VENICE, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 05: Actress Selena Gomez attends the “Spring Breakers” Premiere during The 69th Venice Film Festival at the Palazzo del Cinema on September 5, 2012 in Venice, Italy. (Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images)
Only Murders In The Building, kills It
Streaming on Hulu, Only Murders In The Building starring Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez checks off every box.
So, imagine three unlikely apartment neighbors. There is two lonely old dudes. They meet up with a young, attractive women, also lonely, with her own issues, to create a crime podcast. The problem, they get caught up in the real crime they are podcasting about.
Steve Martin plays Charles a washed up, crime detective actor, actor who’s past his prime. Martin Short plays Oliver a failed, Broadway director. Selena Gomez plays Mabel, who’s past is not clear, nor is her future. One thing is for sure. The trio’s boring lives change when their passion for a crime podcasts, becomes there job, to CLEAR THEIR NAME.
Finally, A Show With Everything
This show breaks a ton of rules. In the first two seasons, you see familiar stars you know, even a ROCK star who plays himself and is hysterical. The funny Jane Lynch, who I never thought looked like Steve Martin, plays Sazz Pataki Martin’s character (Charlies) stunt double, dressing exactly like him. In one brilliantly funny scene, Short’s Oliver mistakes Sazz for Charles saying he’s had too much work done, pointing to his face. Charles was standing right behind him. LAFF OUT LOUD funny.
Dark Comedy Blended With Real Life
What’s amazing about this show is, they easily blend the comedy in with real life. For Charles and Oliver, the podcast adds freshness and excitement to a their life that, to them, has passed them by. To Mabel, the podcast and friendships represent a future. It’s way out of her rut and confusion that many young people experience today.
Add in the danger of the crime, and the risk of jail time, the trio seemingly, couldn’t have more resolve, to solve this crime, ON THE PODCAST.
Martin Short, really can play only ONE character in life, and I don’t care. He’s the same guy in every movie and TV show and I can’t get enough of it. Steve Martin’s deadpan, dry Charles is played perfectly as the most successful and intellectual of the three, but yet is seemingly, the most behind, playing catch up. Gomez plays the mysterious Mabel flawlessly, and at times, is funnier with just a facial reaction, not even needing a spoken line.
Only Murders The Building kills it, literally.