Critically-acclaimed Hulu originalOnly Murders in the Buildingreturns soon with its highly-anticipated third season.In Season 1, we see Mabel (Selena Gomez), Charles (Steve Martin), and Oliver (Martin Short) come together to launch their crime-solving podcast of the same name while untangling a years-long mystery plus a murder, all of them happening under the same roof — The Arconia, their apartment building. Season 2 covers multiple storylines that start when Mabel becomes the main suspect in Bunny’s (Jayne Houdyshell) murder, with Charles and Oliver as her accomplices. Here’s a recap with everything you need to rememberahead of Season 3.
The Trio Take the Criminal Spotlight in ‘Only Murders in the Building’ Season 2
Mabel, Charles, and Oliver are taken into custody following Bunny’s murder, but are released shortly after due to lack of evidence. Mabel tries to distance herself from crime-related topics, including the podcast with Charles and Oliver. After her mural of the Arconians goes viral, she meets Alice (Cara Delevingne), a local artist with whom she starts bonding. Alice helps Mabel get over her rage and stress by connecting with her artistic side. Mabel’s attraction to Alice is based in her not knowing Mabel’s backstory. Eventually they accept they have mutual feelings and start a relationship.
Although things are looking up for Mabel on the romance front, she still can’t escape the murder case. She even has gained a “following” of sorts from “fans” on social media, who have deemed her “Bloody Mabel.” Things only look more suspicious when she gets in trouble after seemingly stabbing “Glitter Guy,” one of the long list of suspects they had at the time, in public. Theo (James Caverly) helps her through the whole ordeal and both finally get closure for Zoe’s (Olivia Reis) death after Mabel forgives him.
Meanwhile, Charles also tries to redirect his energies to something other than the podcast and accepts a role in the Brazzos reboot — only to learn the show will be focused on a woman playing his niece and he’ll now be Uncle Brazzos, his same character but with a bit of dementia and using a wheelchair. Lucy (Zoe Colletti), the teenage daughter of one of his ex-girlfriends, visits him and reveals there are tunnels all over The Arconia, but withholds an important piece of information — she actually saw the killer fleeing through them on the night Bunny was murdered. When the mystery thickens, Charles visitspast love/Season 1 culprit Jan (Amy Ryan)and she guides him through the killer’s modus operandi.
Conversely, Oliver doesn’t want to let go of the podcast, insisting on doing a sequel about Bunny’s murder. He does eventually succeed in convincing Mabel and Charles to restart it after things grow even more shady surrounding the murder. As for his life outside the podcast, Oliver gets close with his son Will (Ryan Broussard) while helping him direct a play, but that leads to him suspecting he might not be his biological father. After taking a DNA test, they learn he has Greek ancestors, whereas Oliver has Irish ancestry. Oliver discusses this with Teddy (Nathan Lane) and he admits to having an affair with Oliver’s wife, but they agree to never tell Will.
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What’s With the Painting in ‘Only Murders in the Building’ Season 2?
Now, let’s talk about the infamous painting, one of the most puzzling mysteries in Season 2. The killer places a painting that used to belong to Bunny in Charles’ apartment, trying to incriminate him. In the process, Charles discovers his father’s story, as he is depicted in said painting, along with Bunny’s mother Leonora (Shirley MacLaine). The trio attempt to sneak the painting back into Bunny’s apartment when her memorial takes place, but are unsuccessful and forced to leave it in a dumpster, from where it disappears. It turns out thatAmy Schumer, the newest neighbor in The Arconia, took it from the dumpster and put it in her penthouse, only to realize it’s a fake.
Amy Schumer is not the only one who wanted the painting, however. Bunny’s mother Leonora also showed up to the hotel after her daughter’s death, hoping to acquire the painting that she claimed was actually hers. It is Leonora who confirms Schumer’s painting is a fake. The real painting is then revealed to be under the cage of Mrs. Gambolini, Bunny’s bird. It’s further revealed that under that painting isanotherone, depicting Charles and his father at a young age. And with one final twist, it turns out that the woman who has been claiming to be Bunny’s mother Leonora, isnotin fact Leonora, but Rose Cooper, the artist behindbothpaintings and a woman who was in love with Charles' father.
Who Killed Bunny in ‘Only Murders in the Building’ Season 2?
While Bunny always was a sour and nagging presence in the lives of the Arconians, an episode dedicated to her last day reveals she was just going through life like the rest of them. In the flashback, we see how after the triosolved the Season 1 mystery, Bunny tried to connect with them by offering them a bottle of champagne to share, but they swiftly rejected her and shortly afterwards, she was murdered. In present time, Mabel, Charles, and Oliver are invaded by guilt asking themselves if that could have saved her if they just let her in.
The only way to honor Bunny’s memory is to find her killer, and the trio do that by piecing together a larger puzzle. Bunny was stabbed not only with a knitting needle, but also with a knife. The knife shows up in Charles’ apartment in the continuous attempts to incriminate them. They give the knife to Detective Williams (Da’Vine Joy Randolph), who gets it tested and discovers the murderer’s DNA on it. Before dying, Bunny also whispered two things to Mabel, one being “14” and the other apparently being “Savage,” then thought to be “Passage,” and finally revealed to be “Sandwich” — as in Sandwich 14, the killer’s order at The Pickle Diner.
Throughout the season, guilt is directed toward several suspects, including: Nina Lin (Christine Ko), Bunny’s successor who threatened her to step down the day she was murdered; Alice, because she lied about her past and is then seen by Mabel recreating Bunny’s crime scene; Marv (Daniel Oreskes), a fan of the podcast whom they find lurking the tunnels; Cinda (Tina Fey) who’d do anything to get ratings for her ‘Only Murderers in the Building’ podcast; and the mysterious Glitter Guy. But with an elaborate “Killer Reveal Party,” the trio pushes the killer to come forward. Cinda’s assistant Poppy (Adina Verson) is revealed to be the mastermind, with Williams’ partner, Detective Kreps (Michael Rapaport), as her accomplice (and secret boyfriend) – Glitter Guy. Poppy’s real name is actually Becky Butler, a girl from Oklahoma who, you might remember, was supposedly murdered according to Cinda’s popular “All Is Not OK in Oklahoma” podcast. It turns out that Becky, who listened to Cinda’s podcasts as a way of escaping her unfulfilling life in Oklahoma, staged her own disappearance, changed her appearance, and pitched the “All Is Not OK in Oklahoma” idea to Cinda in hopes of working with her. After realizing she would never get the credit she deserved working with Cinda, she killed Bunny in an attempt to get a promotion, but then realized Cinda would always overlook her. She tried unsuccessfully to incriminate Cinda instead, but to no avail. Poppy and Kreps are arrested, and the trio is finally off the hook.
How Does ‘Only Murders in the Building’ Season 2 End?
We love happy endings, and we’re glad the trio get theirs — for the most part. Mabel finally starts renovating the apartment with Alice’s help. Because of the solving of Bunny’s murder, Charles gets an extended role in the Brazzos reboot. Oliver confronts Will, ready to tell him the truth about his father, but Will tells him if he’s not his father, then he doesn’t know what a father is. A year later, Charles is set to star in Oliver’s Broadway play, along with Ben Glenroy (Paul Rudd), but they don’t get along at all. The show premieres, and as Ben enters the stage, he collapses and dies (gasp!).
Only Murders in the Buildingmasters the ability to mix a complex mystery with unfaltering comedy through its protagonists’ charm. The third season will hold no punches, withMeryl Streepjoining the cast, itssuper-sized two-episode premiere, and thebuzz of a musical episodebeing produced. Otherconfirmed recurring cast membersincludeJesse Williams,Andrea Martin(returning from Season 2), andAshley Park.
Only Murders in the BuildingSeason 3 premieres on August 8 on Hulu. Check out the trailer below.
