A sharp, highly watchable mystery-comedy with strong chemistry, playful structure, and enough emotional warmth to keep the puzzle-box format from feeling thin. It works best as a breezy, star-driven binge that balances satire, whodunit mechanics, and genuine affection for old-school showbiz and New York eccentricity.
Only Murders in the Building
Where to watch: Buy
TV Show · Comedy · Mystery
Tue
Created by: Steve Martin, John Hoffman
Starring: Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez
Overview
Three strangers share an obsession with true crime and suddenly find themselves wrapped up in one.
Created by
Steve Martin, John Hoffman
Cast
Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez, Michael Cyril Creighton
Curator Review
Verdict
A sharp, highly watchable mystery-comedy with strong chemistry, playful structure, and enough emotional warmth to keep the puzzle-box format from feeling thin. It works best as a breezy, star-driven binge that balances satire, whodunit mechanics, and genuine affection for old-school showbiz and New York eccentricity.
Best for
fans of light mystery with a comedic edge
viewers who enjoy ensemble chemistry and banter
people who like true-crime satire and meta storytelling
binge-watchers looking for short, propulsive seasons
Skip if
you want a hard-edged or deeply procedural crime drama
you dislike self-aware comedy and constant tonal play
you prefer mysteries that stay strictly grounded
you want a show that never leans on celebrity charm or broad humor
Overview
Only Murders in the Building is one of the cleaner examples of a modern comfort-watch mystery: clever enough to reward attention, but easy enough to sink into without homework. The central trio is the engine, and the show knows how to use their mismatched rhythms for both jokes and genuine feeling.
Worth noting
Its best seasons are the ones that keep the case tightly wound while letting the building itself feel like a comic ecosystem of secrets, grudges, and performance. The series is especially appealing if you like stories that poke fun at true-crime culture while still delivering the pleasures of a real whodunit.
Bottom line
As the run continues, the show can become a little more elaborate and self-conscious, but it remains polished, charming, and very bingeable. It is less about realism than tone, timing, and the pleasure of watching a well-cast ensemble work a mystery from the inside out.