Review: 'Only Murders in the Building' Season 4
We're back
Only Murders in the Building (OMITB) returns to form as our beloved trio works to solve the murder of Sazz Pataki, Charles’ stunt double and longtime friend.
In their search for clues, the trio question if Sazz was the intended victim. As Charles’ stunt double, could the killer have mistaken her for him? Meanwhile, a Hollywood production of Only Murders in the Building starts up and requires the trio’s involvement.
While season 4 doesn’t live up to the same magic and coziness of season 1, it delivers a compelling mystery with humour and heart. Each episode unravels a piece of the puzzle, building suspense and teasing what’s to come. I was consistently engaged and always looked forward to the next episode.
What I love about this season is the portrayal of grief and friendship. What does it mean to lose your oldest friend in the world? How do you cope? How does this affect your other relationships? These questions are echoed throughout the entire season for all the characters.
This season’s death is personal for Charles. He has to come to terms with losing Sazz and try to avenge her. In true OMITB fashion, his grieving process is both heartfelt and funny as he reflects on his friendship with Sazz as well as his current friendships with Mabel and Oliver. Steve Martin does some of his best work on OMITB this season.
Not only does the series expand on Charles and Sazz’s friendship, but we also see Sazz as her own person rather than an extension of Charles or just a victim. She has a whole life apart from him and a whole life ahead of her. We get to learn about her career, her community of stunt people and her goals and aspirations.
OMTIB has always pushed past the spectacle of murder and taken the time to humanize the victims and show the effects of a tragic loss. This is what I think the show excels at rather than the murder mystery aspect. The show’s heart and sympathy for its characters are what makes it special.
When the series gets personal, I’m much more invested, which is why I found this season to be a step up from the previous one. Sazz’s death brings the trio closer together. Their relationship is more of a focal point relative to season 3. The chemistry is stronger and they have more scenes together. We get more of the original dynamic of the two wacky older men and the sarcastic, eye-rolling young woman. It’s fun and zany, but also touching. They’re family now. The bond they share is meaningful and acknowledged and cherished by each of them.
We see the same found family trope with The Westies, residents in the West tower of the Arconia. The Westies have their own secrets and deaths to deal with but like the main trio, they’re just a rag-tag bunch looking for their place in the world and have somehow managed to find each other. It’s all very sweet, and grounds the show.
Season 4 is not without its faults though. Mabel takes a step back. She doesn’t have a meaningful arc compared to Charles or Oliver, but I’m glad the revolving door of love interests has seemingly been bolted shut. It’s refreshing to see her single. I only hope she has more to do in season 5.
OMITB clearly follows a formula. It’s not the worst thing in the world but the predictability is starting to get stale. The season finale sets up the main storyline for season 5 and let’s just say, I was hoping the series would go in a different direction.
Additionally, season 4 was slightly busy for my taste with the Westies/Dudenoff subplot, the Hollywood production and solving Sazz’s murder. The different storylines mostly intertwine but overall, this was a convoluted season with too many suspects and new characters introduced. And if memory serves me correctly, there were more exposition dumps than usual.
There were a lot of guest stars. You can find the extensive list here. Not everyone got a chance to shine; some actors were better utilized than others. Richard Kind and Molly Shannon had great moments. I also liked the capacity in which Paul Rudd was brought back.
My favourite guest of the season would have to be Melissa McCarthy, who appears in episode 7 “Valley of the Dolls” as Charles’ younger sister, Doreen. I’ll say it right now, give her the Emmy. She’s hysterical. Every line reading cracked me up and the clip of her and Meryl Streep physically fighting still plays in my mind.
McCarthy is also very genuine in her scenes with Steve Martin as Doreen and Charles try to mend a fractured relationship. There’s a skillful blend of comedy and drama in her performance. She absolutely steals the episode.
This balance of different genres is something the series does really well too. Season 4 is hilarious, possibly the funniest of the series. Characters will often interrupt serious moments with a witty remark or distasteful joke (looking at you Oliver), but OMITB still takes the time to dive into conflict and allow characters to grieve and grow. We get to sit in moments of hurt or sorrow and really feel all the emotions. It’s cathartic.
For a show about murder, OMITB is feel-good and quite upbeat. Despite its flaws, this season, and this show, always put a smile on my face. The good definitely outweighs the bad and I’ll keep watching for however long the show will be on for.