New York City might be one of the safest cities in the world, but living at the luxurious Arconia apartment building continues to be one of the riskiest lifestyle choices on television. The true-crime-obsessed trio of Steve Martin’s Charles, Martin Short’s Oliver, and Selena Gomez’s Mabel have practically made a profession out of investigating the steady stream of suspicious deaths in their building. Now, they’re back to do it again in Season 5 of “Only Murders in the Building.”
After a fourth season that saw the action shift to Hollywood — thanks to a meta storyline where Eugene Levy, Zach Galifianakis, and Eva Longoria portrayed fictionalized versions of the main characters in a movie adaptation — the series is returning to its New York roots. The Arconia, with its labyrinth of hallways, eccentric residents, and air of old-money mystery, is once again at the center of the chaos.
The official synopsis reveals the season’s central mystery: “After their beloved doorman, Lester, dies under suspicious circumstances, Charles, Oliver, and Mabel refuse to believe it was an accident. Their investigation plunges them into the shadowy corners of New York and beyond — where the trio uncovers a dangerous web of secrets connecting powerful billionaires, old-school mobsters and the mysterious residents of the Arconia.” The search for the truth exposes a deeper divide between the city they thought they knew and the new New York that’s emerging — one where fading mob power struggles to survive against newer, even more dangerous players.
While “Only Murders in the Building” has become known for its parade of celebrity guest stars, the creative team appears to be re-centering the narrative on its core trio. IndieWire TV critic Ben Travers, reviewing Season 4, praised the decision to keep the heart of the story anchored in Charles, Oliver, and Mabel, while warning that the novelty of endless cameos could wear thin. “It’s still fun. It’s still funny. It’s still well-made and obviously well-acted,” Travers wrote. “They’ve got enough charm in-house. Don’t put us off by going overboard.”
Season 5 promises to blend the show’s trademark comedy with an exploration of shifting power dynamics in a city caught between nostalgia and reinvention. With the Arconia as both a crime scene and a microcosm of New York’s cultural transformation, the stakes feel higher than ever.
“Only Murders in the Building” Season 5 will debut with its first three episodes on Hulu on Tuesday, September 7, followed by new episodes each week. For fans of twisty mysteries, eccentric character work, and the peculiar hazards of luxury living, it’s shaping up to be another killer season.
