Felicia Nickens
The following recap contains spoilers for Only Murders in the Building S4E1, “Once Upon a Time in the West” (written by John Hoffman, Steve Martin & Joshua Allen Griffith, and directed by John Hoffman).
The sleuthing trio is back and jumping into their next mystery; except this time, it’s personal. Well, it’s always personal, but this one felt personal to me because I love Sazz (Jane Lynch). The end of Season 3 left the trio celebrating a successful opening night of Death Rattle and solving the mystery of who killed Ben Glenroy (Paul Rudd). While that happened, Sazz was supposed to head up to Charles’s (Steve Martin) apartment to grab a bottle of wine, but as she entered the apartment, she was shot, and we were left to wonder what had just happened.
Season 4 recaps as much, but doesn’t open where it left off. Instead, it is a new day and Charles is recording the closing of their podcast on Glenroy’s death. Oddly, though the power goes out while he is recording, Oliver (Martin Short) makes a passing comment about the power not doing that since the incinerator was out of order (clue #1) and the three of them brush it off and head to Charles’s apartment. I was expecting to see a body, but no it is not there. This leaves the question of whether Sazz was killed or not. Mabel (Selena Gomez) and Charles receive an email from Bev Melon (Molly Shannon) over at Paramount and they want to make a movie about their podcast. They are invited out to L.A., but Charles is worried about Sazz as she hasn’t responded to any of his texts. Right on cue “she” texts him and says she is in L.A. shooting as a body double.
In L.A….
The trio meets with Melon and a massive team of ass-kissers. They are moving at lightning speed, much to the shock of the trio. Melon says they have their actors and are ready to shoot within the next three weeks, but just need the trio to sign their life rights over to her. Charles and Oliver use their negotiation skills to up the price to “4.” As Melon and her team try to decipher what “4” means, Mabel walks out, feeling overwhelmed with it all.
Oliver and Charles follow her and reassure her that they will stand by her even if she chooses not to sign the contract. Oliver does remind her that his life is over if he doesn’t get this money and opportunity. No pressure.
They go over to Sazz’s apartment where the mail is overflowing, hinting that no one has been there in quite some time. Still, Charles tries knocking and yelling her name, but no answer. The trio decides to head to the party that Melon is throwing for them and worry about Sazz later, as she is “probably fine.”
At the party, the trio is immediately introduced to the actors who would be playing them. Enter Zach Galifianakis as Oliver, Eva Longoria as Mabel, and Eugene Levy as Charles. They are over-the-top versions of the main group but funny nonetheless. Loretta (Meryl Streep) arrives at the party and has a conversation with Oliver, asking him to move out to L.A. since this is where her work is now. He tells her he needs time to think about it. She didn’t look too happy. I think this will end badly.
Inside, Mabel sits with Eva Longoria. Eva understands why Mabel is upset as Mabel explains that she wants to be better and different from the character she will be portrayed as. Eva tells her to ask Melon for what she wants and use that to create a better life for herself. Mabel takes the advice and hands Melon an envelope with her demands, which remain unseen to us audience folk. Mabel joins Oliver outside with champagne and glasses to celebrate her agreeing to sign over her life rights. Meanwhile, Charles runs into an old actor buddy, who Sazz was supposed to be the body double for. He tells Charles that he hasn’t seen Sazz in a while and she never showed up to set. Charles is not happy with this information and grabs his friends as they head back to her apartment.
Charles picks the lock and the trio enters. Mabel questions why Sazz has X-rays lit up on the wall. Charles explains that she has gotten so many breaks and steel replacement parts in her body (from Bulgaria only) and she loves to admire it as it was a reminder of all she has done in her life. This, of course, is clue #2. The trio hears a noise in the other room but before they can explore what it was, Charles receives a phone call from the Arconia, stating that they received his request to replace the window but are unable to that day. Charles did not make that request and the team rushes back to NYC.
Back in NY…
The trio examines Charles’s window and recognizes that there is a bullet hole in it. Mabel goes back to the blood stain on the stove and the team begins to worry. They call Howard and his new retired service dog (the shelter added him to the no more cats list). The dog begins to sniff and bark, leading them to the hallway where the drop for the incinerator is. The trio rushes to the basement and Charles begins digging in the incinerator and through the ashes. He pulls out two metal pieces both stamped with “made in Bulgaria.” The trio stands in silence, looking defeated. Earlier, Charles texted Sazz’s phone asking who this was since it wasn’t Sazz. The reply comes at this point with “Not your fucking friend.” End of episode.
This was probably the longest episode of Only Murders in the Building to date and I loved it! I’m glad the episode didn’t open exactly where the last left off as they tend to do. The build-up to them discovering that Sazz is dead was great. It was the first time we as an audience knew something that the trio didn’t and not the other way around. While we saw the Bulgarian steel in the incinerator, does it truly mean it was Sazz? I think the lack of a body makes it possible that she didn’t die. She could be on the run since she has information and knows she is a target. Was she the original target though, or was she shot because she was Charles’ look-a-like and it was intended for him? What did she need to talk to Charles about? I know we will get the answers eventually but it is always fun to let the questions burn and form theories. I like the addition of the actors playing the trio and that Meryl Streep is back. She, of course, makes any movie or show that much better. Let’s not forget Howard, who thankfully hasn’t died and remains a beloved character. Hopefully next week brings more answers than questions!
