Only Murders in the Building

Only Murders in the Building, often abbreviated as OMITB, is an American mystery comedy-drama television series created by Steve Martin and John Hoffman. The main plot focuses on a trio of strangers (played by Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez), all with a shared interest in true crime podcasts, who become friends while investigating a succession of suspicious murders in the Arconia, their affluent 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
Genre	Comedy-drama Mystery
Created by	Steve Martin & John Hoffman
Starring	Steve Martin Martin Short Selena Gomez Aaron Dominguez Amy Ryan Cara Delevingne Adina Verson Michael Cyril Creighton
Music by	Siddhartha Khosla
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of seasons	4
No. of episodes	36
Production
Executive producers	Dan Fogelman Jess Rosenthal Jamie Babbit Steve Martin Martin Short Selena Gomez John Hoffman
Producers	Thembi Banks Jane Raab Nick Pavonetti Kristin Bernstein Madeleine George Sas Goldberg Tess Morris Jill Risk Wolfe Joshua Allen Griffith
Cinematography	Chris Teague Dagmar Weaver-Madsen Kyle Wullschleger
Editors	Julie Monroe JoAnne Yarrow Matthew Barbato David L. Bertman Shelly Westerman Peggy Tachdjian Payton Koch
Running time	26–40 minutes
Production companies	Rhode Island Ave. Productions Another Hoffman Story Productions 40 Share Productions 20th Television
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.

• Steve Martin as Charles-Haden Savage,^[1] a semi-retired actor who was the star of the popular 1990s crime drama, Brazzos, and later, as a result of the podcast, its 2020s revival
  • Matthew Lamb as young Charles (season 2)
• Martin Short as Oliver Putnam,^[1] an ambitious but financially struggling Broadway director who spawns the idea of the podcast and becomes its director
  • Samuel Farnsworth as young Oliver (season 2)
• Selena Gomez as Mabel Mora,^[1] a young artist who is living alone in her aunt's unit and who was secretly best friends with the first season's murder victim, Tim Kono, throughout her childhood and teenage years
  • Madeleine Valencia (season 1) and Caroline Valencia (season 2) as young Mabel
• Aaron Dominguez as Oscar Torres (season 1), a friend of Mabel and Tim who was wrongfully convicted of the murder of their friend Zoe ten years earlier, has recently been released from prison, and dates Mabel for a while
• Amy Ryan as Jan Bellows (season 1; recurring season 2; guest season 4), a professional bassoonist who begins dating Charles, and later his stunt double Sazz
• Cara Delevingne as Alice Banks (season 2),^[2] an artist and briefly Mabel's love interest.
• Adina Verson as Poppy White (season 2; guest season 1),^[a][3] Cinda's ambitious but abused assistant. She later reveals her true identity as Becky Butler, the subject of the All Is Not OK in Oklahoma crime podcast
• Michael Cyril Creighton as Howard Morris (season 3–present;^[4] recurring seasons 1–2), a cat-loving resident of the Arconia whose cat died the same night as Tim Kono. He becomes Oliver's assistant in season 3 for his play.

• Paul Rudd as Ben Glenroy (season 3; guest season 2),^[b] a Hollywood actor who is murdered on the opening night of his first Broadway play^[5]
  • Rudd also plays Glen Stubbins (season 4), Ben Glenroy's former stunt double.^[6]
• Meryl Streep as Loretta Durkin (season 3–present),^[b] a struggling actress and Oliver's love interest, who stars in his Broadway play, and later its musical reinterpretation
• Zach Galifianakis (season 4)^[7][c] as a fictionalized version of himself, portraying Oliver in the film adaptation of the podcast^[8]
• Eugene Levy (season 4)^[9][c] as a fictionalized version of himself, portraying Charles in the film adaptation of the podcast^[8]
• Eva Longoria (season 4)^[10][c] as a fictionalized version of herself, portraying Mabel in the film adaptation of the podcast^[8]

