 |
| 25 | 5 | "Ah, Love!" | Chris Koch | Tess Morris & Noah Levine | August 29, 2023 | 3DWB05 |
| 26 | 6 | "Ghost Light" | Chris Koch | Madeleine George | September 5, 2023 | 3DWB06 |
| 27 | 7 | "CoBro" | Cherien Dabis | Ben Philippe & Jake Schnesel | September 12, 2023 | 3DWB07 |
| 28 | 8 | "Sitzprobe" | Shari Springer Berman & Robert Pulcini | Pete Swanson & Siena Streiber | September 19, 2023 | 3DWB08 |
| 29 | 9 | "Thirty" | Cherien Dabis | Elaine Ko | September 26, 2023 | 3DWB09 |
| 30 | 10 | "Opening Night" | Jamie Babbit | John Hoffman & Ben Smith | October 3, 2023 | 3DWB10 |
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | 1 | "Once Upon a Time in the West" | John Hoffman | John Hoffman & Joshua Allen Griffith | August 27, 2024 | 4DWB01 |
| 32 | 2 | "Gates of Heaven" | John Hoffman | Kristin Newman | September 3, 2024 | 4DWB02 |
| 33 | 3 | "Two for the Road" | Chris Koch | Ben Smith & Pete Swanson | September 10, 2024 | 4DWB03 |
| 34 | 4 | "The Stunt Man" | Chris Koch | Madeleine George | September 17, 2024 | 4DWB04 |
| 35 | 5 | "Adaptation" | Jessica Yu | J. J. Philbin & Ella Robinson Brooks | September 24, 2024 | 4DWB05 |
| 36 | 6 | "Blow-Up" | Jessica Yu | Rick Wiener & Kenny Schwartz | October 1, 2024 | 4DWB06 |
| 37 | 7 | "Valley of the Dolls" | Shari Springer Berman & Robert Pulcini | Matteo Borghese & Rob Turbovsky | October 8, 2024 | 4DWB07 |
| 38 | 8 | "Lifeboat" | Shari Springer Berman & Robert Pulcini | Kristin Newman & Jake Schnesel | October 15, 2024 | 4DWB08 |
| 39 | 9 | "Escape from Planet Klongo" | Jamie Babbit | Ben Smith & Alex Bigelow | October 22, 2024 | 4DWB09 |
| 40 | 10 | "My Best Friend's Wedding" | Jamie Babbit | John Hoffman & J. J. Philbin | October 29, 2024 | 4DWB10 |
Steve Martin conceived of the idea for Only Murders in the Building ten years before its premiere. His original idea involved three elderly men who discover that they are all obsessed with solving crimes, but are too old and tired to go outside, so they decide to solve crimes that are only in the building. The idea later developed with one of the old men changed to a younger woman.[29] In January 2020, it was announced that Martin and Martin Short would star in the then untitled Hulu series, created by Martin and John Hoffman, with Martin, Short, and Hoffman as executive producers, alongside Dan Fogelman, with 20th Television serving as the studio;[30] Selena Gomez would then join as the series's third main lead. On September 14, 2021, Hulu renewed the series for a second season.[31] On July 11, 2022, the series was renewed for a third season.[32] On October 3, 2023, it was renewed for a fourth season.[33] In September 2024, it was renewed for a fifth season.[34]
Alongside the initial announcement, it was announced Martin and Short would star in the series.[30] In August 2020, Gomez joined the cast and also serves as an executive producer.[35] In November 2020, Aaron Dominguez joined the cast in a series regular role.[36] In January 2021, Amy Ryan joined the cast in a series regular role[37] and Nathan Lane joined the cast in a recurring role.[38] In December 2021, it was reported that Cara Delevingne joined the cast as a series regular for the second season.[39] In January 2022, Short announced that Shirley MacLaine and Amy Schumer were cast to guest star for the second season.[26] In February 2022, Michael Rapaport joined the cast in a recurring role for the second season.[15]
In August 2022, it was announced that Paul Rudd had joined the cast for the third season, after appearing in a cameo at the end of the second season.[40] In October 2022, Jesse Williams was cast in a recurring capacity for the third season.[19] In January 2023, Meryl Streep was cast in an undisclosed capacity for the third season.[41] In February 2023, Ashley Park joined the cast in a recurring role for the third season.[16] In March 2023, Jeremy Shamos, Linda Emond, Wesley Taylor, Don Darryl Rivera, Allison Guinn, and Gerald Caesar were cast in recurring capacities for the third season.[17][42] In April 2023, Michael Cyril Creighton was promoted to series regular for the third season.[5] In February 2024, Molly Shannon, Eva Longoria and Eugene Levy joined the cast in undisclosed recurring roles for the fourth season.[21][11][10] Kumail Nanjiani and Zach Galifianakis were added in undisclosed recurring roles in March 2024.[24][8] In April 2024, Desmin Borges, Siena Werber, Lilian Rebelo, Richard Kind, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Catherine Cohen, and Jin Ha joined the cast in recurring capacities.[23][22] In May 2024, it was revealed that Melissa McCarthy joined the cast.[27]
