It’s been a long ten months without TV’s best amateur sleuths, butOnly Murders in the Buildingis finally back! As Season 4 of the Hulu hit gets underway, a location change andlarger-than-life anticspromise to make this year the best yet.The show initially followed three strangersand true crime fanatics, who all lived in the sameNew York City apartment building, the Arconia. Brought together by amysterious murder in the building, Charles-Haden Savage (Steve Martin), Oliver Putnum (Martin Short), and Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez) set out to find the killer, uncover the Arconia’s secrets, and start a true-crime podcast.
Whilemuch has changedabout the show since those early days,its heightened sense of humor, signature twists, and stylized quirkiness remain consistent. But, in the show’s early days, finding some of its best elements wasn’t easy. From a set ravaged by prying eyes to a world-changing event,Only Murders in the Building, Season 1, was anything but aromp in the White Room.
Star-Power Attracted Unwanted Attention to the Set
From the beginning,Only Murders in the Buildingwas a show with impact thanks toits star-studded cast.Martin and Shortare two of themost influential comedic playersof all time, while Gomez made a name for herself at a young age, due in large part toWizards of Waverly Placeon Disney Channel. All three have had continually busy and illustrious careers, so the casting was certainly impressive.According to theNew York Times, Martin and Short, who had worked together before the show, were unsure of how Gomez would fit in with their style of comedy. Short hadn’t even heard of Gomez prior to filming, but the three quickly bonded, and the trio ended up beinga match made in comedy Heaven.While Short may not have been familiar with Gomez, there were plenty of fans who were.
As stated in aTown and Countryinterviewwith starAaron Dominguez, who played Oscar during the first season, filming in the middle of New York City with apopular star like Gomezdrew plenty of attention. He recalled: “…we were on location on the Upper West Side shooting either episode five or six, and the city was buzzing.With a person of Selena’s star caliber, there were people all over the place, and paparazzi and fans everywhere. During all what felt like chaos at times — because we were trying to shoot a scene and there were people everywhere yelling her name — we were trying to stay within the scene.” Though he fondly remembered Gomez’s care for a group of school children who recognized her, theconstant interruptionmadeshooting difficult.
While there were moments of genuine great interactions with fans, the set and Gomez was plagued by one of the most disliked forces in the industry: the paparazzi. Asreported byYahoo, photographers frequently stalked the Belnore apartment building (the structure that doubles for the Arconia).Gomez made waves for flipping off a member of the uninvited photographers while on set. She explained totheLA Times, “Somebody was being disrespectful. And I don’t do well with that. Look, I am a very modest person, until you disrespect people. Maybe [it wasn’t] my best moment, but a girl’s gotta’ do what a girl’s gotta’ do.”
The 15 Best ‘Only Murders in the Building’ Quotes, Ranked
“How do you call the cops? Do you just Google ‘cops’?”
The harassment didn’t stop on set either. An on-set photo snapped by the paparazzi showed Gomez linked arm and arm with Dominguez. Per the LA Times, the two were berated with online comments insistingthey were dating. Gomez responded to the allegations by saying “We hadjuststarted working together. I honestly thought, ‘No wonder guys don’t want to date me!’” But ruined takes and frustrating interruptions were only part of the Season 1 difficulties.
‘Only Murders in the Building’ Season 1 Was Filmed in the Middle of COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic wracked the entire world,not to mention the entertainment industry.Only Murders in the Buildingbegan production in the middle of the outbreak. Showrunner and executive producer,John Hoffman, recalled the daily anxieties of filming during such an unprecedented time toVariety. He lamented thatall three of his stars had conditions that made them especially susceptible to the virus. Martin and Short’s ages put them at risk, while Gomez, who is immunocompromised, was also in danger of negative effects. The producer said he told himself, “Don’t kill any legends today,” each morning before work.
“The responsibilities were just multiplied across the board on the production end in ways that I think anyone who was shooting during that time,” Hoffman said, “and everyone who’s living during this time,I think we were all with such questions about how do you operate in the world right now?” The producer explained that, while they would eventually learn how to run the show around the restrictions, it was a massive learning experience. Surprisingly though, the various challenges presented by Season 1’s production led to some of theshow’s most iconic elements.
Season 1 Restrictions Helped Create ‘Only Murders in the Building’
Only Murders in the Buildingisrenowned not only for its fantastic and comical mysteriesbut also for its stylish design.The Arconia is a character in and of itself. The auspicious building is filled with mystery and majesty and is in no small way responsible for making the world of the show so fascinating.Whilethe Belnord buildingdoubles for the Arconia’s exteriors, filming inside was not possible.
Inan interview with IndieWire,production designerCurt Beechexplained that filming during the pandemic meant they had tobuild almost every interiorfor the season.Indeed, the entirety of the Arconia’s inside was built on a soundstage. While this may have been less than ideal at first, it allowed Beech complete creative control over the show’s look. According to Beech, he was able to tailor each character’s apartment to directly represent their personalities. It was a mission he more than accomplished. The production created a sense of grandeur in one scene and a sense of mystery and even horror in another.
Only Murders in the Buildinghas been one ofthe most beloved streaming seriessince it debuted. But its inaugural season was ripe with production problems. From a set invasion from the paparazzi to the COVID-19 pandemic restricting production, Season 1 of the hit Hulu dramedywas murder to shoot. However,the on-set issuesled to one of the show’s most important elemental designs: the Arconia itself. Today, the iconic interiors of the beautiful and mysterious structureis just as much a characteras the infamous trio.
Only Murders in the Buildingis available to stream on Hulu in the U.S.
Only Murders in the Building
Three strangers in a New York City apartment building bond over their shared interest in true crime and form an unlikely team to investigate a suspicious death in their complex. Their amateur sleuthing quickly evolves into a thrilling quest as they navigate secrets, lies, and unexpected twists.
