Only Murders In the Building Season 2 Episode 4 Review: Here's Looking At You...
Mary Littlejohn
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The secrets of the Arconia are most vast than we ever imagined.
On Only Murders In the Building Season 2 Episode 4, Charles gets another pass at fatherhood, several prominent characters from Only Murders in the Building Season 1 make a comeback, and Nina is not as wild a card as she used to be.
Let's sneak into the walls and see what we can glean!
It's the Lucy episode!
Back when we first found out about Charles's almost-stepdaughter in Only Murders In The Building Season 1 Episode 4, we could understand the depth of his loss and why he has lived such a lonely existence.
The relationship between Lucy and Charles is lovely. Family comes in all forms. He was like a dad to her, so why shouldn't they stay in touch? He was her main father figure for six years.
The way they speak about Emma suggests that Charles's ex/Lucy's mother may have some instability issues. Charles would have been a grounding presence for Lucy, which appears to have been lacking in the past eight years.
Zoe Margaret Colletti is a charming young Gen Z-er, with typical overt self-awareness and just the right combo of bravado and vulnerability. Charles's need to protect her outweighs what he could gain from keeping her around. Something tells me that we haven't seen the last of her.
These secret passageways are wild! We have known about them since Only Murders In The Building Season 2 Episode 2, but their extent is mind-boggling. We've got a bonafide, Clue-style murder mystery building now.
My only question is, how do you live somewhere that long and not suspect anything? I'm still unsure if it's genius or lazy writing. It could definitely tip the scales in the trio's favor if they use it correctly.
They will have to be careful not to get caught and not mention the passageways on the podcast! Listeners -- particularly in the Arconia -- might start getting suspicious of where they are getting their info.
A lot of plot got covered on this episode -- the arrival and departure of Lucy, the secret passageways, and of course, Nina.
Nina went into labor, but she also went from being a prime to an unlikely suspect. She seemed to have loved Bunny, so what was all that talk in the apartment about Bunny needing to go? Who is this Jared?
What's the deal with the "space pod" on top of the Arconia. It's an eyesore, but maybe it's for environmental purposes, to create more efficient energy, or perhaps an art gallery or something like that.
If Nina isn't the killer, maybe Jared did it behind her back? The figure in the secret passageway that almost caught Lucy appeared to be a man.
Howard seems like more of a suspect now.
Nina is probably innocent, and Howard is the only one constantly trying to throw shade on her, making her seem mean and Bunny-hating. He has it out for her -- like he's trying to frame her and set her up, manipulating the trio into believing she killed Bunny.
It would make sense if he were the murderer.
Nina Lin punched me. She is violent, and after backstabbing Bunny, I think she might have front-stabbed her, too.
Howard Morris
Also, why would Nina hit him? Something's not quite adding up, but perhaps the trio was so distracted by the knife they didn't pick up on it.
Right now, the thought of wringing your neck really stimulates my root chakra, but it’s probably not worth losing three of my mindfulness badges.
Teddy Dimas
Teddy is back, colder and darker than ever after a stint in prison. He's such a haunted character, and kudos to Nathan Lane for making the foul-mouthed father so sympathetic. It was impossible not to feel for him and Theo during their fight.
Ultimately, Teddy just wants to be a good father to his son, but he knows he's failed, and they're both broken because of their messy relationship. It was heart-wrenching.
You could tell how serious it was when Oliver recounted it. He didn't even have a punchline. It made him want to be a better father to his son.
He’s already plotting his revenge. I think he’s going to kill me, bury me, dig me up, and kill me again.
Oliver Putnam
And so he did, visiting Will and helping him with The Wizard Of Oz rehearsals. You could tell it really did Oliver good to be needed in that way, at something he knew he could excel at, by his son. (Also, those sets were darned impressive for an elementary school production!)
One thing worth noting was that Teddy put his boot in the elevator door, a boot that looked very similar to the boots we saw walking to Bunny's apartment that fateful night.
However, Teddy and Theo were already arrested by then, so it's unlikely they could have been in the Arconia. And why would they target Bunny if that were the case?
It seems like another deliberate misdirect.
Angel In Flip-Flops was a delight! I could totally buy that being a hit! It was a great way to establish Charles and Lucy's relationship and explain why he can afford to live at the Arconia when he barely works any longer. Residuals, baby!
She used the word "Manhatty" and you just used "hot goss." It’s like I’m watching Squid Games without subtitles.
Charles Haden Savage
The scenes between Mabel and Lucy were sweet, too. That first one, when Lucy kept rattling off in Gen Z slang and Mabel had no idea what she was saying.
It proves the generation gap is real, no matter how young or old you are. You could tell Mabel was very confronted by it. She's used to being the youngest one on the team.
Their moment when Nina was being taken away was touching, too. They commiserated about not having dads and how Charles is like a father to both of them.
Mabel became a big sister at that moment, and it was sweet.
Jan's back!
Charles needs something from Jan -- what could it be? Amy Ryan has that creepy psycho vibe, but what could she know about Bunny or the Arconia that Charles doesn't already know?
This season is feeling slightly more scattered and a bit thinner than its predecessor, and it's difficult to see how everything will all come together. Still no sign of Oscar, either!
Ultimately the show is still about lonely people connecting, and it does well when it can balance the human aspect with the zanier, madcap elements.
$200 on the Upper West Side will just get me a bagel and a soy latte.
Mabel Mora
Charles's speech to Nina brought home the message of the episode -- parents don't usually know what they are doing, they're just trying to do their best.
Who is likely to be featured in upcoming episodes? Will and Teddy are strong possibilities. Uma and Howard are contenders, easily. Alice, probably. Amy Schumer… maybe?
What do you think, Arconiacs? Have you spotted any clues that you think might give away the murderer?
Share your theories in the comments!
Mary Littlejohn Mary Littlejohn was a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic.
