Season 3 of Only Murders in the Building expanded the show’s horizons, taking viewers to the Broadway stage to imbue the comedic whodunnit with a fresh atmosphere following two seasons stuck inside the walls of the luxurious yet lethal Arconia. The season follows Oliver, Mabel, and Charles as they work to uncover Ben Glenroy’s (Paul Rudd) killer while preparing for the opening night of Death Rattle Dazzle: The Musical — A Putnam-style grandiose endeavor with a cuckoo plot and a smattering of Broadway-caliber tunes. 

Spoiler Warning for Only Murders in the Building Season 3 Finale

Throughout the course of season 3, different suspects emerge — from Loretta Durkin (Meryl Streep) to Dickie (Jeremy Shamos) — but the killers turn out to be the season’s mother-son producing duo (who have a bit of an uncomfortable oedipal thing going). The mother poisoned Ben, trying to prevent him from taking the stage and giving a critically condemned performance. And, when Ben survived and found out, well, mommy’s good boy pushed him down the elevator shaft. All of this is to say that season 3 was about exploring the cost of success — and how far individuals will go to ensure career triumph. 

During an interview with Variety, Only Murders in the Building co-creator John Hoffman spoke about what to expect from season 4. Season 3 explored murderous impulses to protect one’s career and glory, while season 4 will explore the consequences of choice — like the choice to put a true crime podcast out into the world. Season 4 was greenlit on October 3, 2023 — the day the season 3 finale dropped on Hulu. 

Season 4 of ‘Only Murders in the Building’ will warn us about the dangers of creation… 

Hoffman told Variety: 

“As creative people, these three have made a podcast, and they put it out into the world and it’s taken off. But there’s no real sense of what people out there are thinking about your thing that is taking off, and that thing you created could come back in a way that feels threatening and unexpected for you. Something you couldn’t see coming — and what that does to you and how you want to spend the next years of your life. Be careful with the thing you create, basically.”

For three seasons, Charles, Mabel, and Oliver have investigated murders, while putting various suspects on blast for society to judge. While the podcast clearly has a following, the three protagonists have, thus far, remained rather blithely unaware of how others perceive their work. Season 4 will dive headfirst into the consequences of creation, and the need to be careful about what you put out into the world. Who knows who you will anger? Who knows who you will disappoint? Could they have done enough to create a killer of their own — after them? 

The season 3 finale makes it quite clear where season 4 is headed

At the end of season 3, the gang is celebrating a glorious review of their new musical when Charles notes that he’s going to head to his apartment to grab a 1966 bottle of wine that’s very exclusive. Only five bottles were made because the grapes were so small that year (he explains multiple times in that endearing Charles fashion). Except, Charles is not the one who goes upstairs…Jane Lynch’s Sazz Pataki goes upstairs to grab the exclusive bottle. And, well, she gets shot. 

The thing is: Sazz Pataki is Charles’ stunt double, and she is dressed up just like him…it’s a bit they’ve got going. So, it’s clear that the killer likely intended to shoot Charles, mistaking Sazz for his target. Thus, it’s quite probable that season 4 will present both a homicidal investigation and a homicidal danger at once. This time around, our trio will presumably be investigating a killer while trying to stay alive…especially Charles. 

Why kill Charles? Who has he wronged? Is it just him, or based on Hoffman’s words, is the killer after all three podcast creators? Have they, in their investigations, ticked off the wrong guy or gal? Has someone in the Arconia simply had enough? Maybe Uma (Jackie Hoffman) is fed up beyond sanity from all this murderous mayhem…and also happens to be a sharpshooter. Kidding. Yet, this show isn’t one to shy away from nutty twists…