• Julian Cihi as Tim Kono (season 1), a resident of the Arconia who dies in the first episode. The mysterious circumstances surrounding his death spur Charles, Oliver, and Mabel to do their own investigation.
• Da'Vine Joy Randolph as Donna Williams, a detective who ends up becoming involved with each of the mysteries. She is introduced when she initially closes the Kono murder case but becomes interested again after her wife starts listening to the podcast.
• Tina Fey as Cinda Canning (seasons 1–2; guest season 3), the host of the true crime podcast All Is Not OK in Oklahoma, a parody of Sarah Koenig and her true crime podcast Serial.^[11]
• Jackie Hoffman as Uma Heller, an ornery Arconia resident
• Jayne Houdyshell as Bunny Folger (seasons 1–2; guest season 3), the iron-fisted board president of the Arconia whose murder is investigated in the second season.
  • Houdyshell also voices Mrs. Gambolini (season 2), Bunny's pet parrot
• Nathan Lane as Teddy Dimas (seasons 1–2), an old friend and patron of Oliver's family, who has ties to organized crime and agrees to sponsor the podcast.
• James Caverly as Theo Dimas (season 1; guest seasons 2–3), Teddy's son
• Ryan Broussard as Will Putnam (seasons 1–2; guest season 3), Oliver's son
• Teddy Coluca as Lester (seasons 1–2 & 4; guest season 3), the Arconia's doorman
• Vanessa Aspillaga as Ursula (seasons 1–2), the Arconia's building manager
• Russell G. Jones as Dr. Grover Stanley (seasons 1–2), a therapist who lives at the Arconia.
• Jaboukie Young-White as Sam, Daniel Oreskes as Marv, Ali Stroker as Paulette, and Orson Hong as Grant (seasons 1–2), enthusiastic fans of the Only Murders in the Building podcast.
• Zainab Jah as Ndidi Idoko (season 1), Tim Kono's next-door neighbor
• Maulik Pancholy as Arnav Kapoor (season 1), Charles' next-door neighbor
• Olivia Reis as Zoe Cassidy (season 1), a friend of Mabel, Tim, and Oscar who died ten years earlier after falling from the roof of the Arconia.
• Zoe Colletti as Lucy (season 2), the teenage daughter of Charles' ex-girlfriend, with whom Charles has a tenuous father–daughter relationship.
• Michael Rapaport as Detective Daniel Kreps (season 2), a police detective investigating Bunny's murder^[12]
• Christine Ko as Nina Lin (season 2), Bunny's protégée and the Arconia's new board president
• Ariel Shafir as Ivan (season 2), a server at Bunny's regular diner
• Andrea Martin as Joy Payne (season 3; guest season 2), Charles' longtime makeup artist and love interest
• Jason Veasey as Jonathan Bridgecroft (season 3; guest season 2), Howard's neighbor and love interest, and an actor in Oliver's show
• Linda Emond as Donna DeMeo (season 3), a Broadway producer who funds Oliver's return to Broadway
• Ashley Park as Kimber Min (season 3), a young actress and influencer who plays Ben's love interest in Oliver's show^[13]
• Jeremy Shamos as Dickie Glenroy (season 3), Ben's adopted brother and manager^[14]
• Wesley Taylor as Clifford "Cliff" DeMeo (season 3), Donna's clingy son who co-produces Oliver's play^[15]
• Jesse Williams as Tobert (season 3), a camera operator hired by Ben to make a documentary about his Broadway debut and briefly Mabel's love interest^[16]
• Don Darryl Rivera as Bobo Malone (season 3), an actor in Oliver's show
• Gerald Caesar as Ty Wessex (season 3), an actor in Oliver's show
• Allison Guinn as K. T. Knoblauer (season 3), the stage manager for Oliver's show
• Gerrard Lobo as Detective Biswas (season 3), a police detective investigating Ben's murder
• Jane Lynch as Sazz Pataki (season 4; guest seasons 1–3), Charles' stunt double, who dates everyone he dates after him.^[17] She is shot by an unknown assailant at the end of the third season with a snipe ostensibly meant for Charles.
• Molly Shannon^[18] as Bev Melon (season 4), a producer at Paramount Studios, intending to make a film adaptation from the podcast
• Catherine Cohen^[19] as Trina Brothers (season 4), Tawny's twin sister and the co-director of the film adaptation of the podcast
• Jin Ha^[19] as Marshall P. Pope (season 4), the screenwriter of the film adaptation of the podcast
• Siena Werber^[20] as Tawny Brothers (season 4), Trina's twin sister and the co-director of the film adaptation of the podcast
• Desmin Borges as Alfonso (season 4)^[20]
• Richard Kind as Vince Fish (season 4),^[19] a resident of the west tower who wears an eye patch
• Kumail Nanjiani as Rudy Thurber (season 4),^[21] a resident of the west tower who decorates his apartment with Christmas decorations year-round
• Daphne Rubin-Vega as Inez (season 4)^[19]
• Lilian Rebelo as Ana (season 4)^[20]
• Melissa McCarthy^[22] as Doreen (season 4), Charles' sister who lives on Long Island^[23]

