In the world of television, the third season is often a turning point for a series: it can rise to new heights or descend into mediocrity. This time surgical writing Only murders in the building (read our In-Depth Analysis) seems to have put the scalpel aside and exaggerated it a little with Botox, less cutting, more swollen and toned, but still very recognizable and attractive in its features.
The series attracted the attention of the public with its combination of comedy and mysticism and, above all, the presence of such legends as Steve Martin (Charles-Hayden Savage) e Martin Short (Oliver Putnam), but the show can’t rely on their charisma alone. The main problem with this season is that no one seems interested in the murder, and the viewer is left with too many distractions, like the three podcasters, who are more distracted by the evidence and their own personal interests than solving the case.
Only Bloody Mabel is determined to uncover the murderer of Ben Glenroy, played by the actor. Paul Rudd in top form – the insufferable and famous protagonist of Death Rattle, the series that was supposed to mark Oliver’s return to directing. The lights go down and the musical’s curtain falls immediately after opening night, only to rise again in the elevator shaft of Arconia, once again a mystery theater.
There is no shortage of suspicions; Ben did everything to make his colleagues and employees hate him. From contentment towards your assistant/brother to demands from Hollywood star to the point of flaunting his popularity as the champion of the CoBro film series, where he plays a superhero who can transform into a large cobra that helps the police, Rudd as a vintage hunk who can’t resist acting handsome and damn. it’s priceless.
It is a pity that the most determined detective is more likely to be humiliated than to become better, remaining alone at the scene of the crime: it is next to Short and Martin that the dark Selena Gomez appears and takes on liveliness precisely when they are together, his sullenness and sarcasm revealing a comic face, and his frown lighting up in response to the oddities and missteps of his companions, fostering that camaraderie that the public has come to love. this. His new partner in crime, a charming documentary filmmaker played by Jesse Williams It’s certainly compelling, but it’s not the spark that makes Mabel’s character shine.
Fortunately, Loretta’s performance, played with impeccable grace and exquisite Meryl Streep revives the season. In her first appearance, Streep captivates audiences as her character is a talented but unhappy older actress still waiting for her big break. One cannot help but admire his calmness and extravagance, so much so that he even seduced Oliver, who until now seemed to be in love only with himself. She is the most intriguing enigma, a character that must be guessed before understood. Streep delicately explores Loretta’s awkwardness and quirks, her mastery of body language and facial expressions conveying Loretta’s complex emotions and quirks. And so we feel sympathy for her, captured by her mystery, this fragility that hides the self-awareness that attracts and distances.
Streep’s ability to move effortlessly from vulnerability to eccentricity and ambiguity is another testament to her talent, as well as her sense of humor: it’s ironic that the second woman with the most acting awards in Oscar history (one ahead of her is Katharine Hepburn) be that Loretta, that shy and slightly weird actress, mysterious and tenacious, with long braids and New Age appeal, who has a scoundrel like Oliver Putnam to thank for her first real chance on Broadway. It brings a smile to the audience and we are sure it will make you smile too.
Third of Only murders seems willing to give itself the opportunity to give the main characters room to grow and develop, Arconia itself, with its quirky inhabitants and labyrinthine corridors, functions as a character in itself, adding another layer of mystery and charm to the series. Arconia resembles an aquarium, just like Charles’s Aquarium, with its colorful variety of apartment buildings, each with its own quirks and secrets, and these apartments resemble small hidden caves of a man-made underwater landscape, full of clues waiting to be discovered.
The production design deserves applause for creating rich and fascinating world which enhances the storytelling, and this credit should also be given to the music, which not only enhances the atmosphere and tone of each episode, but has also become an integral part of the series’ identity.
An identity that, let us not forget, is based on irony. Only murders continues to engage in metanarrative, the entire show is a parody of true crime hobby and the authors skillfully added more and more caricature elements, without distortion. And so, despite a few too many digressions and weaknesses in the plot, as we say goodbye to the Upper West Side and its eccentric residents, we can’t help but hope that this isn’t the end for Only murders in the building. We’re sure Arconia still has plenty of mysteries to solve and laughs to share, but in the meantime, grab your detective hat and, if you haven’t already, enjoy the misadventures of Manhattan’s most colorful trio of true crime podcasters.