Only Murders in the Building (abbreviated asOMITB) is an Americanmysterycomedy-drama television series created bySteve Martin andJohn Hoffman. The show focuses on a trio of strangers (played by Steve Martin,Martin Short, andSelena Gomez) with a shared interest intrue crime podcasts, who become friends while investigating a succession of suspicious murders in the Arconia, their upscale apartment building onManhattan'sUpper West Side, and producing their own podcast about the cases, titledOnly Murders in the Building. Its five seasons premiered onHulu in August 2021, June 2022, August 2023, August 2024, and September 2025. In October 2025, the series was renewed for a sixth season.
Steve Martin as Charles-Haden Savage,[1] amisanthropic semi-retired actor who was the star of the popular 1990s crime drama seriesBrazzos and, as a result of the podcast's success, goes on to star in its 2020s revival
Matthew Lamb as young Charles (season 2)
Martin Short as Oliver Putnam,[1] an ambitious but financially strugglingBroadway director who spawns the idea of the podcast and becomes its director
Samuel Farnsworth (season 2) and Hayes McCracken (season 5) as young Oliver
Selena Gomez as Mabel Mora,[1] a young artist and apartment renovator living alone in her aunt's unit, who was part of a quartet that solved pretend mysteries throughout her childhood and teenage years, which included her best friend Tim Kono, the first season's murder victim
Madeleine Valencia (season 1), Caroline Valencia (season 2), and Isabella Aparicio (season 5) as young Mabel
Aaron Dominguez as Oscar Torres (season 1), a friend of Mabel and Tim who was wrongfully convicted of the murder of their friend Zoe Cassidy ten years earlier, has recently been released from prison, and dates Mabel for a while
Amy Ryan as Jan Bellows (season 1; recurring season 2; guest season 4), a professionalbassoonist who begins dating Charles.
Cara Delevingne as Alice Banks (season 2),[2] an artist and briefly Mabel's love interest.
Adina Verson as Poppy White (season 2; guest season 1),[a][3] Cinda Canning's ambitious but abused assistant. She later reveals her true identity as Becky Butler, the subject of theAll Is Not OK in Oklahoma crime podcast
Michael Cyril Creighton as Howard Morris (season 3–present;[4] recurring seasons 1–2), a cat-loving resident of the Arconia whose cat died the same night as Tim Kono. He becomes Oliver's assistant in season 3 for his play and becomes more invested in helping with the podcast during season 4.
Ben Glenroy (season 3; guest season 2), a Hollywood actor best known for playing television superhero CoBro, who is murdered on the opening night of his first Broadway play.[5]
Glen Stubbins (season 4), Ben Glenroy's Irish-born former stunt double.[6]
the voice of L.E.S.T.R. (season 5), the new robot-doorman of the Arconia named after Lester.[7]
Meryl Streep as Loretta Durkin (season 3–present),[c] a struggling actress and Oliver's love interest, and later wife, who stars in his Broadway play, and later its musical reinterpretation.
Zach Galifianakis (season 4)[8][d] as a fictionalized version of himself, portraying Oliver in the film adaptation of the podcast.[9]
Eugene Levy (season 4)[10][d] as a fictionalized version of himself, portraying Charles in the film adaptation of the podcast.[9]
Eva Longoria (season 4)[11][d] as a fictionalized version of herself, portraying Mabel in the film adaptation of the podcast.[9]
Julian Cihi as Tim Kono (season 1; guest season 5), a resident of the Arconia who dies in the first episode. The mysterious circumstances surrounding his death spur Charles, Oliver, and Mabel to do their own investigation.[12][13]
Da'Vine Joy Randolph as Detective Donna Williams, anNYPD detective who ends up becoming involved with each of the mysteries. She is introduced when she initially closes the Kono murder case but becomes interested again after her wife starts listening to the podcast.
Tina Fey as Cinda Canning (seasons 1–2; guest seasons 3, 5), the host of the true crime podcastAll Is Not OK in Oklahoma, a parody ofSarah Koenig and her true crime podcastSerial.[14]
Jackie Hoffman as Uma Heller, an ornery Arconia resident
Jayne Houdyshell as Bunny Folger (seasons 1–2; guest seasons 3, 5), the iron-fisted board president of the Arconia whose murder is investigated in the second season.
