Only Murders in the Building Recap: Show Your Cards

As a seasoned detective with years of experience under my belt, I must say this latest case has been quite the rollercoaster ride. The twists and turns are more than I can handle, but that’s what keeps me on my toes!

Have you been concerned about Arconia having fewer people to target for murder? Relax! It seems we’ve barely touched the tip of the iceberg in these last three seasons. This week, we were introduced to the West Tower – the neglected sibling of the building, situated across the courtyard from our heroes’ residence. Shut off from the rest of the building following the establishment of a brothel, the supposedly inferior apartments have been largely overlooked for the past few years. However, with gunfire erupting nearby, it looks like we’re finally focusing on those windows and the colorful cast of characters residing within them.

Before moving on to the examination, Charles first needs to find a way to clear Sazz’s remains-stained hands. He can’t simply wash them off and dispose of the residue; instead, he devises a creative solution: he’ll rinse his hands into a basin, then transfer the sooty water into a mason jar as if it were a smoothie made from flax seeds. Once the water evaporates, all that remains are Sazz’s ashes. This intricate plan serves as a humorous aside but also underscores Charles’ deep affection for Sazz. Given his inability to protect her anymore, this meticulous attempt to preserve her ashes is perhaps the only way he can express his care now.

Somehow, the series skillfully turns the demise of a character named Sazz Pataki, essentially Jane Lynch in drag, into a profoundly emotional moment. Meanwhile, Mabel and Oliver venture towards the West Tower, leaving Charles to ponder the loss of his friend while on hold with 911. Given that this is “Only Murders in the Building,” being alone for Charles means he’s accompanied by the ghost of Sazz, originating from his own subconscious (which implies a potential payday for Jane Lynch in season four).

The duo held a retrospective discussion about their lengthy professional partnership and friendship. As his stunt double, she endured physical blows on his behalf, participating in sequences where he was in peril and shielding him. Beyond this, she fostered camaraderie for him, such as converting his solitary meals into poker games with the team during breaks to make sure he had friends on set. She cared for him, but he couldn’t reciprocate in the same way. This is one of the factors that makes Charles hesitant to accept Mabel and Oliver’s theory that he was the intended target, not Sazz. Because, as Sazz’s spirit communicates, if this assumption is correct, then he bears responsibility for her demise. And who would want to shoulder such a heavy burden of guilt?

Simultaneously, Mabel and Oliver focus on the West Tower and a fresh set of potential suspects hiding there: Stink Eye Joe (portrayed by Richard Kind), The Sauce Family (headed by Daphne Rubin-Vega), and Christmas All The Time Guy (Kumail Nanjiani). Also, an enigmatic apartment that always keeps its blinds closed. Initially, they visit the supposedly menacing Stink Eye Joe, who turns out to be a charmer, if somewhat contagious, Pink Eye Joe, whose real name is Vince Fish. Richard Kind, a character actor perfectly tailored for this series, is surprisingly making his debut on it now. In fact, let me take this moment to mention other actors whom you might find surprising have not yet graced the screens of Only Murders in the Building: Linda Lavin, Rosie Perez, Sandra Bernhard, Harvey Fierstein, Jane Krakowski, Cole Escola, Julie Klausner, and Amy Sedaris. They all seem perfectly suited for this show, and yet they remain elusive. Here’s hoping we see them in season five!

When Mabel and Oliver notice that Vince’s windows are barricaded, ruling out the possibility of him shooting from there, they shift their focus to other potential suspects. Coincidentally, Vince brings them together through a card game called “Oh Hell,” which is also an expression I use when forced to play a card game. In this game, hosted by Inez and her family, they learn that Charles is Inez’s celebrity crush, raising the question of whether jealousy might drive Alfonso, Inez’s husband, to target him. There are hints of something suspicious going on every time someone leaves the game for a secretive rendezvous in the bathroom with a knife. However, it turns out that winning the game, which Oliver manages to do, grants him access to the bathroom as a prize. In this case, a bathroom knife might not be such a bad thing after all, especially since Oliver finds Portuguese ham hanging in the shower upon his visit.

As their advantage waned, Mabel inquired about the closed-down apartment, which Inez’s daughter accidentally revealed as the “Dudenoff” building, prompting a swift kick under the table from her mother. In fact, the entire room grew tense and secretive upon mention of it. Moreover, Dudenoff was the name found on one of Sazz’s enigmatic notes, hinting that he might have been privy to information regarding that specific dwelling. Gradually, the puzzle pieces were falling into place, suggesting that Sazz had some knowledge about that particular unit.

As Mabel and Oliver are away with the suspected murderers, Charles encounters a confirmed killer instead: Jan (Amy Ryan), who was the original killer from OMITB. This former killer emerges from Charles’s closet after an agile prison escape using parkour. Unlike the imaginary figure Sazz, Jan is very real and present in the flesh. However, she isn’t there to harm Charles; instead, she’s concerned because she hasn’t heard from Sazz. So, it falls on Charles to inform Jan about Sazz’s death, and they both grieve together. Jan shares with Charles how much importance Sazz placed on him, and reveals that just before her demise, Sazz was suspicious there was another murderer in the building with a focus on Charles. This could explain all of Sazz’s notes and clues – it seems Sazz was conducting a self-initiated investigation to protect Charles. Additionally, Jan explains they disposed of the body to avoid alerting their true target. These revelations finally convince Charles that he was indeed the intended victim.

Immediately upon her arrival, Jan vanishes yet again, with Mabel and Oliver swiftly reappearing to grab the code discovered on Sazz’s desk. Their hope is that this code would unlock Dudenoff’s door. To their delight, it does! Inside the vacant apartment, they uncover fresh leads: a ham radio, mysterious footprints on the radiator, tinsel, and paint chips suggesting the window was forced open. It appears they have discovered their sniper’s hideout. However, they also find an additional surprise: a live pig in the bathroom. The tinsel hints at Christmas Guy, but what about the radio and the pig? Are the Westies actually pig farmers who produce their own ham for their card game? It’s possible, but didn’t they mention the ham was imported from Portugal? They can’t ponder these questions for long because there’s a knocking at the door. When they investigate, no one is there, and the pig takes off running. Now, they have a loose pig on their hands.

In reference to this, we find ourselves back at Charles’s apartment where the NYPD arrives due to Jan’s escape. Fortunately, this brings back Detective Williams (Da’Vine Joy Randolph, fresh from her Oscar win), who becomes agitated when Charles admits that Jan had recently visited and he didn’t inform them. Just as expected, 911 picks up his call, and he shares with them (and Detective Williams) the details of Sazz’s murder.

While the police were occupied at the incinerator, Charles, Mabel, and Oliver decided to use Luminol to determine precisely where in Sazz’s apartment she had been shot. The chemical highlighted the blood stains, and they discovered that she had written a message in her own blood – “Tap in,” a phrase she often used with Charles when switching roles for his stunts. It appears Sazz died as she lived, shielding Charles from danger. However, the episode’s closing moments revealed another secret: the code required to enter the Dudenoff apartment spelled out “Oh hell” when flipped upside down. It seems our Westie game players have more on their plates than just consuming ham.

2024-09-03 12:54

Only Murders in the Building Recap: Show Your Cards

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