RECAP: “Only Murders in the Building” Season 4, Episode 6
I complained quite a bit about the early episodes of “Only Murders in the Building” Season 4, which seemed way off from the tone this show has established. Episode 6 took an even bigger sidestep from the show’s format, but it paid off in a big way. By putting the focus on new suspects The Brothers Sisters, and a multi-cam framing device, the episode gave us our funniest AND most revelatory episode of the season. Kudos to writers Rick Wiener and Kenny Schwartz; the jokes were flying fast and furious this episode, delivered brilliantly by the entire cast. I loved everything about “Blow-Up,” and I didn’t want it to end.
Read on for my take on the episode. Spoilers ahead! Consider yourself warned!
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The main crux of the episode involved the Arconia 3 investigating their newest suspects, The Brothers Sisters, the sibling directors helming the feature film version of their podcast. At the end of last episode, they realized that one of the sisters’ shoe print matched the print found in the Dudenoff apartment, from where the shot that killed Sazz was apparently fired. Our intrepid trio had also realized that it would be impossible for just one person to pull off the murder and clean-up of Sazz given the incredibly tight timeline, putting even more focus on this dubious duo.
Just as that realization dawned, shots rang out at the film photoshoot where they were all gathered. This episode we discovered that while actual Oliver was, blessedly, spared a bullet, his Hollywood version, Zack Galifianakis, took a slug to “his fat” (LOL), and his stunt double, Glen Stubbins, was shot but apparently still alive.
A moment on Glen: I have seen the theory floated that Glen is actually Ben Glenroy, the actor played last season by Paul Rudd (who also plays Glen this season). I believe the thesis is that Ben didn’t die last season at all, and has instead taken the place of his stunt double. I think there is some plausibility to this. First, Ben survived at least one murder attempt in Season 3, as he ingested rat poison, and somehow survived. His second death was the result of a fall down an elevator shaft. Is it possible that he didn’t die again, but suffered serious brain damage? OR, is it possible that Glen replaced Ben post-rat poison and pre-elevator push, and that it was actually GLEN who died in the elevator fall? Consider that the person we know to be Glen continues to see invisible rats everywhere, and Ben’s initial “death” was due to rat poison. Could this all be a character bit? The impossible-to-kill Ben Glenroy? This time he’s survived getting shot? It’s not impossible, and might help to explain this bizarre character.
The shooting attempt on Oliver sends the Arconia 3 on the run — this is now the SECOND member of the trio who someone presumably took a shot at — tailed by Howard, who decides he is no longer taking documentary footage for the Brothers, and is instead back to working for our podcasters. I’m going to go ahead and call Michael Cyril Creighton the MVP of this episode. While numerous characters had some very funny lines and deliveries, Howard’s constant comments from behind the camera were comedy gold. It was like a running commentary on the ridiculousness of our three protagonists and their insane lives, and the number of times I howled at even a seemingly throwaway line delivered by Creighton is a real testament to his work. He has been a WONDERFUL addition to this crew.
Our heroes end up back at the Arconia, where they begin to further explore the history of The Brothers. This includes watching their batshit student film made at NYU, which featured — in a supporting role — Vince Fish, AKA Stink Eye from the West Tower of the Arconia. This connection leads the Arconia 3 chatting up Vince and Christmas Guy — now experimenting with their own flying drone cam — where they learn that both Vince and Christmas Guy were students in Dudenoff’s film class, and Dudenoff served as a mentor to The Brothers Sisters. Note that we got no information on the Sauce Family that lives directly across from Charles during this segment. Is their connection to Dudenoff totally separate?
Ultimately this leads to a confrontation with the Sisters themselves, in which the Arconia 3 lay out their theory: Dudenoff was the mentor of the sisters, and he knew they were absolutely unhinged weirdos who would do whatever he wanted to gain his approval. They don’t necessarily disagree with the thesis, and they even admit to being in the Dudenoff apartment the night that Sazz was murdered (thus explaining the footprint, and potentially how the should-have-been sealed window was opened, since the one sister is apparently freakishly strong). However, they hadn’t seen Dudenoff in years, after he cut off communication when they stopped making creepy, unsettling art films and started making more lucrative projects in Hollywood. Our investigators also discover that the suspected rifle box the Brothers had been carting around everywhere doesn’t contain a gun, but instead numerous high-definition mini-cams, which they had been placing all over the Arconia, including in Oliver, Charles, and Mabel’s apartments.
