We’re just days away from the return of Only Murders in the Building, a cosy crime favourite that marks the start of autumn TV season.
The fifth season, starring Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez, will explore New York’s mob scene, and how it connects to the latest tragic death at the Arconia: that of friendly doorman Lester Coluca.
Let me start by saying that I adore this show. The lead trio have incredible chemistry, and the series is brilliant at keeping me guessing – even with my detective skills steadily improving over the years.
However, having followed it since the very beginning, there are some key issues that I’ve had with previous instalments – issues I’m really hoping season 5 sidesteps just as carefully as Oliver avoids discussing any of his past failed plays and projects.
Bypassing the trio dynamics for celeb guest stars
It’s no secret that OMITB loves recruiting names from across Hollywood, and while some are meaningful additions to the plot (like Meryl Streep’s Loretta, who is now Oliver’s wife), some just seem to be thrown in as yet another cheeky wink to the audience, which detracts from some of the better on-screen pairings and group dynamics.
Take last season, which featured Melissa McCarthy as Charles’s sister, Doreen. While her appearance basically built towards a physical brawl between her and Streep, I didn’t feel like she had any resemblance to Charles at all, and the humour didn’t land as well as was intended.
One episode with Doreen also featured Eugene Levy, Zach Galifianakis and Eva Longoria as themselves, taking over the crime-solving aspect of the show. As such, I feel we lost a lot of the iconic banter between Charles, Oliver and Mabel that makes Only Murders so charming in the first place.
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The reason I’ve put this point at the top is that the cast list for season 5 does make me worry that this season has a high possibility of repeating this mistake. Stars this time around include Bobby Cannavale, Renée Zellweger, Logan Lerman, Christoph Waltz, Téa Leoni, Keegan-Michael Key, Beanie Feldstein, Dianne Wiest, Jermaine Fowler and plenty of other returning players.
I only hope that these new members are used effectively, rather than taking over the entire show.
Having yet another love interest for Mabel
Conversely, one of the best things about last season was not giving Mabel a new romantic partner – something that was long overdue.
While the first season gained a layer of complexity with Mabel’s connection to its victim, Tim Kono, it was difficult to believe her chemistry with Cara Delevingne’s Alice Banks or Jesse Williams’s Tobert. Mabel doesn’t need a bit on the side to make her interesting and complex – in fact, these subplots often divert from her best moments.
Last season, she could completely focus on the case at hand and had so many more funny segments with Charles and Oliver. It was a big step forward, and I hope that season 5 doesn’t decide to do a U-turn on this choice.
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Not revealing more about the Arconia
For a show with the word ‘building’ in the title, we have often strayed far from the secrets and mysteries of the Arconia itself.
While season 3’s epic musical was a joy to behold (mainly due to Charles’s tongue-twister of a solo), most of the action took place in a nearby theatre on Broadway. Meanwhile, season 4 spent a good portion of time in Los Angeles – though thankfully, we did get to discover new residents and find out what life is like in the other wing of the building.
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The show’s iconic set deserves to be used to its full potential. For example, when our trio discovered the secret passageways that allowed people to get around the Arconia unseen, it was a huge, wonderful twist.
Lester is a man with a wealth of history at the Arconia, having taken the job after his theatre career dried up and he became homeless. He’ll have witnessed some interesting things over the years, which could reveal more unexplored lore about the core setting of this show, as we delve into the circumstances surrounding his death.
Lots of the advertising for this season has been casino-themed, and knowing that the mob is involved, there may very well be another key location in New York season 5 – I just pray that the heart and home of the show doesn’t get forgotten in the process.
Only Murders in the Building season 5 returns on Tuesday 9 September 2025 on Hulu in the US and Disney+ in the UK.
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