Only Murders in the Building – Gates of Heaven

By starrymag | September 10, 2024

By: Sammi Turano

 

 

Sazz (Jane Lynch) is talking about her career as a stuntwoman in an old interview. She also talks about growing up in a family of stuntpeople and how it led to who she was in that moment….and how it taught her how to get up and try again.

In the present day, Mabel (Selena Gomez) and Oliver (Martin Short) comfort Charles (Steve Martin), whose hands are covered in Sazz’s ashes. Oliver tries to joke, but Charles is still in shock. He tries to call the cops, but he struggles. Mabel offers to help, but Charles only wants to wash his hands in a bowl and save what is left of Sazz.

As he washes up, he pours the remains mixed with water into a mason jar and cleans up the best he can. As he looks over her, the ghost of Sazz tells him he has worse problems and to stop touching her boobs.

Later on, Oliver and Mabel try to reenact the crime and figure out what happened. Charles comes in and says his hands are clean and Sazz is in a jar. He puts her on her favorite counter and they try to figure out what is next. Mabel and Oliver share their theories on how she was shot and moves..

Meanwhile, Sazz’s ghost offers her own commentary on Charles’s mental state. As Charles and Mabel talk about looking for more evidence, Charles wonders why anyone would want to kill Sazz as she helps him figure out details.

Charles realizes that he may be the target, but he isn’t sure. As they talk things out, they think Jan, Charles’s ex who is in prison and dating Sazz, could be involved. They debate calling 911, only to accidentally dial and get put on hold.

The trio look out the window and look into the west area, where they think the shot could have come from…..the Sauce family, a man named Stinkeye Joe (Richard Kind) and Christmas all the time guy, who is a fitness influencer. There is also a mystery apartment, but they have no idea who lives there.

Oliver and Mabel go to investigate, telling Charles to stay home and work on details there. As he argues, Sazz keeps offering her ghostly theories on how he may be the target, but he keeps saying he isn’t the target. Mabel and Oliver leave and tell Charles to deadbolt his door.

Mabel and Oliver go down the elevator to interview their suspects and see a building meeting about their movie. Charles watches footage as Sazz comforts him. He puts together the murder board when there is a knock at the door…..surprise, it is Jan (Amy Ryan)! Sazz says she is real.

Mabel and Oliver talk to Stinkeye Joe first. They tell him about the movie and ask to see his apartment, all the while seeing if he could be the culprit. Joe is wearing an eyepatch and goes into graphic detail about his pinkeye.

They request to look at the window, with Joe chattering and claiming he knows where they all live and wondering why Charles makes lonely omelets. He then offers to take them next door to make new friends and scout their place.

Charles is terrified of Jan, who talks about breaking out and being worried about Sazz. Charles is still on hold with 911, which concerns  Jan. She promises not to kill him as Charles kids his knives.

Oliver and Mabel meet the ‘Sauce’ family, who are making sauce and are thrilled to see them. Inez (Daphne Rubin-Vega), the mom, is obsessed with Brazzos and wants to know where Charles is. They tease Inez and start a game of cards. They all talk and joke around, with Anna (Lillian Rebelo) the daughter being angsty and unamused about the Brazzos crush. She and her father excuse themselves for a pick me up involving a knife, which worries Oliver.

Charles talks to Jan about Sazz and their relationship, while the ghost of Sazz sits there. Jan says Sazz is the reason she didn’t kill Charles and excuses herself to change out of the prison guard uniform she swiped, saying it is covered with prison guard brain.

Back at the Sauces, they all take turns hitting a ham in the bathroom with the knife…but not before scaring Oliver.

Mabel talks about the neighbors, asking about the mystery one. Sadly, none of them know anything about them.

Jan continues to talk to Charles about Sazz and how she was worried about a murder the day she died. She now needs to escape but wants to make love one last time. At that moment, Oliver and Mabel knock at the door, so she hides.

They fill him in on what they found out and he admits Jan was there. He tries to prove it, but the closet where she was hiding is empty, save for Sazz’s ghost.

Charles is still on hold with 911.

Mabel and Oliver take pictures of the board Charles made and leave, saying he is doing great. Privately, they know he isn’t. so they continue their investigation. They find a big studio that is seemingly abandoned with a pig and tinsel.

A knock on the door scares them but when they answer, nobody is there, but the pig escapes.

Charles admits he is scared to Sazz, who does her best to comfort him. He is still on hold with 911. She tells him to delegate to find the killer, but he decides to go in disguise. Before he can leave, the SWAT team and Detective Williams show up to tell him Jan escaped. He admits he saw her, but before he can say more, Oliver and Mabel show up as 911 picks up.

He reports he murder and tells Detective Williams (Da’Vine Joy Randolph) to check the incinerator.

Later on, Charles tells Mabel and Oliver he wants to be alone. As he leaves, he talks to Sazz again and says he can’t solve her murder if he is afraid to leave the house. The two of them share memories of working together on Brazzos and having a weekly poker game together for years. He thanks her for taking care of him and being his best friend.

Mabel calls out to Charles, who is in the kitchen with Oliver. They spray a substance that shows bodily fluids and find a message that says ‘tap in.’ Mabel asks if he knows what it means and Charles says yes.

Sazz is talking via interview about Charles and doing things for people you care about….as Oliver takes a post-it with a number on it. He says it is letters for oh hell. Charles realizes, as the west side people watch, that they aren’t investigating Sazz’s murder, but his…as the episode comes to a close.