While I’m still hoping that stars Martin Short and Meryl Streep could be a couple, I’m also excited about the Only Murders in the Building season 4 premiere. But there’s a major change in these new episodes, and it’s got more than a few OMitB fans upset.
After the wild season 3 finale, I couldn’t wait to see more of Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez), Charles-Haden Savage (Steve Martin), and Oliver Putnam (Short). The Hulu comedy dream team is solving yet another crime… but this time, as nomads. Well, kinda.
What is the concerning Only Murders in the Building season 4 change?
While I would watch Short and Martin in literally anything (and can’t be the only one), I’m not a huge fan of the big change made in Only Murders in the Building season 4: its relocation to Hollywood. Charles, Mabel, and Oliver’s podcast is being made into a movie, and they’re stepping out of the Arconia and spending some of the season in Los Angeles. According to a thread in the Only Murders SubReddit, many fans aren’t on board with this shift in setting.
Redditor @professorfunkenpunk wrote, “That’s a bummer because The Arconia building is “a character,” and several viewers thought the same thing. Redditor @unclefalter thinks “this will be their jump the shark moment.” @bminutes articulated the main problem perfectly: the new season “Doesn’t take place in the building.” And @apatheticwizardsfans made me laugh when they commented, “It just makes too much sense to put them in a place people don’t want them to be.”
While I can’t complain about watching Zach Galifianakis, Kumail Nanjiani, Eugene Levy, or Eva Longoria, as this is an embarrassment of TV riches, I do worry about watching most of a season that takes place in Hollywood. When movies or TV shows depict the behind-the-scenes of filmmaking or TV production, it can come off as cheesy rather than clever. Scream 3 is the least popular movie in the horror franchise for this reason, and the short-lived Hulu sitcom Reboot was a total disappointment. Reboot is a crash course in how not even an all-star cast (in this case, Keegan Michael-Key, Paul Reiser, Rachel Bloom, and Judy Greer) can save a corny concept and jokes that don’t land.
When I think about how Only Murders in the Building can continue, I’m torn between understanding the need to shake things up, and a desire for the setting to remain the same. It’s so much fun watching the three main characters solve murders where they live, since no one would expect so many deaths to happen in a beautiful and famous old New York City property. As they say, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! Oliver’s (over-the-top) love of dips, Charles reconnecting with his sweet daughter, and Mabel’s romantic life are all compelling enough. No episodes need to take place outside of NYC, as far as I’m concerned, and it seems like a lot of other fans feel the same way.
While I might be apprehensive about the rest of Only Murders in the Building season 4, the first episode does achieve its goal of showcasing the sweet dynamic between Mabel, Oliver, and Charles. Arconia or no Arconia, maybe the friends we made along the way is what we’re all here for, anyway.