The show is a love letter to New York architecture and interior design. But its most memorable trick is using the Arconia’s elevator and floorplans to track suspects. One episode in particular, “The Boy from 6B,” tells an entire story from a deaf character’s perspective—using near silence, subtitles, and vibration—resulting in one of the most inventive and moving episodes of television that year.
In a television landscape saturated with grim detective dramas and true-crime parodies, Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building arrived in August 2021 like a perfectly aged cocktail: witty, warm, and unexpectedly poignant. Created by Steve Martin and John Hoffman, Season 1 doesn’t just solve a murder; it deconstructs our obsession with solving them—while building one of the most charming odd-couple trios in recent memory. only murders in the building season 1
Balancing murder with belly laughs is a tightrope walk. Season 1 does it with grace. It satirizes podcast culture (the obsessive fans, the merch, the cliffhangers) without ever mocking its audience. The mystery is genuinely compelling—layer upon layer of red herrings, secret lovers, and neighborhood grievances—but it’s the characters’ loneliness that lingers. The show argues that true crime isn’t just about the victim; it’s about the living using puzzles to distract from their own isolation. The show is a love letter to New
The series takes place in the Arconia, a luxurious apartment building on Manhattan's Upper West Side. The story centers around three main characters: Charles-Haden Savage (played by Steve Martin), a washed-up actor struggling to revive his career; Oliver Putnam (played by Martin Short), a short-lived Broadway playwright turned true crime enthusiast; and Mabel Mora (played by Selena Gomez), a young and introverted artist with a passion for podcasts. In a television landscape saturated with grim detective
All 10 episodes of Season 1 are streaming on Hulu (US) and Disney+/Star (International).
As the investigation progresses, a cast of suspects emerges, each with their own motives and secrets. There's Harris Thames (played by Adam Schlesinger), Bunny's boyfriend with a questionable past; Jan (played by Amy Ryan), a reclusive neighbor with a grudge against Bunny; and Theo Dimas (played by Michael Cyril Creighton), a charming but suspicious businessman.
Beneath its witty banter and engaging mystery, "Only Murders in the Building" explores themes of loneliness, community, and the blurred lines between reality and fiction. The show pokes fun at the true crime genre, while also acknowledging its allure and the ways in which it can both unite and manipulate audiences.