Houdyshell also voices Mrs. Gambolini (season 2), Bunny's pet parrot
Nathan Lane as Theodore "Teddy" Dimas, Sr. (seasons 1–2, 5), an old friend and patron of Oliver's family, who has ties to the localGreek mafia and agrees to sponsor the podcast.[15]
James Caverly as Theodore "Theo" Dimas, Jr. (season 1; guest seasons 2–3, 5), Teddy's deaf son.
Ryan Broussard as Will Putnam (seasons 1–2; guest seasons 3–4), Oliver's son
Teddy Coluca as Lester Coluca (seasons 1–2, 4–5; guest season 3), the Arconia's doorman, whose murder is investigated in season 5
Zainab Jah as Ndidi Idoko (season 1), Tim Kono's next-door neighbor
Maulik Pancholy as Arnav Kapoor (season 1), Charles's next-door neighbor
Olivia Reis as Zoe Cassidy (season 1), a friend of Mabel, Tim, and Oscar who died ten years earlier after falling from the roof of the Arconia.
Zoe Colletti as Lucy (season 2), the teenage daughter of Charles's ex-girlfriend, with whom Charles has a tenuous father–daughter relationship.
Michael Rapaport as Detective Daniel Kreps (season 2), a police detective investigating Bunny's murder[16]
Christine Ko as Nina Lin (season 2), Bunny's protégée and the Arconia's new board president
Ariel Shafir as Ivan (season 2), a server at Bunny's regular diner
Andrea Martin as Joy Payne (season 3; guest season 2), Charles's longtime makeup artist and love interest
Jason Veasey as Jonathan Bridgecroft (season 3; guest season 2), Howard's neighbor and love interest, and an actor in Oliver's show
Linda Emond as Donna DeMeo (season 3), a Broadway producer who funds Oliver's return to Broadway
Ashley Park as Kimber Min (season 3), a young actress and influencer who plays Ben's love interest in Oliver's show[17]
Jeremy Shamos as Dickie Glenroy (season 3; guest season 4), Ben's adopted brother and manager[18]
Wesley Taylor as Clifford "Cliff" DeMeo (season 3), Donna's clingy son who co-produces Oliver's play[19]
Jesse Williams as Tobert (season 3), a camera operator hired by Ben to make a documentary about his Broadway debut and briefly Mabel's love interest[20]
Don Darryl Rivera as Bobo Malone (season 3), an actor in Oliver's show
Gerald Caesar as Ty Wessex (season 3), an actor in Oliver's show
Allison Guinn as K. T. Knoblauer (season 3), the stage manager for Oliver's show
Jane Lynch as Sazz Pataki (season 4; guest seasons 1–3, 5), Charles's stunt double, who dates everyone he dates after him, and whose popularity with their coworkers often surpasses his.[21] She is shot dead by an unknown assailant at the end of the third season with a snipe ostensibly meant for Charles.
Catherine Cohen[23] as Trina Brothers (season 4), Tawny's twin sister and the co-director of the film adaptation of the podcast
Jin Ha[23] as Marshall P. Pope/Rex Bailey (season 4), the screenwriter of the film adaptation of the podcast
Siena Werber[24] as Tawny Brothers (season 4), Trina's twin sister and the co-director of the film adaptation of the podcast
Desmin Borges as Alfonso (season 4),[24] the patriarch of a family living in the Arconia's west tower
Richard Kind as Vince Fish (season 4–present),[23] a resident of the west tower who wears an eye patch as a result of perpetual pink eye[15]
Kumail Nanjiani as Rudy Thurber (season 4),[25] a fitness influencer and resident of the west tower who decorates his apartment withChristmas decorations year-round as a result of a Christmas-centric video becoming a hit
Esteban Benito as Tavo Mora (season 1), Mabel's cousin who runs a tattoo parlor
Mandy Gonzalez as Silvia Mora (season 1), Mabel's mother
Amy Schumer as a fictionalized version of herself (season 2), who moves into Sting's former apartment and proposes a TV series to Oliver based on their podcast[37]
Ben Livingston as Charles's late father (season 2)
Shirley MacLaine as Rose Cooper (season 2), Charles's father's lover and painter pretending to be Bunny's mother, Leonora Folger[37]
Damani Varnado as Liam Grimsby (season 2), a member of the Arconia board
Steve Martin conceived the idea forOnly Murders in the Building ten years before its premiere. His original idea involved three elderly men who discover that they are all obsessed with solving crimes, but are too old and tired to go outside, so they decide to only solve crimes that are in the building. The idea later developed with one of the old men changed to a younger woman.[40] In January 2020, it was announced that Martin andMartin Short would star in the then untitledHulu series, created by Martin andJohn Hoffman, with Martin, Short, and Hoffman as executive producers, alongsideDan Fogelman, with20th Television serving as the studio;[41]Selena Gomez would then join as the series's third main lead.
