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Only Murders in the Building Season 2 Premiere - Bloody Mabel Only Murders in the Building Season 2 Premiere - Bloody Mabel

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Only Murders in the Building Season 2 Premiere Review – Bloody Mabel

Credit: Hulu/ Only Murders In the Building

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They will not go gently or quietly into the night. 

The season 2 premiere of Only Murders in the Building was chock full of everything that made the first series such a smash success — witty one-liners, a mysterious death, an array of suspects, and three determined Arconia residents willing to stop at nothing until they figured out the case and made a killer podcast along the way.

Of course, I’m talking about Mabel, Oliver, and Charles, though, when the series kicks off, their mugshots are splashed smack dab across every paper in town. 

The tables have turned as they are now the suspects in the murder investigation of Bunny, who was found stabbed to death (eight times, might I add) with a knitting needle/knife.

The bottom line is that someone is framing our trio, and it’s earned Mabel, who appeared on the front pages in a bloody white shirt, the nickname “Bloody Mabel.” Say that three times into a mirror. Just kidding, don’t. I don’t want to be held accountable for whatever happens.

Initially, Mabel heeds Detective Williams’ warning to get a hobby — any other hobby — than solving this mystery as they are still person’s of interest, but it doesn’t take long for the threesome to get all wrapped up in the cozy crime-solving.

Cinda Canning’s podcast, Only Murderers in the Building, actually pushes them to pursue their own investigation in order to clear their names. After all, they’ve done this before and solved a murder that the police weren’t even close to untangling. 

And, not to mention, they all have plans for a future that doesn’t involve sitting behind bars.

Charles is offered a role in the reboot of Brazzos, only this time, he’s tapped for Uncle Brazzo’s, a sidekick to his niece, a refresh of the beloved character. He’s not totally pleased with it, but it is a series regular role, so he’s optimistic about it. 

Oliver continues to live in the whimsical world he’s created for himself. He’s the only one rejoicing at all the paparazzi attention post-arrest, and when he meets Amy Schumer (starring as Amy Schumer), he’s totally on board to talk about selling the rights to his podcast so she can turn it into a streaming show. Also, I don’t want to point fingers immediately, but there’s something really suspicious about Amy, right? Like the fact that she likes murder and calls it cozy? Let’s remember — everyone and anyone you meet is a suspect on this show. 

And then there’s Mabel, who is trying desperately to have a life away from death. The poor girl has been through enough. Bunny literally died in her hands. There’s trauma there, which is why her memory is so hazy from that night. 

As she begins to process, she starts to remember small things, including the fact that Bunny said two things to her before she succumbed to her injuries: “14” and “savage.”

None of those things make much sense out of context, but it would be wise to remember them as they will likely come into play the more that the trio investigates. 

Mabel also has a desire to tap into her artistry, which is a welcome change of pace for her considering she was all about laying low last season. 

When Alice Banks (Cara Delevigne) reaches out as a fan of Mabel’s mural and invites her to a gallery opening, Mabel quickly jumps on the opportunity. 

But — hold on. While we’re all eager for Mabel to have a friend and close confidante around, again, everyone is a suspect. 

Isn’t it a little convenient that Alice reaches out to capitalize on Mabel’s newfound internet fame? She has to know that if Mabel shows up at the gallery, it’ll be all over social media in minutes. 

There’s also the fact that when Charles, Oliver, and Mabel break into Bunny’s apartment (only because they heard her voice, which turned out to be her pet parrot, who will likely provide some clarity on what transpired the night of Bunny’s death, I’m sure), they overhear Uma and Howard discuss a painting that was stolen from her apartment that’s worth millions. 

It can’t be a coincidence that an art gallery owner expresses interest in Mabel around the same time she’s framed for the murder of the owner of a pricy piece of art. There’s also the note Oliver finds informing Bunny that someone wanted the painting. Could it be Alice? Or Amy? Or Cinda? Everyone has something to gain from keeping this murder investigation going! 

The trio eventually escapes via a secret, hidden elevator in Bunny’s closet without getting caught sneaking around the dead woman’s apartment, which would have made them guilty, but you’ve got to wonder why they didn’t even hesitate to take an old and unknown elevator down to an unknown exit? What if it got stuck? Am I being too practical? 

The hidden elevator is a surprising development, sure, but it likely isn’t the only hidden entryway/exit the Arconia has to offer. That place is a maze, and those residents know way more than they are letting on. 

And it would explain how so many things go unnoticed. Like the fact that the expensive art piece ended up hanging on Charles’ apartment wall. 

Why does the killer want to frame him? And furthermore, why did Bunny have a nude painting of Charles’ father in her house? Despite Bunny’s death, we’re going to find out way more about her, and hopefully, many of the other residents. There are so many characters living in that massive structure, it’s time to get to know them on a deeper level. 

I have a lot of questions after this episode, but that only means it was an intriguing and captivating installment in yet another promising and twisted season of this refreshing murder mystery series. 

What did you think of the episode? Weigh in below with thoughts, comments, and theories! 

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Lizzy Buczak is the founder of CraveYouTV. What started off as a silly blog in her sophomore year at Columbia College Chicago turned her passion for watching TV into an opportunity! She has been in charge of CraveYou since 2011, writing reviews and news content for a wide variety of shows. Lizzy is a Music Business and Journalism major who has written for RADIO.COM, TV Fanatic, Time Out Chicago, Innerview, Pop’stache and Family Time.

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Who Is Ben’s Killer on ‘Only Murders in the Building’ Season 3? Here’s Our List of Suspects

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Who Is Ben's Killer on 'Only Murders in the Building' Season 3?

Only Murders in the Building returned for its third season on August 8 on Hulu, and with a new murder mystery taking place at the Arconia, the question on everyone’s mind is naturally, who is the killer? Our murder board will help you keep track of every possible and potential suspect this season–so keep checking back! 

*** WARNING: This review contains spoilers for Only Murders in the Building Season 3 Episode 1 and 2 ***

The Only Murders in the Building Season 3 premiere pulled off a double-murder twist that threw fans for a loop. Paul Rudd’s Ben  Glenroy ends up dead in the first few moments of season 3 (and the final moments of season 2) as he collapses on stage at the Broadway play he’s starring in, blood pouring out of his mouth. Mabel (Selena Gomez) immediately thinks its a murder, but everyone else is just in shock over his death, and they’re even more shocked when Ben walks through the door during a party at the Arconia, very much alive. He informs them that he was dead for about an hour during which he saw the light and realized he couldn’t go out after being so rude to all of his castmates. A round of insincere apologies is delivered as he makes his way across the room adressing each potential murder suspect. 

A few hours later, as Mabel, Charles (Steve Martin) and Oliver (Martin Short) head into the elevator to check out the Pickle Diner, blood begins dripping from the ceiling before Ben’s body, actually dead this time, comes crashing down. 

At this point, it’s evident that someone murdered the main star of Death Rattle shortly after his “resurecction.” But who was it? And why? And is it possible that the person who initially attempted to kill him (and wasn’t successful) and the person who did succeed are two different people?

We may be looking at one victim but two killers this season—and we’re breaking down all the potential suspects below on the murder board, which will be updated week by week as the season progresses. 

 

Loretta

Meryl Streep is a treat as Loretta, an actress who has been waiting for her break her whole life, and who suddenly gets her big moment when she’s cast in Oliver Putnam’s Broadway comeback play, Death Rattle. The series immediately casts a shroud of mystery surrounding her when Charles, as narrator, questions how far will Loretta go to hang on to her big break. We also see that she does not have a good relationship with Ben, who doesn’t apologize to her while making his rounds, instead, calling her a fellow snake and “hissing” at her. She then leaves the party underscoring that she thinks Ben is a “effing asshole.”

 

Kimber

Emily in Paris‘ Ashley Park is another cast member from the play who seems to have a romantic relationship with Ben, who admits that he “made everything messy” between them and vows to make it right. Is she a scorned lover?

