Ranking the Seasons of Only Murders in the Building: A Comprehensive Guide

by

In recent years, “Only Murders in the Building” has become a favorite among murder mystery lovers. The show’s clever plots, witty dialogue, charming cast, and a blend of classic mystery tropes with modern true-crime fascination, make it a particularly enjoyable and comforting whodunit.

Wow, now that season five of Only Murders in the Building has finished – and what a finale it was! – I’ve been thinking about all the seasons so far. It’s tough to rank them, honestly, because I’ve genuinely enjoyed every single one. But it’s fun to look back and see how they all stack up against each other, isn’t it?

Few comedy series achieve consistent praise from both critics and viewers for five seasons, but Only Murders in the Building is one of them. The show’s success comes from the comedic talents of Steve Martin and Martin Short, combined with Selena Gomez’s perfectly dry and understated performance – a combination that clearly works and continues to resonate with audiences.

Celebrity cameos are lining up for season 5 of Only Murders in the Building, and with season 6 already greenlit, it’s hard to say how long this popular show will continue. But for now, let’s rank the seasons we’ve already seen.

Season 4

Image via Hulu

Like previous seasons, the fourth season of Only Murders in the Building has been widely praised. However, even though it’s still a very enjoyable season, it doesn’t quite reach the same high standard as the others and ranks as the weakest so far.

Beyond the clever movie references that fit the season’s Hollywood plot, bringing in the building’s most unusual residents as a side story is a real highlight. That said, the humor isn’t as strong this season as it has been before, and the guest appearances by celebrities don’t quite hit the mark.

Despite a slightly disappointing reveal of who committed the crime, season 4 of Only Murders in the Building is full of clever twists and turns. The show expertly leads you to suspect a very strange group of characters, and Jan’s unexpected return is wonderfully over-the-top and saves the day.

It’s a shame we didn’t get to see Eugene Levy, Eva Longoria, and Zach Galifianakis play fictionalized versions of themselves as Charles, Mabel, and Oliver in a movie – it could have been great! Hopefully, there’s a chance for that in a future season. As Paul Rudd proved, guest stars on Only Murders in the Building can always return.

Season 5

According to John Hoffman, the co-creator and showrunner, the reveal of Cinda’s death brings Only Murders in the Building back to its origins as a true-crime podcast. He sees this season as a complete return to the show’s initial concept, particularly because the investigation now focuses on a murder within the Arconia building, just like the death of doorman Lester Coluca at the end of season four.

This season, the show is laugh-out-loud funny again, kicking things off with a brilliantly physical comedy bit featuring Steve Martin and a hilariously awkward scene involving a coffin. The Caccimelio brothers are also a standout, hilariously subverting all expectations of a typical New York mafia family.

Keegan-Michael Key is fantastic as the slick, self-satisfied mayor, and Téa Leoni shines as Sofia Caccimelio, a mob wife who’s been left behind. It’s disappointing, though, that Christoph Waltz and Renée Zellweger aren’t given much to do, considering their talent for comedy. The show also doesn’t fully utilize the potential of the newly discovered secret casino within the Arconia building.

Despite a few bumps along the way, this season has been a big success, proving that Only Murders in the Building isn’t going anywhere soon. It easily could have been a disappointing season or a sign that the show was losing steam, but instead, it’s laid the groundwork for what looks like the most compelling story yet.

Season 3

Given Oliver Putnam’s experience with musical theater, it was inevitable that Only Murders in the Building would eventually become a Broadway show. Season 3 is a wonderfully over-the-top musical that really showcases the funny strengths and weaknesses of both Charles and Oliver.

The hilariously complex song from television is thanks to the incredible talents of Pasek, Paul, Shaiman, and Wittman. It’s amusing to think the difficulty Charles has singing “Which of the Pickwick Triplets Did It?” probably reflected Steve Martin’s own challenges learning it! The song is a wonderfully tricky earworm that sticks in your head long after you’ve heard it.

Paul Rudd is fantastic as Ben Glenroy, a spoiled and insecure former child star who’s filming a documentary about his career change to Broadway. But Meryl Streep truly shines as an enthusiastic amateur actor finally living out her dream, and it’s perfect casting.

Honestly, Meryl Streep is just incredible, as always. I heard she had such a great time filming this season that she actually ended up joining the cast of Only Murders in the Building full-time! And I really appreciated the writers including that detail about her character losing a child – it’s a really nice, understated nod to a theme that’s shown up in so many of her most famous roles. It felt like a little inside joke for fans, and it was beautifully done.

Season 1

Okay, let me preface this by saying Season 3 of Only Murders in the Building is fantastic – truly. But ranking it is tough because the first two seasons are just that good. Honestly, I think Season 1 remains the show at its absolute best. The plot was so tightly wound, with twists that genuinely surprised me, and everything just felt perfectly polished from start to finish. It’s a brilliant murder mystery, and still my favorite.

Since this is the first episode of the series, several characters who later become mainstays are initially presented as potential suspects in Tim Kono’s murder, including Mabel Mora, one of the hosts of the podcast. Introducing Mabel as a suspect is a clever storytelling technique reminiscent of Agatha Christie, and Theo Dimas is expertly portrayed as a misleading red herring.

One thing that makes season one of Only Murders in the Building stand out is how the main characters – Charles, Mabel, and Oliver – are still learning about each other. The playful tension between Charles and Oliver is particularly strong, and Mabel keeps people at a distance, making her seem a bit mysterious for much of the season.

Even though the reasons behind it are a little confusing, the reveal of the killer this season is excellent. Jan’s return in season 4 of Only Murders in the Building adds a darkly comedic layer to her connections with both Charles and Tim Kono, making their history even more unsettling.

Season 2

While opinions vary, many fans consider season 2 of Only Murders in the Building to be the strongest. It excels in its overall theme, compelling plot, and comedic timing – a combination that might be hard to beat. Tina Fey is fantastic as the podcaster who connects the main characters, and Cara Delevingne is arguably the most captivating romantic interest the show has had.

Season of Only Murders in the Building Rotten Tomatoes score
Season 1 100%
Season 2 98%
Season 3 97%
Season 4 93%
Season 5 87%

The biggest strength of this season is its suspense. The identity of Bunny’s killer in Only Murders in the Building remains a genuine mystery until the very end. Cinda Canning and Alice Banks are expertly crafted red herrings, and the reveal of the two killers in the finale is truly one of the best twists in crime storytelling.

As a big fan of the show, I really feel like Steve Martin, Selena Gomez, and Martin Short just clicked this season. Their dynamic was fantastic! And the show took some fun risks, like that episode told from Bunny’s point of view, which totally paid off. Honestly, while every season of Only Murders in the Building has been good, season 2 was something special – easily the strongest one yet.

Read More

2025-11-02 00:20