Hulu renewed the series for a second season in September 2021,[42] a third season in July 2022,[43] a fourth season in October 2023,[44] a fifth season in September 2024,[45] and a sixth season in October 2025.[46]
Alongside the initial announcement, it was announced Martin and Short would star in the series.[41] In August 2020, Gomez joined the cast and also serves as an executive producer.[47] In November 2020, Aaron Dominguez joined the cast in a series regular role.[48] In January 2021,Amy Ryan joined the cast in a series regular role[49] andNathan Lane joined the cast in a recurring role.[50]
In December 2021, it was reported thatCara Delevingne joined the cast as a series regular for the second season.[51] In January 2022, Short announced thatShirley MacLaine andAmy Schumer were cast to guest star for the second season.[37] In February 2022,Michael Rapaport joined the cast in a recurring role for the second season.[16]
In August 2022, it was announced thatPaul Rudd had joined the cast for the third season, after appearing in a cameo at the end of the second season.[52] In October 2022,Jesse Williams was cast in a recurring capacity for the third season.[20] In January 2023,Meryl Streep was cast in an undisclosed capacity for the third season.[53] In February 2023,Ashley Park joined the cast in a recurring role for the third season.[17] In March 2023,Jeremy Shamos,Linda Emond,Wesley Taylor, Don Darryl Rivera,Allison Guinn, and Gerald Caesar were cast in recurring capacities for the third season.[18][54] In April 2023,Michael Cyril Creighton was promoted to series regular for the third season.[4]
The Belnord on West 86th Street on theUpper West Side is used for exterior shots of the fictional Arconia apartment building.
Principal photography for the first season began on December 3, 2020, inNew York City,[55] and concluded in April 2021.[56]The Belnord was used for exterior shots of the Arconia.[57] Filming of the second season began on December 1, 2021.[58] Filming for the third season occurred between January and April 2023.[59][60] Filming for the fourth season took place between March and June 2024.[61][62] Filming for the fifth season occurred between March and June 2025.[63][64]
A digital album for the score was released on August 27, 2021, four days before the series's debut.[65] On July 15, 2022, the original song that was played briefly in the second season episode "Here's Looking at You", "Angel in Flip-Flops", was released online. It was performed by Steve Martin as his character Charles-Haden Savage, and written by Martin andKirker Butler, withPaul Shaffer as producer.[66] An album for the second season was released on August 12, 2022.[67] An album for the third season was released on September 15, 2023,[68] followed by a deluxe edition on October 4.[69] An album for the fourth season was released on October 25, 2024.[70] An album for the fifth season was released on October 24, 2025.[71]
The first season ofOnly Murders in the Building premiered on August 31, 2021, onHulu in the United States.[72] Internationally, the series premiered on the same day onDisney+ under the dedicated streaming hubStar, as anoriginal series, and onStar+ in Latin America.Disney+ Hotstar released the series in select territories on September 3, 2021.[73] On Disney+, Disney+ Hotstar, and Star+, episodes were scheduled to debut on a weekly basis.[74] The second season premiered on June 28, 2022.[75] The third season premiered on August 8, 2023.[76] The fourth season premiered on August 27, 2024.[77] The fifth season premiered on September 9, 2025, with three new episodes and the rest debuting on a weekly basis.[78]
The first season made itsbroadcast television premiere onABC on January 2, 2024. Episodes were edited to meetbroadcast standards and practices and followFCC rules.[79] The show was added to Disney+ in the United States via the Hulu hub beginning in December 2023.[80] The second season made its broadcast television premiere on ABC on January 2, 2025.[81]
For the first season,review aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes reported a 100% approval rating with an average rating of 8/10, based on 107 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "Only Murders in the Building's silly approach totrue crime obsessives is at once hilarious and insightful, thanks in large part to its extremely charming central trio."[82]Metacritic gave the first season a weighted average score of 76 out of 100 based on 34 critic reviews, indicating "generally favorable".[83]
For the second season, Rotten Tomatoes reported a 98% approval rating with an average rating of 8/10, based on 123 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus states, "Only Murders in the Building gets a new lease on life with a knottier sophomore outing that retains the series's core charm and wit."[84] Metacritic gave the second season a weighted average score of 79 out of 100 based on 25 critic reviews, signifying "generally favorable".[85]
