🔥🕵️ “The Arconia Hides Its Darkest Secret Yet!” Steve Martin, Martin Short & Selena Gomez RETURN in Season 5 of the best 3-TIME EMMY-WINNING crime thriller — And THIS TIME, everyone Is a Suspect! 😱💔
Only Murders in the Building Season 5: Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez Return — But Who’s the Next Killer in the Arconia?
It has been described as “the coziest murder mystery on television” and “the show that saved the whodunit.” Now, Only Murders in the Building is back for its fifth season, and this time the stakes — and the suspects — are bigger than ever.
The unlikely but irresistible trio of Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez once again reunite to hunt down a murderer in New York City’s most infamous apartment complex, the Arconia. The Hulu series, which began as a quirky satire of true-crime podcasts, has evolved into one of television’s most beloved comedies — blending slapstick humor, star-studded cameos, and genuinely compelling mysteries.
And if the cast’s latest revelations are anything to go by, Season 5 promises to be the show’s most daring chapter yet.
Picking Up Where Season 4 Left Off
Season 4 ended with tragedy: the shocking murder of Lester, the Arconia’s beloved doorman, a character adored not only by the tenants but by viewers who had grown attached to his wry humor and loyalty. Now, Season 5 picks up with Charles-Haden Savage (Martin), Oliver Putnam (Short), and Mabel Mora (Gomez) diving headfirst into Lester’s death — and, in true OMITB fashion, getting far too entangled in the investigation themselves.
“Let me just add while you’re talking about the Upper West Side, one thing the show does this year is really get into the job of what doormen do,” Steve Martin revealed. “Our whole season is about doormen. I told my own doorman that, and he said, ‘Can I be in it?’”
The decision to center a season around New York’s doormen feels quintessentially Only Murders: whimsical, character-driven, but with just enough realism to root the comedy in genuine city life.
Legends Meet Pop Star: The Trio’s Chemistry
The beating heart of Only Murders in the Building has always been its oddball trio: two aging Broadway veterans and one deadpan millennial caught in their orbit. Their chemistry has been the show’s secret weapon — a perfect storm of sarcasm, warmth, and relentless bickering.
Selena Gomez has often spoken about what it was like joining comedy legends Martin and Short. “They’re in their own right, legends,” she said. “But it was so instant. The moment I met them, they made me feel very comfortable and accepted.”
Martin Short recalled meeting Gomez in the makeup room on day one: “Of course, driving to work, you’re wondering, what’s she like? Is she going to be a pop princess? Is she going to be late? Is she going to be mean? Within two minutes, she just turned it. I thought, oh my God. We are in perfect shape.”
Steve Martin, ever the straight man, added dryly: “And I asked all those same questions, but about Marty. And they were all negative. He’s a pop princess.”
It’s this constant volleying of jokes, even in interviews, that mirrors their on-screen dynamic. The trio may be mismatched, but together they’ve crafted one of the most lovable ensembles in modern television.
Guest Stars Galore: Could One of Them Be the Killer?
Of course, Only Murders wouldn’t be Only Murders without its A-list cameos. In Season 5, viewers can expect returning faces like Meryl Streep and Da’Vine Joy Randolph, alongside a new lineup of big names including Renée Zellweger, Keegan-Michael Key, Téa Leoni, and Bobby Cannavale.
As always, the game is to guess: which of these glittering stars will be the victim, and which might be the killer?
Fans have already begun dissecting the trailer, speculating that Zellweger’s character might harbor secrets, while others point to Cannavale’s reputation for playing morally ambiguous roles. Still, with OMITB, misdirection is the name of the game — the show loves nothing more than leading viewers down one path, only to pull the rug out from under them.
Lawbreakers and Laughs
Part of the charm of Only Murders is how it gleefully breaks its own rules — and, according to the cast, the law as well. “There’s a lot of, lot of — we should have another team who investigates us,” Steve Martin admitted.
Gomez laughed in agreement. “Yeah, truly.”
It’s this self-awareness that has made the series a hit beyond its core mystery. Viewers don’t just tune in to find out whodunit; they come for the banter, the pratfalls, the side plots about Oliver’s disastrous theater career, Charles’s insecurities, and Mabel’s determination to prove she’s not just the “millennial sidekick.”
A Mystery That Mirrors Reality
In a surprising twist, Season 5 won’t just be about fictional crime. According to Steve Martin, the storylines will echo real-world events in New York City. “It’s a great mystery, and it happens to coincide with events in the news in New York City, too,” he revealed. “There’s mayoral things. There are gambling issues, and all this is going on at this time.”
This grounding in contemporary events adds a new layer to the show’s satire — part parody of true crime, part commentary on the absurdities of urban life.
Why Fans Can’t Get Enough
When Only Murders in the Building debuted in 2021, it seemed like a quirky experiment. A murder mystery comedy? Starring two septuagenarians and a pop star? Yet the show quickly proved to be lightning in a bottle.
The contrast between Short’s manic energy, Martin’s deadpan delivery, and Gomez’s cool sarcasm struck a chord with audiences. The show became Hulu’s most-watched original comedy, earning Emmy nominations and spawning a passionate fanbase.
For many, it filled the void left by Schitt’s Creek and Brooklyn Nine-Nine: smart, warm-hearted comedies that doubled as comfort TV. Yet unlike those shows, OMITB had the added thrill of genuine suspense — keeping viewers guessing while making them laugh.
What We Know — and What We Don’t
As for Season 5’s big mystery, the cast is keeping their lips sealed. “We don’t know what we can tell,” Martin Short teased. “You see, that’s the trick of this.”
Indeed, secrecy is part of the fun. Each season has delivered a shocking twist that redefines everything we thought we knew. Could Season 5 be the one where the trio themselves become suspects?
Some fans speculate that one of the central three may finally cross the line. After all, how many murders can you investigate in your own building before suspicion turns inward?
The Arconia: A Character in Its Own Right
At the heart of the series remains the Arconia itself, the Upper West Side apartment building whose opulent halls conceal endless secrets. Over five seasons, the building has become as much a character as Charles, Oliver, and Mabel — its apartments, elevators, and courtyards serving as both battlegrounds and punchlines.
By focusing this season on Lester, the doorman, the show is paying tribute not just to a beloved character but to the very soul of the Arconia. Doormen, after all, are the keepers of the building’s stories — the eyes and ears of its secrets.
Looking Ahead
Only Murders in the Building Season 5 is more than just another installment of a successful show. It’s proof that audiences still crave smart, character-driven comedy in an age dominated by spectacle. With its starry cast, sharp writing, and perfect blend of laughs and suspense, it remains one of television’s most delightful surprises.
So who killed Lester? Will Charles, Oliver, and Mabel finally get through one season without breaking into apartments and tampering with evidence? And just how many secrets can one building hide?
The answers await when Only Murders in the Building returns on Hulu. Until then, fans can only speculate — and keep their eyes on the Arconia, where danger and comedy are always just one door away.