RECAP: “Only Murders in the Building” Season 4, Episode 2
Episode 2 of Season 4 of “Only Murders in the Building” put the Hollywood shenanigans on the backburner as the Arconia 3 got to work solving who killed Sazz via a sniper shot in Charles’ apartment — and if they meant to kill Sazz at all. This was a back-to-basics approach for the show, taking us back to the best parts of Season 1 — learning about the wacky residents of NYC apartment building, and establishing motives for a variety of potential subjects.
I didn’t enjoy the episode as much as the season premiere, largely because of a few storytelling choices that — though they gave us more of beloved recurring characters — felt a little too hokey to be believable. But overall I thought it was a hoot, gave us some great character moments (especially for Charles), and moved the season plot forward in a few key ways. I also laughed out loud numerous times, and not just at the blatant Postmates product placement.
Spoilers ahead! Consider yourself warned!
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CHARLES
It seems pretty clear that Charles is our central character this season, given that the murder happened in his apartment, resulted in the death of his dearest friend, and as we learned this episode, was almost certainly meant to be him. I found Charles’ reaction to Sazz’s death — and finding her incinerated remains — genuinely moving. If you’ve ever lost someone suddenly, unexpectedly, I think the shock that Charles was clearly experiencing this episode makes perfect sense. It’s a deep, profound trauma, and that only becomes more true for Charles over the course of the episode as he accepts how much Sazz meant to him, and how genuinely terrified he is of his own mortality, knowing that he isn’t even safe in his own home.
That is largely accomplished via his interactions with two recurring guests, the main one Sazz herself, now a phantom communicating with Charles. Listen, it’s great to see Jane Lynch again. It always is. She’s so wonderful in this role. But the whole “I see dead people” thing is…not a great plotline for this show. At least, not to me. It feels hokey. Certainly the show has dabbled in magical realism multiple times over its run, but this in particular feels a bridge too far. Remember when Izzy was talking to/having sex with Denny’s ghost on “Grey’s Anatomy”? This isn’t quite that cringe, but it’s close.
Ghost Sazz helps Charles to accept that Sazz is actually dead, and also that Charles is himself in very real danger. And she’s more right than she knows, because more than one person is stalking Charles: his ex-girlfriend and Season 1 murderer, Jan (Amy Ryan), has broken out of prison (thanks to a combination of psychosexual manipulation and parkour) and used the secret passages throughout the walls of the Arconia (established on both Season 2 of this show, and on the Arconia 3’s podcast) to make her way into Charles’ apartment. This is also completely ridiculous, but again: so good to see Amy Ryan again, and she is hilarious here.
Jan actually did not escape to kill Charles — at least, not primarily. She was worried about Sazz, whom she started dating after Charles. She hadn’t heard from Sazz in days, and prior to that Sazz seemed off. She was worried about Charles and was digging around the Arconia. Jan and Charles compare notes about what they know, which results in some wonderful dialogue. We didn’t get a lot of fully unhinged Jan in S1, so it’s a real pleasure to watch Ryan revel in her psychotic character here. And she gives Charles good advice. On a subject-matter expert in murder, she stresses that if someone went so far as to actually kill in their attempt to take out Charles, but failed to murder their intended target, they’re going to come back even wilder than before.
Just like Jan herself, who obviously was at least complicit in the death of at least one police officer in her escape. She threatens to both fuck and kill Charles one last time before escaping back into the building secret passages, just as the police arrive to inform Charles that Jan has escaped and likely plans to kill and/or shag Charles (not necessarily in that order, but maybe in that order). Note that the Arconia 3 had not yet informed the police about Sazz’s death or their discovery of her remains, although Charles spends the entire episode on hold with 911 to report a non-emergency emergency (classic NYC). This also gives us a cameo by Oscar-winner Da’Vine Joy Randolph, reprising her character Officer Donna Williams, immediately exasperated by these knuckleheads being involved in yet ANOTHER homicide. And an additional attempted one!
MABEL & OLIVER
The other two members of the Arconia 3 take on the primary detective roles, even as they worry about the mental state of their comrade. Knowing that the sniper likely shot Sazz from one of the apartments across the courtyard of The Arconia — the lower-rent side of the complex referred to as The Westies — the pair decide to question all the residents of the units within eyeshot of Charles’ kitchen. It should be noted that the use the movie shoot for their podcast as the cover for this, claiming to be scouting locations; at the same time, the residents of the Arconia appear to be unionizing to shut down production because the podcast has turned their home into a circus. Honestly, I don’t blame them.
This segment introduces us to a whole slate of notable character actors playing the Westie neighbors, including Richard Kind as “Stink Eye,” Broadway star Daphne Rubin-Vega as the matriarch of the Sauce Family, and although we don’t actually meet him this episode, Kumail Nanjiani as Christmas Guy. Kind does his Richard Kind thing as Stink Eye, who actually has chronic pink eye. Ruben-Viga is great as the horny-for-Charles mom, whose family hosts a floor card game called “Oh, Hell!” and who have a giant leg of ham dangling from their shower curtain, from which they slice off fresh pieces throughout the game. The Sauce Family (so called because Rubin-Vega’s character is constantly making sauce in a push-up bra, the better to attract the attention of her celebrity crush, Charles) is over-the-top in its eccentricities, but Kind’s character feels right at home in the overall Arconia tableau.
Mabel and Oliver largely rule out Stink Eye and the Sauces, but learn that the unit next door — which constantly has its blinds closed — is owned by someone called “Dudenoff.” That’s one of the names on the notes found in Sazz’s place in LA. That note also included a code, which Mabel and Oliver use on the number lock on the Dudenoff door, and it opens. The studio inside is dingy and disused, but notably its windows open — most of the Westies windows do not, as they have been painted shut — and there are footprints on the windowsill, suggesting someone has pried them open recently. Also, there is a live pig in the tub, which escapes. While Oliver and Mabel are investigating the unit, someone tries to enter it, but they fail to see who it is.
At the end of the episode, they realize that the number code that was used to get into the Dudenoff apartment, when held upside down, spells out “OH HELL” — the card game run by the Sauce Family. Does that implicate them in the murder? The Arconia 3 seems to think so…
THE SUSPECTS
After Episode 2, the suspect game changes up a bit.
Joy: Joy remains my top suspect. She has a motive, she has access to the Arconia. She’s a nut.
Someone Related to Dudenoff: I don’t think Dudenoff is an actual person, or if he is, it’s someone who owns that unit and rents it out as an AirBnB. The only time I’ve seen those kinds of number locks are for AirBnBs, and I’m sure the Arconia would do brisk business as one. I expect the other Westies we learned about this episode probably have some idea of what’s going on — they might even get a cut to keep quiet, as AirBnBs are frowned upon in many buildings. The pig is a giant question mark here.
Bev Melon: I still find everything with the movie very sketchy, but we have no new info here.
The Sauce Family: I do not believe they are involved in Sazz’s murder/Charles’s attempted murder, but I do think they know more than they’re letting on.
Cookie: Charles’ ex-wife continues to be a person of interest for me.
What did you think of the episode? Who do you think killed Sazz? What do you think is up with his obviously bonkers movie scenario? Leave your takes in the comments!