For the third season, Rotten Tomatoes reported a 97% approval rating with an average rating of 7.95/10, based on 135 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "Relocating the action to the theatre,Only Murders in the Building can take a bow for yet another twisty mystery handled with a good-humored touch."[86] Metacritic gave the third season a weighted average score of 77 out of 100 based on 33 critic reviews, indicating "generally favorable".[87]
For the fourth season, Rotten Tomatoes reported a 93% approval rating with an average rating of 8.1/10, based on 126 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus states, "The gang is back together in a more metatextual season full of famous faces, continuingOnly Murders in the Building's reign as one of television's most delightful comedies."[88] Metacritic gave the fourth season a weighted average score of 78 out of 100 based on 29 critic reviews, signifying "generally favorable".[89]
For the fifth season, Rotten Tomatoes reported an 90% approval rating, based on 61 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "Putting the very fate of the Arconia on the line,Only Murders in the Building's fifth season goes back to the series' fundamentals — its core trio — and reaffirms that their charm hasn't waned one bit."[90] Metacritic gave the fifth season a weighted average score of 71 out of 100 based on 16 critic reviews, signifying "generally favorable".[91]
The second season received 11 nominations at the75th Primetime Emmy Awards, with one win in a technical category. Notable nominations included Outstanding Comedy Series, Short for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, Lane for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, and one nomination for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series.[95][96]
The fourth season received 2 major nominations at the77th Primetime Emmy Awards, for Outstanding Comedy Series and Martin Short for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series.[99]
On September 3, 2021, Hulu reported thatOnly Murders in the Building set a record for the most-watched comedy premiere in the platform's history.[101] On October 28, 2021, Hulu Originals president Craig Erwich said in an interview withVulture that the show had become the most-watched comedy ever on Hulu "by a good measure." In the same article,Vulture reported that, according to Parrot Analytics, the show went from having around 16 times the audience demand in the U.S. as an average show when it debuted on August 31 to generating 37 times typical demand by the time the season 1 finale dropped on October 19. This meant that the day after the finale, the show ranked as high as 14th on the list of most in-demand shows in the U.S. and signaled a "massive" 135% growth rate that according to Erwich is mainly attributable to word of mouth.[102] According to the streaming aggregatorJustWatch,Only Murders in the Building was the most-streamed TV series across all American platforms during the week ending October 24, 2021,[103] and second during the week ending October 31, 2021.[104]
According to Parrot Analytics, which looks at consumer engagement in consumer research, streaming, downloads, and on social media,Only Murders in the Building was the third-most in-demand streaming original series in the U.S. during the week of August 13 to 19, 2022,[105] as well as during the week of August 20 to 26.[106] According toWhip Media's viewership tracking appTV Time, it was the most-streamed TV series across all U.S. platforms during the week ending August 7, 2022,[107] and during the week of August 28.[108] According to the streaming aggregator JustWatch, it was the third-most streamed TV series across all American platforms during the week ending July 3, 2022.[109] Whip Media announcedOnly Murders in the Building was the fifth most-watched streaming original television series of 2023.[110][111]Nielsen Media Research, which records streaming viewership on U.S. television screens, reported that from June 1, 2024, to May 31, 2025, it was streamed for a total of 159.1 million hours.[112][113]
In collaboration withHulu, Straw Hut Media released an officialbehind-the-scenes companionpodcast,Only Murders in the Pod, featuring interviews with cast, crew, and writers.[114] While the first two seasons were hosted by Kevin Lawn and Elizabeth Keener,[115] due to theSAG-AFTRA andWriters Guild of America strikes in 2023, producers Maggie Boles and Ryan Tillotson hosted season three and interviewed directors and other crew members.
^Verson is credited as starring for the final episode of season 2, after being credited as recurring in all her previous appearances.
^Rudd is credited as special guest star during the opening credits in season 3 and 4 alongside the main cast. He is uncredited in season 5, except for episode 10.
^Streep is credited as special guest star during the opening credits since season 3 alongside the main cast.
^abcGalifianakis, Levy, and Longoria, when they appear, are credited as special guest stars during the opening credits in season 4 alongside the main cast.
^Roush, Matt (September 24, 2024) [September 16 – October 6, 2024]. "The Roush Review –Only Murders in the Building".TV Guide. Vol. 72, no. #3766–3768. p. 10.
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