• Adriane Lenox (season 1) and Marie-Francoise Theodore (season 2) as Roberta Putnam, Oliver's ex-wife
• Sting as a fictionalized version of himself (season 1), an Arconia resident who was at odds with Tim Kono^[24]
• Roy Wood Jr. as Vaughn and Jacob Ming-Trent as Lucian (season 1), hosts of a horticulture podcast who give Charles and Oliver a ride
• Jimmy Fallon as himself (season 1)
• Mandy Gonzalez as Silvia Mora (season 1), Mabel's mother
• Amy Schumer as a fictionalized version of herself (season 2), who moves into Sting's former apartment and proposes a TV series to Oliver based on their podcast^[25]
• Ben Livingston as Charles' late father (season 2)
• Shirley MacLaine as Rose Cooper (season 2), Charles' father's lover and painter pretending to be Bunny's mother, Leonora Folger^[25]
• Mark Consuelos as Mabel's late father (season 2)
• Noma Dumezweni as Maxine Spear (season 3), a theater critic
• Adrian Martinez as Gregg Rivera (season 3), an obsessed fan of Ben's
• Peter Bartlett as Jerry Blau, a washed-up Broadway director and an old colleague of Oliver's (season 3)
• Matthew Broderick as a fictionalized version of himself (season 3), who is briefly cast in Oliver's show as Charles' replacement
• Mel Brooks as himself (season 3)
• Scott Bakula as himself (season 4)
• John McEnroe as himself (season 4)
• Griffin Dunne as Prof. Dudenoff (season 4)

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.^[30] 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;^[31] Selena Gomez would then join as the series' third main lead. On September 14, 2021, Hulu renewed the series for a second season.^[32] On July 11, 2022, the series was renewed for a third season.^[33] On October 3, 2023, it was renewed for a fourth season.^[34] In September 2024, it was renewed for a fifth season.^[35]

Alongside the initial announcement, it was announced Martin and Short would star in the series.^[31] In August 2020, Gomez joined the cast and also serves as an executive producer.^[36] In November 2020, Aaron Dominguez joined the cast in a series regular role.^[37] In January 2021, Amy Ryan joined the cast in a series regular role^[38] and Nathan Lane joined the cast in a recurring role.^[39] In December 2021, it was reported that Cara Delevingne joined the cast as a series regular for the second season.^[40] In January 2022, Short announced that Shirley MacLaine and Amy Schumer were cast to guest star for the second season.^[25] In February 2022, Michael Rapaport joined the cast in a recurring role for the second season.^[12]

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.^[41] In October 2022, Jesse Williams was cast in a recurring capacity for the third season.^[16] In January 2023, Meryl Streep was cast in an undisclosed capacity for the third season.^[42] In February 2023, Ashley Park joined the cast in a recurring role for the third season.^[13] 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.^[14][43] In April 2023, Michael Cyril Creighton was promoted to series regular for the third season.^[4] In February 2024, Molly Shannon, Eva Longoria and Eugene Levy joined the cast in undisclosed recurring roles for the fourth season.^[18][10][9] Kumail Nanjiani and Zach Galifianakis were added in undisclosed recurring roles in March 2024.^[21][7] 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.^[20][19] In May 2024, it was revealed that Melissa McCarthy joined the cast.^[22]

Principal photography for the first season began on December 3, 2020, in New York City,^[44] and concluded in April 2021.^[45] The Belnord was used for exterior shots of the Arconia.^[46] Filming of the second season began on December 1, 2021.^[47] Filming for the third season began in January 2023^[48] and concluded in late April.^[49] Filming for the fourth season began in March 2024^[50] and concluded in June 2024.^[51]

A digital album for the score was released on August 27, 2021, four days before the series' debut.^[52] 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.^[53] 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.

Only Murders in the Building premiered on August 31, 2021, on Hulu in the United States.^[54] 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.^[55] On Disney+, Disney+ Hotstar, and Star+, Only Murders in the Building episodes were scheduled to debut on a weekly basis.^[56] The second season premiered on June 28, 2022.^[57] The third season premiered on August 8, 2023.^[58] 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.^[59] The show was added to Disney+ in the United States via the Hulu hub beginning in December 2023.^[60] The fourth season premiered on August 27, 2024.^[61]

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.^[62] 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.^[63] 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,^[64] and second during the week ending October 31, 2021.^[65]

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,^[66] as well as during the week of August 20 to 26.^[67] 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,^[68] and during the week of August 28.^[69] 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.^[70] Whip Media announced Only Murders in the Building was the fifth most-watched streaming original television series of 2023.^[71][72]

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."^[73] Metacritic gave the first season a weighted average score of 76 out of 100 based on 34 critic reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".^[74]

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' core charm and wit."^[75] Metacritic gave the second season a weighted average score of 79 out of 100 based on 25 critic reviews, signifying "generally favorable reviews".^[76]

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."^[77] Metacritic gave the third season a weighted average score of 77 out of 100 based on 33 critic reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".^[78]

For the fourth season, Rotten Tomatoes reported a 94% approval rating with an average rating of 7.9/10, based on 69 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."^[79] Metacritic gave the fourth season a weighted average score of 78 out of 100 based on 29 critic reviews, signifying "universal acclaim".^[80]

The series has received 49 Emmy nominations, with seven wins.^[81] 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.^[82][83]

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.^[84][85]

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.^[86] 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.^[87]

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.^[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.

• Only Murders in the Building on Hulu  
• Only Murders in the Building at IMDb  
• Official pilot screenplay