The Streaming service Hulu has provided its audiences with countless original shows and movies since its creation in 2007. While some of its most successful releases lie in the drama category, such as The Handmaid’s Tale and A Teacher, recently, the platform has branched out in its genres. On August 31st, 2021, the first episode of Only Murders in the Building aired. The show falls in both the dramedy and murder-mystery categories.
Starring and produced by Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez, this Hulu original follows an eccentric and unconventional group of friends as they work to solve, what they suspect to be, a murder in their New York apartment building, while trying to create their own podcast about it. Steve Martin plays Charles-Haden Savage, a retired actor that lives alone and still gets recognized as the fictional detective he played on TV. He doesn’t have any friends in the building and no family that the audience knows of. His TV show was centered around a detective called “Brazos,” who solved crimes himself. Martin Short plays an outgoing, out of work theater director, named Oliver Putnam, who loves the spotlight and wants to chat up anyone he comes across. He has family in New Jersey that the audience meets, but he’s not very close with. Selena Gomez plays Mabel Mora, the youngest of the friend group, a tough, stylish New Yorker that isn’t afraid to speak her mind. She first meets the group as a loner, but later opens up about her past.
Together, the trio is united over their love of one murder-mystery podcast. It’s one of the few things that actually connects the group. So when someone turns up dead in their own building, and the police rule it a suicide, the unlikely group of friends are not convinced. The deceased is a businessman that no one else in the building seems to have anything good to say about. They work together to hunt for clues and to see if they can figure out what they believe to be the truth. However, while the trio may be on the same page of finding the killer, they still all have their own secrets that they don’t want others to know.
Only Murders in the Building works because of the originality of the characters, the engaging storyline, and the humor throughout each episode. It’s entertaining to watch an unlikely group of people united over one shared interest, a podcast, and trying to find their own explanation for a mystery, despite others not believing them. Not only does the show feature actors like Martin Short, Steve Martin, and Selena Gomez, but it also features special appearances from Tina Fey, best known from Saturday Night Live, and Amy Ryan, best known from The Office. This is Selena Gomez’s first starring acting role since 2019. Her character Mabel’s sassy demeanor is very reminiscent of Alex Russo, her character from the Disney show, Wizards of Waverly Place. It’s no wonder that the show is popular among both its viewers and critics. Rotten Tomatoes gave it a score of 100%. It’s definitely an entertaining show that all TV lovers should give a try. Only Murders in the Building is funny, amusing, and charming. It is definitely a show to look out for. The season finale aired October 19th at midnight.