Principal photography for the first season began on December 3, 2020, in New York City,[43] and concluded in April 2021.[44] The Belnord was used for exterior shots of the Arconia.[45] Filming of the second season began on December 1, 2021.[46] Filming for the third season began in January 2023[47] and concluded in late April.[48] Filming for the fourth season began in March 2024[49] and concluded in June 2024.[50]
A digital album for the score was released on August 27, 2021, four days before the series's debut.[51] On July 15, 2022, the original song that was played briefly in the second season episode "Here's Looking at You", "Angel in Flip-Flops", was released online. It was performed by Steve Martin as his character Charles-Haden Savage, and written by Martin and Kirker Butler, with Paul Shaffer as producer.[52] An album for the second season was released on August 12, 2022. An album for the third season was released on September 15, 2023, followed by a deluxe edition on October 4.
The first season of Only Murders in the Building premiered on August 31, 2021, on Hulu in the United States.[53] Internationally, the series premiered on the same day on Disney+ under the dedicated streaming hub Star, as an original series, and on Star+ in Latin America. Disney+ Hotstar released the series in select territories on September 3, 2021.[54] On Disney+, Disney+ Hotstar, and Star+, episodes were scheduled to debut on a weekly basis.[55] The second season premiered on June 28, 2022.[56] The third season premiered on August 8, 2023.[57]
The first season made its broadcast television premiere on ABC on January 2, 2024. Episodes were edited to meet broadcast standards and practices and follow FCC rules.[58] The show was added to Disney+ in the United States via the Hulu hub beginning in December 2023.[59] The fourth season premiered on August 27, 2024.[60] The second season made its broadcast television premiere on ABC on January 2, 2025.[61]
| Season | Rotten Tomatoes | Metacritic |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100% (108 reviews)[62] | 76 (34 reviews)[63] |
| 2 | 97% (119 reviews)[64] | 79 (25 reviews)[65] |
| 3 | 96% (114 reviews)[66] | 77 (33 reviews)[67] |
| 4 | 96% (76 reviews)[68] | 78 (29 reviews)[69] |
For the first season, review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 100% approval rating with an average rating of 8/10, based on 108 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "Only Murders in the Building's silly approach to true crime obsessives is at once hilarious and insightful, thanks in large part to its extremely charming central trio."[62] Metacritic gave the first season a weighted average score of 76 out of 100 based on 34 critic reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[63]
For the second season, Rotten Tomatoes reported a 97% approval rating with an average rating of 8/10, based on 119 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus states, "Only Murders in the Building gets a new lease on life with a knottier sophomore outing that retains the series's core charm and wit."[64] Metacritic gave the second season a weighted average score of 79 out of 100 based on 25 critic reviews, signifying "generally favorable reviews".[65]
For the third season, Rotten Tomatoes reported a 96% approval rating with an average rating of 7.95/10, based on 114 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "Relocating the action to the theatre, Only Murders in the Building can take a bow for yet another twisty mystery handled with a good-humored touch."[66] Metacritic gave the third season a weighted average score of 77 out of 100 based on 33 critic reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[67]
For the fourth season, Rotten Tomatoes reported a 96% approval rating with an average rating of 8.1/10, based on 76 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus states, "The gang is back together in a more metatextual season full of famous faces, continuing Only Murders in the Building's reign as one of television's most delightful comedies."[68] Metacritic gave the fourth season a weighted average score of 78 out of 100 based on 29 critic reviews, signifying "universal acclaim".[69]
The series has received 49 Emmy nominations, with seven wins.[70] The first season received 17 nominations at the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards, with three wins, including Nathan Lane for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series. Notable nominations included, Outstanding Comedy Series, Steve Martin and Martin Short for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, Jamie Babbit and Cherien Dabis for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series, and Martin and John Hoffman for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series.[71][72]
