How far would you be willing to go to uncover the truth about a mysterious murder that occured in your building? For three true-crime podcast obsessed strangers from Hulu’s original American mystery-comedy television series Only Murders in the Building, the answer is: they will go to any lengths to find the truth. The ten-episode first season of the show, created by Steve Martin and John Hoffman, premiered on Aug 31, 2021 and became an instant hit. It was the most-watched Hulu original comedy on its premiere day, earned a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, a 93% audience score and was nominated for a Writers Guild of America Award for Best Comedy Series. With all the love the show has received, Hulu is making a second season that is set to come out this summer on June 28. 

Taking place in the Arconia, an affluent Upper West Side New York apartment complex, Only Murders In the Building follows a group of true crime obsessed tenants: semi-retired televison actor Chareles Haden-Savage (Steve Martin), financially struggling theater director Oliver Putnam (Martin Short) and young apartment renovator Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez). One day by coincidence, the three of them meet on an elevator along with another tenant, Tim Kono, who is making a frantic and angry phone call about a very important package that hasn’t arrived. Later on that same day, an alarm sounds in the building instructing everyone to evacuate, and the trio meet again outside the building and bond over their love for a murder mystery podcast. When they return to the Arconia, they learn that there has been a murder in the building, and when they sneak into the building to find out who it was, they find Tim Kono dead in his apartment. Even though Kono’s death was ruled a suicide by the police, the three neighbors begin harboring suspicions about the death and decide to team up and create a true crime podcast documenting their own investigation of the death entitled Only Murders in the Building. 

The investigation of this case causes the trio to get into all sorts of trouble, as they break into their neighbors’ apartments in search for clues, interrogate tenants in the building and even receive mysterious death threats for not leaving the case alone. The show is a brilliant blend of suspense and comedy with acting that does not disappoint. Not only are the acting performances beautiful, convincing and impactful from the show’s main characters, but performances from guest actors such as Sting, Tina Fey and Mandy Gonzalez really push the show to be as great as it is. 

Additionally, the individual episodes in this series are all wonderfully unique, drive the plot forward and incorporate masterful cinematography. One of the show’s most creative, format-breaking and standout episodes is a silent episode entitled “The Boy from 6B” that is entirely shot from the perspective of one of the primary suspects who is deaf. Even though silent episodes are nothing new in the world of cinema, the way this episode builds tension and thrill is everything a mystery show needs. 

Only Murders in the Building is the perfect show to get into over the summer. It will keep you on the edge of your seat and laughing at the brilliant comedic writing. All episodes of season one are available on Hulu and the second season is coming soon. 

Grade: A-