‘Only Murders in the Building’ Season Five Kills with Critics and Fans Alike

Mobsters. Pop songs. A dead doorman.

The fifth season of hit Hulu Original series “Only Murders in the Building” welcomed guests back into the Arconia Sept. 9, introducing brand-new recurring characters to the comedic creation. 

Having just concluded Oct. 28, the newest season has already reached a whopping 90% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, showing the widespread adoration critics share for the show.

This season follows the investigative whereabouts of elderly-millenial trio Charles Haden-Savage (Steve Martin), Oliver Putnam (Martin Short) and Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez) as they search to find their doorman Lester’s (Teddy Coluca) killer and the answers to new mysteries that unravel.

Filled with comedic charm, the series, created by Martin and John Hoffman, combines the thrill of an ominous murder mystery with the sentimentality of generation-gap relationships. 

Charles, Oliver and Mabel converse with witty banter in each episode, giving audiences the beautiful image of wholesome connection between good friends — whether it be recording their podcast, exploring secret stairwells or rolling uncomfortably large carts of laundry down the streets of New York City.

Contrary to previous storylines, the fifth season brings a mob presence into play, introducing Nicky Caccimelio (Bobby Cannavale), a shady, greasy mafia-man of the Upper West Side. When he goes missing, his wife Sofia (Téa Leoni) calls upon the podcasters to find him, launching the troop into a darkened rabbit hole where the cases of Lester and Nicky may be intertwined.

Sensational, big-name pop-star Thē  (Beanie Feldstein) is also welcomed into the Arconia where she and Mabel battle a sarcastic argument about amateur casework. The wide-eyed singer’s overbearing personality blends well with Mabel’s monotone and Oliver and Charles’ perkiness crafting a luscious blend of comedic diversity.

In true mystery-thriller fashion, each character is hiding something from the other, creating an intricately woven web of deception that complicates the murder case at hand. With jaw-dropping twists sprinkled throughout each episode, viewers are strung along the traditionally suspenseful adventure of misdirection present in all five seasons of the tumultuous television series..

Residents of the Arconia begin to conflict with filthy rich billionaires Jay Pflug (Logan Lerman), Camila White (Reneé Zellweger) and Bash Steed (Christoph Waltz) — their newly formed obsessions with their buildings seeming far from genuine. 

While attempting to discover the wealthy group’s ulterior motives, Mabel, Charles and Oliver find themselves faced with everything from robot butlers to building evictions, allowing for many a comedic moment for audiences to cherish throughout the 10-episode installment.

No matter the time, “Only Murders In the Building’s” latest season consistently boasts laugh-out-loud moments finished with a touch of eeriness, crafting the perfect concoction of cozy murder mystery for a cold autumn’s night. 

Complete with raving reviews and a captivating plot, now may be the perfect time to take a stab at this murderessly-merry comedy hit.

All episodes of “Only Murders in the Building” are available to stream on Hulu.