Who Is Ben's Killer on 'Only Murders in the Building' Season 3? Is It Kimber

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Ty

Ty seems to irk Ben because he’s handsome, and it seems like Ben’s self-conscious mindset is getting the best of him as thinks that’s his attempting at stealing the spotlight. His first comment to Ty suggests that they fire him, and in his follow-up apology, he is sorry for getting mad at him for wanting to use his trainer. 

Who Is Ben's Killer on 'Only Murders in the Building' Season 3? Is It Ty

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Donna and Cliff

Together or individually, it’s unclear, but the mother-son duo, with a strange incestual vibe, who are co-producing the play, definitely don’t have the best relationship with Ben as he apologizes for constantly making demands to change his dressing room. He also keeps referring to Cliff as “boy,” which could’ve lit the spark.

Who Is Ben's Killer on 'Only Murders in the Building' Season 3? Is It Donna & Cliff

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Jonathan

Ben’s understudy (and Howard’s boyfriend) has been sidelined as the star of the show was determined to keep himself in the spotlight at all costs, though his apology reveals that he may “consider” letting him step on the stage in the future. 

Who Is Ben's Killer on 'Only Murders in the Building' Season 3? Is It Jonathan

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Bobo

You always have to watch out for the quiet ones who are told “no” repeatedly until they snap. Is that what happened here?

Who Is Ben's Killer on 'Only Murders in the Building' Season 3? Is It Bobo

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KT

Are mangoes what led to Ben’s death? He apoligizes to KT for always stealing her mangoes, and in before you know it, she’s more than happy to be pulling the plug on the production.

Who Is Ben's Killer on 'Only Murders in the Building' Season 3? Is It KT

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Charles

I don’t think Charles has a mean bone in his body, but I have to include him as he does have a motive—he previously got the then 8-year-old Ben fired from Brazzos, his first job, after telling the director the kid was a phony. He also seemed rather happy that the show was called off because he didn’t want to spend weeks attending the production. At the end of season 2, it was made clear that Charles and Ben had plenty of beef, as Charles even wore an outfit similar to the one Ben’s character wears on stage. There’s definitely something here that needs to be investigated. 

Who Is Ben's Killer on 'Only Murders in the Building' Season 3? Is It Charles

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Dickie

Ben’s manager and his brother, seems to be treated like he’s “less than” by his superstar sibling, and you could see the resentment building, especially after Ben makes a nepotism joke.

Who Is Ben's Killer on 'Only Murders in the Building' Season 3? Is It Dickie

Hulu

 

Tobert

A documentarian that’s “behind the scenes” can see all, and while it doesn’t seem like he has a motive outright, there’s no reason why he shouldn’t be a suspect having to endure the star’s antics silently throughout the project. Maybe he just got fed up?

Who Is Ben's Killer on 'Only Murders in the Building' Season 3? Is It Tobert

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Who do you think is capable of murder? Who killed Ben? Who attempted to kill Ben? Are they the same person?

New epsidoes of Only Murders in the Building air every Tuesday on Hulu.

Nancy Drew’s Love Interests—Ranking All the Men in Her Life From Worst to Best

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The Bear Season 2 Premiere Recap – Every Second Counts

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The Bear Season 2 Episode 1 Beef

The Bear returned to Hulu with a second season—and right off the bat, you can tell they’re going to have a little more fun with it. 

There’s still plenty of grit and dark humor to go around, but there’s also an air of lightheartedness that often comes with a second chance—and in this case, this is the second chance for Carmy and his team of chefs to turn things around and make an establishment they believe in and are proud of. 

The second chance seems like a good idea until they start hitting roadblock after roadblock with their new plans to revamp the beef sandwich shop into a world-class restaurant (Sydeny makes it clear she plans to earn a Michelin star!).

