Only Murders in the Building: Questions We Have for Season 4

This article contains spoilers for Only Murders in the Building season 3.

As with every season of Only Murders in the Building thus far, just as one murder gets solved by the sleuthing trio, another person gets killed. In the season 3 finale, Ben Gilroy’s (Paul Rudd) killer is caught and Mabel (Selena Gomez), Oliver (Martin Short), and Charles (Steve Martin) not only get to celebrate the opening night of Death Rattle Dazzle, but also another case successfully closed. However, the celebration doesn’t last long as Charles’ longtime colleague and stunt double Sazz Pataki (Jane Lynch) is shot through the window of his apartment.

But the death of Sazz isn’t the only mystery left to be solved by season 4, which writing is set to start on soon, now that the AMPTP has finally agreed to the WGA’s fair terms. Here are the big questions we have after the season 3 finale.

Who Killed Sazz and Why?

Sazz’s death marks the first death of a major recurring character in the series, but it’s not yet clear if she was the intended target. Her career was built on doubling for Charles, and she was killed in his apartment, in the dark, by a bullet that came through a window. It’s possible that the killer was after Charles and mistook Sazz for him. But it’s also possible that the killer knew Sazz would be there for the post-musical celebration. 

If the killer was really after Charles, could he still be in danger next season? Did Teddy Dimas (Nathan Lane) hire someone for revenge or is this someone else from Charles or Sazz’s past? Mabel and Theo (James Caverly) have rekindled their friendship since Teddy was sent to prison, but that doesn’t mean his powerful father was able to forgive and move on so easily.

Regardless, next season’s murder investigation could prove to be one of the series’ most intriguing yet.

Will the Show Actually Leave New York?

Season 3 proved that while Only Murders in the Building does take its premise seriously, the show also isn’t afraid to take its murders at least partially outside of the Arconia. Even though Ben was poisoned at the theater, he was ultimately killed at the Arconia. Season 4, however, seems poised to take Mabel, Oliver, and Charles further than we’ve seen them go before.

Tobert (Jesse Williams) has been offered a job that will take him to Southern California and wants Mabel to come with him. Mabel is currently between places anyway since her Aunt’s apartment was finally renovated and sold earlier this season. She loves spending time with her second family, Charles and Oliver, but this season has shown us that she also wants to explore what her life could be outside of them and the podcast. Similarly, Loretta’s (Meryl Streep) talents are finally being recognized and she’s receiving multiple offers for roles in Los Angeles. She’s been waiting so long for her career to take off like this, but she also loves Oliver and doesn’t want to leave him behind. With the success of Death Rattle Dazzle, would Oliver be willing to leave Broadway behind and the second chance he’s been waiting so long for?

Even though Sazz was very clearly killed in the Arconia, Mabel and Oliver could be splitting their time across the coasts next season throughout the investigation. Given Sazz’s industry connections, California could also hold some important clues for the case.

Will Meryl Streep Return and What Other Guest Stars Could We See in Season 4?

Season 3 certainly brought out some heavy-hitters as guest stars this season. From Meryl Streep as Loretta Durkin to Paul Rudd as Ben Glenroy to Matthew Broderick as himself, this season set the bar high when it comes to the caliber of talent that Only Murders in the Building can bring in.

The door has definitely been left open for both Meryl Streep and Jesse Williams to return, but there’s no official word yet on whether or not we’ll see them next season. If the trio does make the journey to Los Angeles, whether for love or to follow a clue in Sazz’s murder, not only could we see Tobert and Loretta again, but we could also see some cameos from other well-known actors either as themselves or as other figures from Sazz’s past.

Sazz has canonically doubled for Tilda Swinton in the series, so it’s possible that the enigmatic actor could make an appearance in the series. (I have my fingers-crossed for a shot of Swinton sitting in a row of well-known actors that look like Sazz at her funeral).

But regardless of all of our questions and hopes for season 4, filming can’t begin until SAG-AFTRA reaches a fair deal with the AMPTP.

All three seasons of Only Murders in the Building are available to stream on Hulu now.