PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Steve Martin, Selena Gomez and Martin Short return to their sleuthing with their quick wits and quick quips in season 2 of Only Murders In The Building. Season 2 plays with the fact that they didn’t know if they were getting a second season or podcast. It continues to expand the story of the only murders in the building as season 1 ends with our podcasters being framed for Bunny’s murder.
This time around, however, our heroic, awkward trio have to continue with the podcast and solve the murder in order to avoid jail. Steve Martin continues to play his role as an out-of-work actor, awkward in his own skin with a sometimes slapstick comedic timing that only years in the industry can create. Martin Short’s character continues his desperate pursuit to be respected and noticed, and Selena Gomez’s character, Mabel, is the glue that holds the group together. It’s this unlikely trio’s friendship that captured the hearts of so many in season 1.
As with season 1, there are high-profile actors and actresses that join the cast for recurring roles. Half the fun of watching is waiting to see who’s been added and who is going to pop up, like with Sting in the previous season. It’s funny in the best ways possible. Not jokes, hahaha funny but in the circumstances our characters find themselves in once again.
The wider arc is often revealed through the eyes of side characters. It’s a nice diversion to the play-by-play storyline, and like with season 1, the whodunnit of it all will keep you guessing. The story points fingers at almost everyone until eventually you will be sure you have figured it out… and then you realize you are completely wrong.
What was surprising to me this time around was how much heart season 2 brings. This is partly because the writers had already set up our characters in season 1 and didn’t have to do any of that kind of world-building for season 2. They could just jump straight in, and they did just that. Bunny, played by Jayne Houdyshell for example, was easy to dislike as Arconia’s ruler, the one with all the power, the person who knows everyone’s business even if you don’t want her to. In season 2, we see a different side to Bunny as our podcast investigators piece together what happened.
There are a lot of twists and turns in season 2, so this murder mystery can be hard to follow at times. This was part of the appeal in season 1 as we, the audience, competed with our couch buddies to try and deduce the mystery and claim the super-sleuth prize first. However, we think this may be a little trickier this time as each episode will have you guessing in multiple different directions. Mabel continues to keep our old-school comedic actors grounded, which helps us smile with quizzical looks on our faces, because we want to know… whodunnit.
We can’t wait to watch the last two episodes of Only Murders In The Building Season 2, but for now, the first 8 episodes are as good as if not slightly more entertaining than the first.
The first 2 episodes air on 28th June and then additional eps air weekly finishing on 23rd August with the tenth and final episode for season 2. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