They thought they found the jackpot when they located Mikey’s stashed money, but they quickly learn just how much everything costs when you want to “let it rip” and start over. Not to mention there are plenty of legal pushbacks that they have to deal with, which is where Natalie, Carmy’s sister, who I’m assuming is pregnant—hence the “I wanted to throw up” and “timing is off” comments— comes into play. Carmy has the vision and the background, but he’s absolutely terrible at the money and time management side of things, and Natalie’s project management skills prove to be useful to keep them on track despite an ambitious re-opening timeline. 

Carmy also strikes a deal with Jimmy Cicero, much like his brother, managing to get an additional 500k out of him on top of the 300k that they found in sauce cans with the caveat that if they don’t turn a profit in 18 months, he gets the whole business. It’s a big risk to go all in, but Carmy sees no other way—plus if you have to, always bet on yourself. 

The first season showed us how difficult change can be, but this season is already plating the experiences of owning a restaurant as tougher than anyone could ever imagine. In addition to the ins and outs, you also have to compete with all the incredible places already out there at every corner. 

None of this deters Carmy, Sydney, or even Natalie, however, as they all find themselves back at the restaurant a few hours after leaving early for the day, and more motivated than ever. They know that in order to make this work, they have to kick it into high gear, or, as the writing on the calendar notes, “every second counts.”

We’re past the mourning Mikey phase, and now, The Bear is aiming to make him proud and give everyone a renowned sense of purpose and meaning, even if that entails pouring every inch of energy into making Chicago a must-dining destination. 

And with that comes a lot of heart, uneasiness, tender moments (like Sydney asking Tina to be her sous and Richie having an existential life crisis), and plenty of laughs that also cement The Bear as much-watch television. 

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Not Dead Yet

Why I’m Excited for Gina Rodriguez’s Return to TV in ‘Not Dead Yet’

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Alright, I admit it—I’m really excited about ABC’s Not Dead Yet premiering tonight, Feb 8.

I wasn’t able to secure a screener, so I haven’t watched it yet—this is not an official review.

The network is putting a lot of faith in the series, hoping to hook audiences with two back-to-back episodes of the new Gina Rodriguez-led comedy that toes the line between reality and the afterlife. 

The most obvious reason for my excitement? I’m a huge Gina Rodriguez fan, and while she’s starred in plenty of movies as of late, this marks her official return to the small screen as a leading lady since Jane the Virgin. And we all know that too many people snoozed on JTV

Not Dead Yet also promises to add to ABC’s impressive comedy slate—with hits like Abbott Elementary, Home Economics, The Conners, and The Goldbergs—the network knows what it’s doing, so I don’t think they’d add the sitcom unless they were confident it was going to be a bonafide hit. It’s also getting an Abbott Elementary lead, hoping to hook all those fans to stick around for a bit longer. 

The premise of a woman seeing dead people isn’t exactly new—see: Ghosts—but it is a successful one, nonetheless, and provides plenty of opportunity for witty, wacky, emotional, and unique storytelling, while also remaining grounded through a relatable protagonist that’s dealing with worldly issues like breakups and trying to solidify a career in journalism. 

Ghosts’ success bodes well for Not Dead Yet, but the shows also have another thing going for them/in common—The CW. Much like Rose McIver, Rodriguez comes from a series with a quirky premise and has the subtle comedy acting chops to sell it. We believed her when she was a pregnant virgin, so you’re damn right I’ll believe her when she claims to be talking to dead people. She can sell drama, she can sell comedy, she can sell dramedy. I’m in. 

The current TV landscape is perfectly positioned for Not Dead Yet to become a bonafide hit that sweeps the awards circuit next fall. And even if it doesn’t, all it needs to do is make you laugh like no one’s watching. 

Here’s the official Not Dead Yet synopsis:

Nell Stevens, a broke and newly single self-described disaster, works to restart the life and career she left behind 10 years ago; when she lands the only job she can find — writing obituaries, she starts getting life advice from an unlikely source.
 

 
The series premieres with two episodes on Wednesday, Feb. 8 on ABC and will be available for streaming on Hulu the very next day.

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