The world’s most unlikely comfort watch is back, baby! Only Murders in the Building returns for a third season on August 8, and while we are stretching the premise well past the point of credulity—the murders are no longer in the building—I cannot WAIT to return to The Arconia and the Only Murders world of real estate porn, fabulous coats, and the now-iconic trio of Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez. Yes, I am calling them iconic! Argue with a wall!
As teased at the end of season two, the third season’s murder victim is Ben Glenroy, a Broadway actor played by real-life friend of Selena Gomez, Paul Rudd. Meryl Streep also joins the cast as a fellow theater actor, and it appears she is maybe not so good at her job. Meryl Streep playing a bad actress? Give her the Emmy now! Also new this season are Ashley Park, Matthew Broderick, and Jesse Williams, and returning cast members include Tina Fey, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and Jackie Hoffman. The gang’s back together!
There is only thing that makes me nervous about this trailer, and that is the inclusion of these words: Featuring original music by the composers of La La Land, Waitress, & Hairspray. Waitress is a criminally underappreciated FILM, there is also a musical adaptation with music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles, and while I like Waitress and Sara Bareilles individually, y’all know how I feel about musicals. I am now petrified Only Murders is going to have MULTIPLE musical numbers. Which would actually make sense, since it seems this season is something of a tribute to Broadway. But still! Ugh!
Everything else about the trailer, though, is great. The way Selena Gomez’s eye twitches when Steve Martin mispronounces “meme” made me laugh, as did Gomez’s attempt at girl talk. There has always been a spikiness to Only Murders that belies the cozy trappings of lavish pre-war apartments, fabulous coats, and the chemistry of the lead trio, but one big reason Only Murders transcends its own prickly approach to true crime to become cozy is the humor. It’s so funny! Yet despite how funny it can be, these are very well written, well-acted characters that we care about. It’s fun to spend time with Oliver, Charles-Haden Savage, and Mabel, even when they’re being a little bitchy. With its combination of mystery, humor, and memorable characters played by legendary actors, I am fully convinced Only Murders is our contemporary Murder, She Wrote.
