Only Murders in the Building – Sitzprobe

By: Sammi Turano

This week’s episode opens with Loretta (Meryl Streep) in her apartment, narrating about theatre being about choices. She flashes back to seeing a play for the first time, her acting career beginning and her unplanned pregnancy….which led to her career coming to a screeching halt and putting her baby up for adoption.

She also remembered finding out that the adopted family had their miracle baby….none other than Ben Glenroy. This led to her following his career, for the baby she put up for adoption was Dickie. Once she knew his identity, she decided she wanted to meet him and tried to come up with the courage to tell him her real identity.

In the present day, Dickie (Jeremy Shamos) and Loretta chat in the theatre. She wants to confess then and there, but Oliver interrupts them. They agree to meet later.

Oliver (Martin Short) prepares them for the rehearsal when Mabel (Selena Gomez) shows up. He tells them to take two and puts Howard (Michael Cyril Creighton) in charge. As Howard happily takes over, Charles (Steve Martin) and Oliver go to talk to Mabel about taking over the podcast. She tells them that she thinks Dickie did it and Oliver agrees. Charles tries to make light of the situation when Howard gets carried away with being in charge. Oliver goes in to take over.

Mabel texts Tobert about Dickie as the play rehearsal goes on. Dickie also gets a text about Gregg being innocent when Detective Williams (Da’Vine Joy Randolph) comes in, screaming that the stalker wasn’t the killer, but the real culprit is in the room. She fangirls over Kimber (Ashley Park) before getting back to business, saying that Ben was poisoned before opening night so it had to be someone from the cast. She agrees to give Oliver two minutes before she begins the investigation.

Donna (Linda Emond) and Cliff (Wesley Taylor) are upset because they see Maxine (Noma Dumezweni) in the audience. They are not happy to have a cop and a critic in the room, despite Oliver having his reasons for both.

Detective Williams talks to the trio, who play the blame game with each other. She is delighted by this, but wants to focus on interrogations.

Howard tells Mabel that he has a break in the case and shows her papers that were shredded the night of the murder. He is freaking out and tells her to get scotch tape so he can put it all together. She offers to help, but he declines.

Detective Williams prepares to interrogate while Charles tries to listen in. He gets kicked out, but keeps trying to listen in, only further antagonizing her.

Oliver talks to Loretta about the case and him taking the photos from the apartment. He tells her about the Dickie theory, which upsets her…..but she gets called to the stage before he can do anything.

Oliver goes to talk to Detective Williams and annoys her, while Mabel looks for the scotch tape. Loretta gives her some and asks if she can help with the investigation. She asks about Loretta’s Dickie’s relationship with Dickie  and Loretta says that she thinks he is a good kid. She also offers different suspects.

The rehearsal goes on with Charles doing a musical number about the baby triplets being murder suspects. Detective Williams watches while Dickie tells Loretta he is a suspect in the murder.

Howard continues to put together the paperwork with the help of Mabel, who then reconvenes with Charles and Oliver. They fill her in on how they distracted Detective Williams to get into the interrogation room before she began so they can record everything. The trio is back together and ready to make a podcast!

Loretta is in the restroom, trying to keep it together as Donna vomits in the stall. They talk about nerves and the show. Donna says she is doing this for Cliff and how as a mom, you always protect your young. This gets Loretta thinking about everything.

Maxine tells Oliver she loves Loretta and her talent. As they chat, Dickie and Loretta also chat. She still tries to tell him the truth, but gets called to stage. He tells her that she is the best part of the past few months and hugs her before she leaves.

Oliver talks to Loretta as well and gives her some words of wisdom before saying he loves her. She goes to the stage before really responding and performs. As she sings, Mabel realizes she has pictures of Dickie.

While this is happening, Dickie is being arrested. Loretta stops them and confesses that she killed Ben. Oliver tries to stop her, but ends up having a heart attack as the episode comes to a close.