I Love Only Murders In The Building, But I Hope Season 4 Is The Last One

Summary

• While Only Murders in the Building has been a captivating show, it may be time for season 4 to be its last.
• Concerns have risen about the show’s ability to maintain its charm in a new LA setting, potentially diluting the original premise.
• Season 3 received positive reviews but didn’t reach the heights of the first two seasons, focusing more on new characters.

I’m a huge fan of Only Murders in the Building, but I truly hope season 4 marks the end of the Hulu comedy-drama. It’s always difficult to wish for one of your favorite TV shows to end. However, watching it deteriorate over time and drag on is even more painful. There are many examples of popular TV shows that got worse as they continued, from Riverdale to Killing Eve. While Selena Gomez expressed uncertainty about Only Murders in the Building‘s future, I’d have trouble supporting another installment if it’s renewed.

No doubt one of the best TV shows on Hulu, Only Murders in the Building follows three residents of an upscale New York City building called the Arconia – former TV star Charles-Haden Savage (Steve Martin), broke Broadway director Oliver Putnam (Martin Short), and the sardonic young artist, Mabel Mora (Gomez) – and their eponymous true-crime podcast. The Only Murders in the Building cast is stellar, with big names like Paul Rudd and Meryl Streep guest starring in season 3. Though the show is a deliciously entertaining whodunnit that straddles comedy with layered character development, maybe it’s best to end while on top.

Only Murders In The Building Is Great, But Its Premise Only Goes So Far

How Many Murders Can Keep Happening In The Arconia?

I know I’m not alone in thinking Only Murders in the Building is a great show, but its premise cannot be stretched beyond a certain point. The show is fundamentally based on a murder taking place in the Arconia, and the trio ingeniously – and comedically – solving the mystery together. Surely, there are only so many murders that can plausibly keep happening in the same building within a short span of time. Additionally, Only Murders in the Building season 4 is moving to Los Angeles, raising questions about how the podcast and murder case will be addressed in this new location.

Only Murders in the Building
season 4’s new setting raises concerns about its ability to retain its charm in a different atmosphere, as LA famously has a very different vibe from New York.

The show’s winning formula is its setting in the Arconia within New York City. Only Murders in the Building season 4’s new setting raises concerns about its ability to retain its charm in a different atmosphere, as LA famously has a very different vibe from New York. Moreover, even if this move is temporary, Mabel is set to sell her flat, and Oliver will continue his relationship with Loretta Durkin (Streep). With these developments, the trio will likely spend less time at the Arconia, diluting the central premise of the show.

Only Murders Season 3 Wasn’t As Good As The Previous Two Seasons

Though It Was Still Very Good

While still highly entertaining, Only Murders in the Building season 3 didn’t quite reach the heights of the first two seasons, in my opinion. Only Murders in the Building season 3 reviews were still overwhelmingly positive. The plot kicked off with the dramatic onstage death of Ben Glenroy (Rudd), setting the stage for a complex investigation. Oliver’s preoccupation with his play and new relationship, alongside Charles’ struggles with his role, left Mabel to spearhead the investigation, adding tension to their friendship. The season effectively integrated its guest stars into the storyline, while the reimagination of Oliver’s play as a musical was fresh and inventive.

The focus on Oliver’s play and the new characters involved, while intriguing, meant that beloved Arconia residents received less screen time, and the tight-knit feeling of the previous seasons was somewhat compromised.

The show retained its core magic largely due to the impeccable chemistry between the leads, but its introduction of a broader setting of Broadway beyond the Arconia detracted from the intimate, quirky atmosphere that I enjoyed in previous seasons. The focus on Oliver’s play and the new characters involved, while intriguing, meant that beloved Arconia residents received less screen time, and the tight-knit feeling of the previous seasons was somewhat compromised. Now, I hope Only Murders in the Building season 4 doesn’t further drop in quality and instead takes the show to another level.

Will Only Murders In The Building Season 4 Actually Be The Last One?

It Remains Unknown But Probably Depends On Its Reception

Only Murders in the building season 4 may or may not end up being the last. Gomez’s answer was decidedly open-ended, stressing that she doesn’t know what the future holds and that the team treats every season as though it is the last. She added that she was satisfied with the trajectory of the show. “But again, who knows?” Gomez before ending with, “let’s see what happens.” This emphatic ambiguity means it’s anyone’s best guess whether season 4 will actually be the show’s last.

The Only Murders in the Building season 4 trailer sees the trio grapple with the murder of Charles’ stunt double Sazz, wondering if Charles was the intended victim. Their investigation takes them to LA, where a big Hollywood studio is preparing a movie adaptation of their podcast. According to the trailer, Only Murders in the Building season 4 will be the “starriest season yet,” with legends like Eugene Levy, Eva Longoria, Zach Galifianakis, Molly Shannon, Kumail Nanjiani, and Melissa McCarthy set to appear. I can’t help but get excited with that guest list, but I still think it’s time to say goodbye after this chapter.