It is always an entertaining experience to watch the banter between Steve Martin and Martin Short. The two actors have been friends for decades and have starred in many projects together, including a comedy special called An Evening You Will Forget for the Rest of Your Life (available on Netflix). Their new project together has a similar intriguing title: Only Murders in the Building, a comedy series that will be streaming on Hulu.
They are joined by Selena Gomez as the three of them – true-murder podcast aficionados – try to solve a murder in their building in New York City. As any murder mystery, there are twists and turns, secrets, and backstories. It is also thought-provoking to see that they’ve lived in the same building for years and don’t know each other. So, the audience can easily think: we don’t really know our neighbors – why should they?
It is their comedic timing, however, that makes Only Murders in the Building even more enjoyable. They are evidently having fun and the generational difference between the duo and Selena Gomez is not lost on them, which makes it a recurring joke on the show.
Another great choice is the building featured in the show: The Belnord, on 86th Street, between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue. It is a perfect location, since it occupies a full city block, with over 200 units, it also has a 22,000 square foot courtyard and garden. Plenty of space for shady events to take place and many suspects available to be investigated!
Eight out of ten episodes were made available for review, and I can safely say I can’t wait to watch the final two episodes to see how the story will end. From the charming opening credits sequence to the score, the episodes have good pacing and are filled with comedy. The only episode that felt a bit slower was episode seven, in part because of the bold choice made as to how to narrate that episode’s events.
There are also some fun cameos, including very famous singer, who is considered as their prime suspect at one point! It is one of the most enjoyable “whodunnit” I’ve seen recently!
Only Murders in the Building, created and written Steve Martin and John Hoffman (Grace & Frankie, Looking), premieres on Hulu on August 31st.
