‘Only Murders In The Building’ Season 5 Review

There’s something pleasantly familiar about the way Mabel (Selena Gomez), Oliver (Martin Short), and Charles (Steve Martin) interact in Martin and John Hoffman’s Hulu Original, Only Murders in the Building. For four seasons, we’ve followed them successfully solve murders and tuned in to their true-crime podcast. The newest, 5th season only further proves that the creators and crew still have the verve and enthusiasm to deliver witty, cohesive “whodunnit” stories.

No sooner has Oliver tied the knot with his beloved Loretta (Meryl Streep) than chaos returns to the Arconia. The trio barely has a moment to bask in post-wedding bliss before another murder rocks the building. This time, it’s the doorman Lester (Teddy Coluca), who falls victim, and the culprit, true to form, vanishes into the night. As Mabel, Charles, and Oliver dig into the tangled web of Lester’s past at the Arconia, they discover connections that stretch far beyond the building’s walls. The mystery links not only to the mob’s wife, Sofia Caccimelio (Téa Leoni), who enlists their help in her husband’s disappearance (Bobby Cannavale), but also to a group of global power players: the designer Camila White (Renée Zellweger), longevity enthusiast Bash Steed (Christoph Waltz), and social media influencer Jay Pflug (Logan Lerman).

As Mabel, Charles, and Oliver chase down every clue in this latest murder mystery, they also wrestle with the twists and turns of their own lives. Charles dips his toe into the unpredictable world of online dating, Oliver contemplates what a future with Loretta might hold, and Mabel questions her own path as those around her seem to move forward. Four seasons in, the now-iconic trio of Gomez, Martin, and Short pour their hearts into the new episodes, keeping the show as sharp and captivating as ever. Each new escapade is a delight, especially when it means watching Oliver spiral into comic panic or Charles approach chaos with his signature pragmatism.

With the series returning for season 5, the creators introduce new faces and characters to cast suspicion on. While Zellweger, Waltz, and Lerman are strong additions, their roles don’t receive the same level of development as the central ensemble. Still, the storyline remains engaging, particularly through intriguing flashbacks to Lester’s early days in the Arconia. The directors and writers ensure we feel the same investment that began in season 1 and has only deepened since. Leoni, too, is a standout addition.

Alongside adept directing comes exceptional writing, which, in season 5, remains as clever, side-splitting, and entertaining as ever. Among season writers are Taylor Cox, McKenna Thurber, Max Searle, and J. J. Philbin, who craft another well-constructed “whodunnit” mystery. One we’re eager to solve before Mabel, Oliver, and Charles do. There’s little to complain about, especially when the occasionally overlong scenes are redeemed by one of Oliver’s absurd monologues, usually about some obscure project he’s been involved in.

Season 5 of Only Murders in the Building delivers more laughter, more intrigue, and more pizazz while weaving a complex ‘whodunnit’ that explores the Arconia’s early days; a building hiding more secrets than anyone could have imagined. With a mix of new faces and beloved returning characters, this season proves to be another one for the books.

Grade: B+

Only Murders in the Building premieres on September 9th with the first three episodes dropping simultaneously on Hulu.

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