Spoilers for Only Murders in the Building ahead. Who would've thought a show with a bassoon cleaner at the center of its plot would've manage to capture so many hearts? Only Murders in the Building surprised and delighted fans thanks to the unexpected chemistry of its A-list cast—Selena Gomez, Martin Short, and Steve Martin—and its satirical plot about culture's obsession with true crime. Also, it had some beautiful apartments. The 10-episode first season came to a close in mid-October revealing who killed Tim Kono among several other secrets, but there's still plenty of murder happening in the building.
Here's everything we know about the future of the Hulu murder-mystery series.
Will there be a season 2 of Only Murders in the Building?
Yes! Season 1 ended on a massive cliffhanger, so it would've been brutal if Hulu didn't deliver on another chapter of the hit show. Plus, it was the most-watched comedy on Hulu ever—"by a good measure," the streamer confirmed. Thankfully, Hulu announced on Twitter—a month before the season 1 finale—that Only Murders would be returning for a second season.
What happened at the end of Only Murders in the Building season 1?
The season 1 finale gave us just as many questions as it did answers. We did finally learn who killed Tim Kono, and it was not the Dimases as originally suspected. Instead, it was Jan (Amy Ryan), Charles's girlfriend and Arconia resident's bassoon player—scorned after her relationship with Tim didn't pan out. But the final moments of the episode introduces a whole new crime for us to investigate: the murder of building manager Bunny. We see Oliver (Short), Mabel (Gomez), and Charles (Martin) get arrested for the crime—she was found in Mabel's arms, stabbed with her knitting needles...
Show creator John Hoffman told Entertainment Weekly the plan for the finale was always to kill Bunny. "For the characters in the narratives, she was a central point for all of them to look not good at the end, if that's who the victim is," he explained. "So our trio being around her dead body with a knitting needle in her chest pointed the finger at all of them in a way that felt threatening and intriguing. And what was always the intent from when I first pitched the show to Hulu, the ending line of my pitch was, 'So at the end of the season, our investigative trio now find themselves a prime suspect in a new murder, and the subjects of a new podcast that could be coming out, done by their own mentor.'"
What could happen in Only Murders in the Building season 2?
We can only assume that season 2 will seek to exonerate our iconic trio of sleuths and discover Bunny's true killer. Will Cinda Canning (Tina Fey) lead the investigation or just podcast their misfortunes? Have they gained enough favor with Detective Williams (Da’Vine Joy Randolph) that the charges won't hold? And like Cinda's podcast, will season 2 be called Only Murderers in the Building?
Hoffman told EW that season 2 will go in a “bigger direction” and that the key to unlocking the plot is figuring out why Bunny may have been in Mabel's apartment to begin with.
When speaking to Deadline, Hoffman also teased that fans would learn more about the history of the Arconia in the second season. "It’s got some secrets for sure and that’s another area we’re interested in exploring," he said. "Also, what does it mean for the real-world purposes of what’s happening with our built-in real estate terms as far as the value and who wants to live here and who doesn’t anymore? It all gets very complicated at the Arconia. You’ll learn more about its history in Season 2."
And when speaking to Elle, Hoffman suggested that Mabel might see herself in hotter water for Bunny's death than Oliver or Charles. But that will allow the show to expand more into Mabel's storyline.
"They're all in the hot seat. They've all stepped in it, and Mabel is certainly even a bit more in the spotlight," Hoffman said. "The opportunity that might come from that is what's intriguing to us as we go into a season two. Mabel's life is going to get a little bit bigger in season 2."
Which cast members will return for season 2?
Fans will be thrilled to know that Selena Gomez, Steve Martin, and Martin Short are all returning for season 2. It's also likely guest star Tina Fey will have a larger part on season 2, since it was teased in the season 1 finale that her character, Cinda Canning, is creating a true crime podcast about our beloved true crime podcasters.
Hoffman all but confirmed Bunny (Jane Houdyshell) would also be a part of season 2—seemingly in flashback scenes: "I told her, being a victim on this show—just ask the other brilliant victim in season 1, Julian Cihi who played Tim Kono—it doesn't mean you are not going to be in the show. You're likely going to be in the show even as a victim."
Most importantly, the Arconia (The Bellnord in real life) will remain a major player in season 2. "It's got to remain squared and centered around that," Hoffman said to EW. He also teased that season 2 may not be the last of Only Murders in the Building but future seasons could move beyond the beautiful Manhattan apartment complex. "That gets very exciting when you think of all the ways in which this thing can move and grow, and not always be potentially within those walls," he added.
Hoffman played more coy when discussing if or if not Sting would return, but he did tell Deadline that chances are high for Jane Lynch to return as Charles's former stunt double, Sazz: "I can’t imagine a world where Sazz isn’t part of our group going forward."
As for Oscar, Hoffman suggested there was still a lot left for him and Mabel to unpack in their burgeoning yet "complicated" relationship, which means we can expect to see actor Aaron Dominguez also reprising his role. "There are certain dreams they both have that they recognize who they are together, but I think they have work to do to understand exactly who they are and if they’re meant to be together," the show creator said.
Hoffman even teased to Elle that despite Teddy Dimas and Theo being "in a boatload of trouble" we may see them again in season 2.
It was also announced in early December that supermodel and actress Cara Delevingne had been cast as a series regular in the upcoming second season. She'll play Alice, "a sophisticated art world insider who becomes enmeshed in the mystery," Variety reports. While season 1 dealt primarily with jewel thieves (among, well, murders and podcasters) it seems season 2's crimes might revolve around the wealthy world of art curators—fitting considering Mabel's own artistic talents.
When could season 2 come out?
Rumors suggest mid-2022, but there's no confirmed premiere date yet. Hoffman told Elle that they were slated to begin filming again in November 2021.
"We have been working with the writers for a few months now," Hoffman said. "With this show, you have to sort of build the mystery backwards to forward and twist our way to the resolve. So you have to know everything at the end first and hide things and twist your way there. That's what we've been doing, and now we're speeding our way through the scripts, and we're about halfway through."
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