The second season received 11 nominations at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards, with one win in a technical category. Notable nominations included Outstanding Comedy Series, Short for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, Lane for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, and one nomination for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series.[73][74]
The third season received 21 nominations at the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards, with three wins at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards. Notable nominations included Outstanding Comedy Series, Martin and Short for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, Selena Gomez for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, Paul Rudd for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, Meryl Streep for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, Matthew Broderick for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, and Da'Vine Joy Randolph for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series.[75] The song "Which of the Pickwick Triplets Did It?", which was featured in the eighth episode of the third season, won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics.[76]
Additionally, the series aftershow Only Murders in the Building: One Killer Question has received two Emmy nominations for Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series, winning once.[77]
On September 3, 2021, it was reported that Only Murders in the Building set a record for the most-watched comedy premiere in Hulu's history.[78] On October 28, 2021, Hulu Originals president Craig Erwich said in an interview with Vulture that the show had become the most-watched comedy ever on Hulu "by a good measure." In the same article, Vulture reported that, according to Parrot Analytics, the show went from having around 16 times the audience demand in the U.S. as an average show when it debuted on August 31 to generating 37 times typical demand by the time the season 1 finale dropped on October 19. This meant that the day after the finale, the show ranked as high as 14th on the list of most in-demand shows in the U.S. and signaled a "massive" 135% growth rate that according to Erwich is mainly attributable to word of mouth.[79] According to the streaming aggregator JustWatch, Only Murders in the Building was the most-streamed TV series across all U.S. platforms during the week ending October 24, 2021,[80] and second during the week ending October 31, 2021.[81]
According to Parrot Analytics, which looks at consumer engagement in consumer research, streaming, downloads, and on social media, Only Murders in the Building was the third-most in-demand streaming original series in the U.S. during the week of August 13 to 19, 2022,[82] as well as during the week of August 20 to 26.[83] According to Whip Media's viewership tracking app TV Time, it was the most-streamed TV series across all U.S. platforms during the week ending August 7, 2022,[84] and during the week of August 28.[85] According to the streaming aggregator JustWatch, it was the third-most streamed TV series across all U.S. platforms during the week ending July 3, 2022.[86] Whip Media announced Only Murders in the Building was the fifth most-watched streaming original television series of 2023.[87][88]
In collaboration with Hulu, Straw Hut Media released an official behind-the-scenes companion podcast, Only Murders in the Pod, featuring interviews with cast, crew, and writers.[89] While the first two seasons were hosted by Kevin Lawn and Elizabeth Keener,[90] due to the SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild of America strikes in 2023, producers Maggie Boles and Ryan Tillotson hosted season three and interviewed directors and other crew members. Notable guests on the podcast include John Hoffman, Martin Short, Pasek and Paul, Shirley MacLaine, Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini, Jackie Hoffman, and Amy Ryan. Boles and Tillotson continued to host season four with notable guests including John Hoffman, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Amy Ryan, Richard Kind, Madeleine George, Jane Lynch, Michael Cyril Creighton, J. J. Philbin, Jessica Yu, Molly Shannon, Catherine Cohen, Eva Longoria, Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini, Desmin Borges, and Jin Ha.
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