There are so many wonderful cast members in the fourth season of “Only Murders in the Building” that it becomes like a great comedy party with different talented artists throughout the soiree riffing on what they do best. A show that pushed the star throttle forward in a third outing that added the most acclaimed actresses of all time in Meryl Streep and one of the most likable comedy actors ever in Paul Rudd has not let up on bringing familiar faces into the fold. It’s clear that this is a show that the best of the best want to join, and the creators are wisely taking advantage of that fact, almost mocking the nearly “Love Boat”-esque approach to guest stars this season, along with noting that the last three mysteries haven’t exactly been airtight in terms of plot holes. It’s a cleverly self-referential and undeniably fun season, but it’s a tough one to judge because Hulu has given even fewer screeners than usual (7 of 10), and the closing act last season left a bit to be creatively desired. That could happen again. More likely, the party will be too fun for people to care how it ends.
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Last season ended with the shooting of Sazz Pataki (Jane Lynch), Charles’ stunt double from his Brazzos days, likely mistaken for the podcast superstar. Before they even realize Sazz is dead, Charles (Steve Martin), Oliver (Martin Short), and Mabel (Selena Gomez) have jetted off to Los Angeles, intrigued by a producer (Molly Shannon) who wants to turn “Only Murders in the Building” into a movie, starring Zach Galifianakis as Oliver, Eva Longoria as Mabel, and Eugene Levy as Charles—all three actors play themselves, having as much of a blast riffing on the traits of movie actors as the cast did riffing on theatre divas in the third season.
The Hollywood half of the fourth season of “Only Murders in the Building” is blinding enough in its comedy star power, but there’s arguably more fun to be had back at the Arcona, where the investigation into Sazz’s murder picks up after the first episode. Not only does Charles feel responsible for the death of his friend, but there’s the little fact that whoever fired that shot thought they were killing the TV star instead, which gives a bit of a tension to this season that the show has lacked before—just a bit, but it does add some stakes, and Martin is good at playing both that aspect of the season and the regret he has over losing an ally like Sazz.
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Knowing that the shot came from across the courtyard of the Arcona leads the podcast to an entire crew of people who live there, including a hysterical Richard Kind, Christmas-loving Kumail Nanjiani, the great Desmin Borges of “You’re the Worst,” and Broadway legend Daphne Rubin-Vega. If that’s not enough, a few guest stars from past seasons return that won’t be spoiled, and a perfectly cast Melissa McCarthy pops in late in the series to give the show arguably its funniest performance of the year.
When a show gets as crowded as the fourth season of “Only Murders in the Building” it has a habit of ceding a bit too much of the spotlight away from its actual lead, but that’s almost impossible to do with performers as legendary as Martin and Short, who have become so wonderfully comfortable in these roles. Not only does their comic timing remain absolutely perfect, but they get some beats this year that reflect their age and allow them to shade Oliver and Charles with more dramatic nuance. It would be spoilerish to say too much about Oliver’s arc, but his love story with Loretta isn’t done yet and that subplot gives Short a bit more range than the first three seasons, and Martin leans into regret in a way that feels true. It may sound minor, but these truthful emotional choices give an anchor to a show that can sometimes spin off the rails with ridiculous behavior. (For the record, Gomez is good again, but if there’s a victim of the overcrowding, it’s her.)
As for the special guests, what is there really to say about Eugene Levy, Molly Shannon, and Richard Kind? They’re expectedly great, sliding right into the world of this show in a manner that fits. The joyous feeling that fans of “Only Murders in the Building” get from their favorite show comes in part through the sense that the people making it are also having a blast. Watching a scene in which Levy, Martin, and Short riff is literally comedy history, three people who have shaped the form for generations. And no one is phoning it in here. If anything, the opposite is true, as it feels like everyone is bringing their A-game to keep up with legends like the stars of this show.
To be fair, the actual mystery this season is arguably the least engrossing. Sure, its got all the expected twists and turns—the show’s always been clever at cliffhangers, making it almost impossible to skip the next episode—but there’s a bit of wheel-spinning that’s bound to come in a show that is trying to craft a fourth mystery that’s more elaborate than the previous three. The show has also drifted a bit from one of its early strengths—gently prodding the true crime culture that would make a podcast like “Only Murders in the Building” a hit in the first place.
The truth is that nitpicking on the fourth season of Hulu’s Emmy darling feels somewhat like a worthless endeavor. All that really matters is this: The reasons that people watched and fell in love with “Only Murders in the Building” remain intact in the new outing. And they’ve even brought some new friends. [B+]
“Only Murders in the Building” Season 4 debuts on August 27 on Hulu.
