Only Murders in the Building: Season Two

Comedy veterans Steve Martin and Martin Short team up once again with pop star Selena Gomez to form the odd, yet likeable trio of amateur detectives in Only Murders in the Building. Part whodunnit and part parody of the same, the Disney series stays true to the genre and weaves in a thread of humour that keeps it lighthearted throughout.

In the first season, crime aficionados Charles, Oliver and Mabel set about solving a murder mystery that unravels in their very own New York apartment building, the Arconia. Inspired by the crime podcast they love (and which leads to their meeting), the three neighbours decide to create their own podcast as they go about their investigations. While they end up being successful in their media endeavours, as well as in their detective pursuits, a string of events leads to another tragic murder, and all clues point to them as culprits of the crime. The second series picks up from this point, with all three protagonists being investigated and trying to clear their names. There is the same soft humour, the same generational clashes and even more quirky characters coming into the picture. This time the story digs deeper into the main characters’ personal relationships as memories of the past are unearthed and new meetings shake up their lives.

The series definitely has charm and it succeeds in awakening a sense of nostalgia for classic crime mysteries and television detectives. It effectively merges these familiar elements with modern attitudes and approaches, starting from the podcast format. Still, it never rises above being simply pleasant to watch. The second season seems even less punchy than the first, in fact, perhaps because the novelty of the show has worn off. Just like the earlier instalment, however, it makes for a sweet tribute to the genre and to New York City, and fans of its main protagonists, who are many, will doubtless relish every new episode.

Mensa Auda

Only Murders in the Building: Season Two is released on Disney+ on 28^th June 2022.

Watch the trailer for Only Murders in the Building: Season Two here: