Only Murders in the Building Season 3: Top 10 Things You Missed
Some clues in "Only Murders" Season 3 were hiding in plain sight. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the clues, references, and easter eggs in the latest season of Hulu’s greatest murder mystery comedy series.
Transcript
00:00 "You texted me saying you have a lead. I texted you saying tell me more."
00:04 Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the clues,
00:08 references and easter eggs in the latest season of Hulu's greatest murder mystery comedy series.
00:14 Seems like it goes without saying, but major spoilers ahead.
00:17 "You know what, I didn't highlight that one. I'm gonna do that right now."
00:21 "Good."
00:21 Number 10 - The Opening Credits
00:25 [Music]
00:30 Only Murders in the Building undeniably has one of the best opening credits sequences on television,
00:35 with its soothing music and clues sprinkled throughout.
00:38 In connection with this season's plot, we have theater-related visuals beginning
00:42 with footlights in episode 1, a lighthouse in episode 3, and the dreaded white rooms in episode 4.
00:48 "In TV, if you screw up, you get another take. In theater, there's no net. You blank out, that's it."
00:54 In episode 6, we see a falling sandbag, like the one that nearly hits Charles on stage,
00:59 followed by episode 7's death-rattle wallpaper, episode 8's conductor,
01:04 episode 9's traveling trio, and the finale's rising curtains.
01:08 The standouts are episode 2's twin blue flames, suggesting two killers,
01:12 and the heart-shaped smoke in episode 5, implying love, which turns out to be familial.
01:18 "I can't explain it any more than I can explain the plot of this musical."
01:23 "I'm sorry, but I just, I knew."
01:26 To say fans were excited that Meryl Streep joined the cast would be an understatement.
01:34 Her character Loretta Durkin was an instant favorite, and we couldn't get enough of her
01:38 endless stories of early acting jobs and rejections.
01:40 "You know, it didn't matter how big and loud and crazy it was. It was just because it felt true."
01:46 In episode 3, she mentions her brief work on the stage production of 'Little Shop of Horrors'.
01:51 This could be a subtle nod to co-star Steve Martin's role as
01:54 Oren Scrivello in the 1986 film adaptation.
01:58 Loretta also gets an exciting opportunity to join a Grey's Anatomy spin-off called
02:02 Grey's New Orleans Family Burn Unit.
02:04 "She has a backstory, all of her, and uh, lines."
02:08 "Oh."
02:09 "And the producer said they might give her a limp."
02:12 "Yeah."
02:14 "So, it's juicy."
02:17 If you've seen any episodes from season 6 to 19, you will know that newcomer Jesse Williams
02:22 played Jackson Avery on the long-running medical drama.
02:25 According to showrunner John Hoffman, Williams loved the reference.
02:29 "Sorry, what happened? Oh, can she say it again? Yes, I got it."
02:33 Season 3's themes were parenthood and sacrifice,
02:39 specifically how far a mother would go to protect her son.
02:43 "A child needs to feel at all times safe. They need to feel protected with the kind of ferocity
02:50 only a mother can summon."
02:52 Loretta secretly being Dickie's birth mother was a major focus and quite the red herring.
02:58 In the end, Ben Glenroy's killers were of course mother-son duo Cliff and Donna.
03:03 However, some might have been too distracted by their disturbing kisses
03:06 to notice other matriarchal mentions.
03:08 "It's a thing we do."
03:09 "It's so sweet. I'm gonna go before it gets any sweeter."
03:13 Oliver quotes his mother. Taubert calls out his mom for giving him an odd name
03:17 and tells a story about a mama elephant coming to her baby's rescue in Botswana.
03:21 Mabel has a dream, or maybe a nightmare, about becoming a mother,
03:24 and reminisces about watching Ben Glenroy's Girl Cop with her mom.
03:28 Charles, Joy, Sazh, Ben, Howard, and even Bobo all have similar moments as well.
03:34 "Which is really tough on me because my mother only has one foot."
03:39 "Bobo, Bobo, please. Again, I'm gonna remind you, this is a police interview.
03:44 Cut all that family s*** out."
03:46 Number 7. Ben's Beef with the Pope
03:49 When they first meet at the table read, Loretta refers to Ben Glenroy's famous character as
03:54 "The" Cobro, and he immediately corrects her.
03:57 "No, please, just, just Cobro."
03:59 "Sorry?"
04:00 "Yeah, I don't, the, the, makes me sound like an a*****."
04:03 Because he's totally not narcissistic like The Rock or The Pope.
04:07 Uh, some big names to drag through the mud there, buddy.
04:10 Turns out this latter call-out might allude to something else.
04:13 "I just..."
04:13 "Oh, wow. Sorry."
04:21 At the end of episode 5, we see an article about the actor and a certain t-shirt scandal.
04:27 Apparently, he met His Holiness donning a shirt with an inappropriate phrase that was hard to miss.
04:32 Was it an accident? A prank? The article can't confirm.
04:36 But we're going to wager a guess that it was intentional,
04:38 given that Glenroy has been quoted as saying he doesn't, quote,
04:42 "trust a Catholic who wears a yarmulke."
04:44 "I mean, come on, get over yourselves."
04:45 Number 6. An Ode to Paul Rudd
04:49 Paul Rudd enthusiasts may have caught the visual references to the actor's career
04:53 that pop up in Ben Glenroy's Arconia penthouse and in the home of his stalker, Greg.
04:58 We see posters from Glenroy's fictional filmography,
05:01 like Hannigan's Wedding Night, in honor of Rudd's friend's character, Mike Hannigan.
05:06 "Every day with you is an adventure, and I can't believe how lucky I am."
05:10 And of course, Ant Family Adventures is an obvious nod to his MCU hero, Ant-Man.
05:16 There's also a poster for Sex Panther, the name of Brian Fantana's lethal cologne in Anchorman.
05:22 "It's a formidable scent. It stings the nostrils. In a good way."
05:28 "Brian, I'm gonna be honest with you, that smells like pure gasoline."
05:32 And the mustachioed field reporter also appears on a prayer candle.
05:37 The Ben Glenroy bar and bat mitzvah DJ doll, complete with a limbo pole, body glitter,
05:42 and what appears to be an air guitar, references Rudd's former gig as DJ Donnie Dweeb.
05:48 Number 5. Loretta's Streep-themed apartment
05:56 The season's biggest guest star, Meryl Streep,
05:59 also had a treasure trove of Easter eggs incorporated into her character's
06:03 adorable little cottagecore living space.
06:05 "Welcome to my slice of New York. It's city bitty, but it's, you know, it's..."
06:09 "Hello!"
06:11 "Art!"
06:11 There's a suffragette poster on the wall near the entrance,
06:14 referencing her 2015 film of the same name.
06:17 The Christmas card from Kramer vs. Kramer can also be found on Loretta's fridge.
06:21 Of course, the beloved The Devil Wears Prada could not be left out.
06:25 "Who knew? That wasn't a question."
06:28 Set decorator Rich Murray told Variety they splayed the film's logo along bookspines in
06:33 her quirky bookshelf. Additionally, on Loretta's desk is an arrangement of French tulips,
06:38 like the one seen in Julie and Julia. Keen eyes will notice an array of scripts with
06:43 familiar titles like August Osage County Litter the Home as well.
06:47 "Maybe I should have an auction."
06:48 "Uh, sure. Auction's a fine idea."
06:51 "Because some of this, these things, the silverwares, that's worth a pretty penny."
06:57 Number 4. Schmackery's Cookies
06:59 Based on his intense reaction at the table read, viewers could tell that Ben Glenroy's
07:12 resolve would crumble and he would eventually eat another Schmackery's cookie or two at some point.
07:16 But little did we know, his weakness for baked goods would almost kill him thanks
07:20 to Donna's added sprinkle of rat poison.
07:22 "I wasn't trying to kill Ben, I just wanted to knock him on his ass.
07:25 Of course it's hard to know the exact non-lethal amount of rat poison to give a man.
07:31 How many rats is one Ben Glenroy?"
07:34 There were actually a few foreshadowing details in earlier episodes, like Ben saying the doctors
07:39 thought it might have been something he ate. The sweet treats are actually famous in the New York
07:44 theater world, known as the "official cookie of Broadway." Lucky for Only Murders in the Building
07:49 fans, we can get our own special Death Rattle Dazzle cookies because we can't even.
07:54 "Find a little rat, make a bunny go sprat, make a dory-birdy-dory for a nursery rhyme."
07:59 Number 3 - The Elevator
08:00 With everything that went on in season 2, you'd be forgiven for missing this next one.
08:05 "You wanna go to my place and get those classes now?"
08:07 "Oh, perfect."
08:08 In the episode "The Last Day of Bunny Folger," Charles and Mabel share an elevator ride with
08:13 the Arconia board president. When it suddenly stops, the two are visibly nervous, Charles
08:18 more than Mabel. But Bunny has it up and running in no time.
08:22 "Thank God. What would we do without you?"
08:24 In the season 3 premiere, said elevator is now shut down. And if you recall in season 1,
08:32 Grover Stanley, Arconia resident and board member, complained about strange noises.
08:36 These little continuity details are just part of what makes the show such a pleasure to watch.
08:42 "It's a callback. Because we're right back where we...forget it."
08:47 Number 2 - The Producers
08:50 Season 3 was truly a theater lover's dream, especially with surprise cameos by Matthew
08:55 Broderick and Mel Brooks. But if you're unfamiliar with the Broadway legends,
08:59 you probably didn't catch the significance of their appearance.
09:02 "Why, you never saw The Producers?"
09:04 "Well, I was busy at the time."
09:05 "It ran for six years!"
09:07 Brooks wrote and directed 1967's The Producers, which later became a stage musical that he
09:12 adapted into another film in 2005. Broderick starred in the latter two productions alongside
09:17 Nathan Lane, whose Teddy Demas is absent this season.
09:21 "I'm so dismayed. Did I mention I'm betrayed?"
09:24 There are some plot similarities between this season and The Producers,
09:29 namely how bad reviews can tank a show based on a single performance. Some theorized earlier on
09:34 that Donna and Cliff were also trying to make the play a flop. But as we know, that was not the case.
09:40 "Make sure you get on that line. Should you powder? Shiny."
09:45 Before we unveil our top pick, here are some honorable mentions.
09:48 Gut Milk
09:50 The questionable beverage remains a staple at the Arconia for some reason.
09:54 "Oliver, I'd really like to try one of those blue raspberry gut milks I saw in your fridge.
09:58 Split one with me?"
09:59 "Oh, sure."
10:00 Another one
10:01 After Episode 9, it looked like that was the story we were getting.
10:05 "The night Ben died, he apologized to Kimber for making things messy. Do you think they were
10:11 hooking up?" "I don't know, but another female killer, that's so done."
10:15 A literal cliffhanger. Yes, Cliff DeMeo actually clings to a ledge.
10:20 "Were the mermen in Splash this high when they fell?"
10:22 "No, I think you're a bit higher, son." "Ah, and was it painless?"
10:28 "Oh, no, no, no. You have never heard mermen scream like that."
10:32 Lighthouses
10:33 The centerpiece of the play can be seen in the dressing room's decor.
10:36 "See? Perfect for sitting and probing during Sits Pro. You got your low lighting,
10:41 you got an ergonomic chair, uh, back issues of the New Yorker."
10:46 Missing mangoes
10:47 This mystery was never solved. Did Donna toss them out so Ben only had a cookie to curb his anxiety?
10:53 "K.T., my bad for accusing you of stealing my mangoes. A tofu season is really short,
10:59 and it's pretty much the only fruit I can eat on the CoBro diet."
11:02 "I know it was coming from a place of love."
11:04 "It wasn't, but thank you."
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11:20 Number 1. Charles is a target
11:24 After the murder of Ben Glenroy was solved, we held our breath as we prepared ourselves for
11:30 another body to drop just before the credits rolled. But Charles' stunt double, Sazh,
11:34 was not someone we had on our radar.
11:36 With the way we're led to believe the victim is initially Charles,
11:45 it's likely that the shooter was also targeting him. Earlier in the season,
11:49 Sazh offhandedly says this.
12:03 In the finale, she also says she has something sensitive to discuss with Charles.
12:08 Perhaps it was something to do with Jan? Or maybe Sazh heard something she shouldn't have?
12:12 Was it Joy's new beau Scott Bakula? Unfortunately, we'll have to wait a while to find out.
12:17 Did you catch any of these details? Which of your theories turned out to be true?
12:28 Share your sleuthing in the comments below.
12:31 No distractions!
12:32 Ooh, do I smell Shemekere's cookies?
12:35 Do you agree with our picks? Check out this other recent clip from Ms. Mojo.
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12:44 [music]