The Arconia 3 are shocked and appalled that they have been secretly recorded, but the Brothers Sisters point out that it’s all legal per the contracts they all signed to hand over their life rights. (BTW we still don’t fully know what Mabel got in her negotiations; it’s possible it was just a ton of money, but that seemed like a Moment that still needs to be resolved.) This leads the trio to search their apartments for these hidden cams, and in doing so, discover there are OTHER hidden cameras in their units. These did not come from the Brothers, and as Charles, Oliver, and Mabel wrestle with the reality that someone may have been watching them in their most intimate moments for quite some time, each of their phones activate in succession, with a message sent from Sazz’s missing phone: “I’m watching you.” Cliffhanger!
But wait, there’s more! During the various investigations this episode, Howard’s dog Gravey — a retired corpse dog — knocks over Sazz’s ashes, given to Charles by Detective Williams. While cleaning up, the Arconia 3 realize that there are TWO left artificial shoulders in the ashes. That means that more than one person was in the incinerator. Yet another murder in the building! The police track down the serial number on the replacement shoulder, and surprise surprise: it belonged to none other than Professor Dudenoff (played in flashbacks by Griffin Dunne). Are the murders of Sazz and Dudenoff linked? Was it a coincidence that they both ended up in the incinerator? I bet we’ll find out.
Some other random developments, which may prove to be relevant:
-The Oliver/Loretta subplot continues, with Oliver — shocked to his senses from his near-death experience — calling Loretta to propose marriage, not wanting to waste another moment without her. Her response is a pained, “UGH.” Oliver takes this as a rejection, but in truth, Loretta was on set as a severe burn victim on her “Grey’s Anatomy” spinoff. It’s strange that I’m invested so much in the Oliver/Loretta romance, but this is why Netflix needs to make a “Love Is Blind” spinoff featuring seniors. “Love Has Diminished Vision.” I don’t know. You guys figure it out.
-Bev Mellon (Molly Shannon) continued to be both sus and hilarious this episode. She rallied the troops after the shooting and got them to sign indemnity waivers in case any harm befalls them while filming. She announced Galifianakis is still on board with the film, while we got a hilarious phone-cam message clearly disproving that. Bev then fell asleep — presumably from the pain meds she illegally stole from Zack at the hotel — but there continue to be way too many bizarre instances with Bev for her to be in the clear on this. There’s still no explanation for why she was at Sazz’s trampoline park last episode.
-Screenwriter Marshall is also VERY suspicious. When Bev announces the shoot will continue, he has a minor moment of panic. My minor suspicion right now is that he’s trying to sabotage the shoot, potentially because he is somehow involved in one of the other crimes that have happened, and the heat is getting a little too hot. He’s a decent suspect for the second set of hidden cameras — it would explain how he had such insight into the Arconia 3 in the movie script — but that would also imply that he’s involved in Sazz’s actual murder. I find that unlikely, but not impossible.
-We got a welcome return for Jackie Hoffman’s perpetually annoyed Uma, complaining loudly that the podcasters have ruined their building, so much so that they’re now installing security cameras on the common areas of every floor. Given that apparently MULTIPLE people have been breaking into apartments (the Brothers and whoever else planted the cameras), I gotta say, Team Cameras. But I do think Uma’s arrival this season is not by accident. There’s a new thread that Dudenoff’s social security checks have been cashed at a neighborhood bodega. I suspect Dudenoff has been dead for some time, and I think Uma is exactly the type of person who would notice somebody’s mail piling up and avail herself of uncashed social-security checks. Just a hunch.
-Detective Williams mentions Jan is still on the loose. I do not think that Jan had anything to do with Sazz’s murder, or Dudenoff’s. But I wouldn’t write off a surprise 11th Hour appearance this season.
-Scott Bakula’s appearance in S4E1 remains the quantum leap that has yet to land. I still suspect that he and Joy may have some bizarre role to play in this. Just a gut feeling.
What did you think of the episode? Leave your takes in the comments!
