Only Murders in the Building – Two for the Road

By starrymag | September 17, 2024

By: Sammi Turano

 

 

Zach Galifianakis talks about an acting teacher he once had comparing acting to a detective finding a killer as Mabel (Selena Gomez), Oliver (Martin Short) and Charles (Steve Martin) look over their murder board. He compares creating a character is just like asking and answering questions and looking for a killer’s motive.

As he continues, Detective Williams (Da’Vine Joy Randolph) visits the trio to give them information she isn’t technically supposed to give. They keep interrupting her, but she finally says to let her talk and have her Olivia Benson moment.

She says Jan may be involved, but was in jail at the time of the shooting, so she may have someone helping her. She goes into great detail about how the shooter was very good and talks about where Jan and West Side Arconia resident Dudenoff are, as well as the whereabouts of Christmas everyday guy, aka Rudy Thurber.

After she gives all the information, she says that Charles may be the target, but he is more worried that she doesn’t know his character Aristotle Brazzos. They go back and forth on if Detective Williams wants them to investigate, but she is more interested in Zach, Eugene Levy and Eva Longoria entering the room.

Eugene says this sends the investigation in a whole new direction, which Charles points out is what Brazzos, his TV character, said.

Eugene and Eva talk about shadowing Charles and Mabel, while Oliver wants Zach to shadow him. He, however, has no interest in doing so. They are all excited about helping with the investigation, even though the trio doesn’t want their help.

Eva wants to shadow Mabel but gets more excited about solving another murder. She goes to get a snack.

Detective Williams is smitten with Zach and says she will kill Oliver if something happens to him.

Oliver is determined to get Zach to fall in love with his character.

Eugene finds a book about wood and thinks he is in love.

The trio think the characters following them during the investigation may be helpful after all.

Eva drinks wine, saying she is getting into character. Mabel says she doesn’t drink that early in the day, but Eva says her Mabel does.

They work together and wonder if Stinkeye Joe could be involved. They also wonder if his eye patch is covering pinkeye or a bruise. Eva declares him the killer and puts it on the murder board. Mabel tells her not to touch as they all look into Christmas All the Time Guy, a/k/a Rudy. Eva declares him the killer and moves the murder board again, annoying Mabel.

They all decide to split up to question their suspects….even though Zach is still not interested. Oliver becomes determined to get him to warm up to him.

Eugene wants to do a spit take in front of Stinkeye Joe to get the patch off….all while being smitten with Charles.

Eva drinks more wine and tries to figure out how to get Rudy open up. She isn’t opposed to sexual manipulation, but Mabel is not amused. She just wants to question him without tipping him off.

Eva wants Mabel to be called Mah-belle because it sounds younger. She tries to get Mabel to cooperate, but no avail. She says she knows when she isn’t wanted, but still wants to help.

Oliver and Zach, who obtained a ham radio, are still awkward. As they talk about the radio, Howard (Michael Cyril Creighton) walks in with a pig. He wants to know what is going on, all while guessing names for the pig, including Natalie Porkman. As things become more awkward, Oliver gives Howard the radio and leaves.

Mabel goes to question Rudy (Kumail Nanjiani), only to see Eva already there. She reminds her Mah-belle works along, but Rudy invites Mabel in.

Eugene and Charles visit Stinkeye Joe (Richard Kind) wearing eyepatches, claiming they both have pinkeye. They tell him they have a special bottle of eyedrops, but Stinkeye Joe isn’t interested until they tell him that they are special ones from Charles’s cousin. They finally convince him to use them, but he goes in the other room.

Rudy gives Mabel and Eva protein eggnog, which Eva spits out. As Eva eats a cookie, she tells them that Rudy knows about the murder investigation. As Mabel tries to talk about the tinsel to connect him to the murder, the Perfect Strangers theme song plays on another ham radio. Rudy gets flustered and moves it out of the room.

Eva tells Mabel to hurry up because she has a 7:30 dinner and name drops a ton of people.

Oliver and Zach begin to bond as Oliver does Zach’s hair. Oliver teaches Zach to become him as the Perfect Strangers theme song plays. Uma (Jackie Hoffman) sees them and says that whatever this is, she hates it. The two shop and spin on a luggage cart together.

Eugene asks if Charles has a plan and freaks out when he doesn’t because they can be with a murderer. He asks Stinkeye Joe for a glass of water so they can do a spit take. This leads to Eugene getting punched by Stinkeye Joe….but he takes off the patch for them to see he really has pinkeye.

Eva texts while Mabel investigates. Rudy catches her and she tries to pretend she was admiring stuff. He tells her not to touch.

Eva says that her dinner was moved up to 6:30 and tries to break stuff and shoot a (Nerf) gun to get Rudy to confess. He says he is not a killer, but he hates Christmas because he did a Christmas video that went viral so now he has to live a Christmas themed lie.

Mabel asks about the tinsel she found at the crime scene, but he says it isn’t tinsel because it isn’t flammable. As they leave, Eva promises Michelle Obama will watch his TikTok, leaving him confused.

Zach and Oliver come back and talk to Howard, who has a ton of information about the ham radios and how it talks about weather and plays the Perfect Strangers theme song. He also refers to the pig as Kristen Piig and says she is about to become Canadian bacon.

Oliver and Howard overhear Zach on the phone trash talking Oliver, leading Howard to tell him that Oliver is his hero despite his career failures and long distance relationship. This finally gets Zach to fall in love with the part and ready to take it on.

Eugene thinks he can play Charles now knowing he is as chicken as he is. Stinkeye Joe is surprised that they think he is a killer and says he can’t even kill his pinkeye. Charles and Stinkeye Joe clear up a misunderstanding about hating each other and they hug. As Stinkeye Joe hugs Eugene, he points out a picture that has several people in it, thinking it may be a clue.

Eva and Mabel say goodbye as Mabel breaks into an apartment with crime scene tape. Eva watches and says she sees her.

Mabel realizes she can squat in the apartment and invites the guys over. They bring provisions as they discuss the case. It turns out they are in Dudeenoff’s apartment and wonder if he is the killer and what he will do if he finds her there.

They discuss how they wish their actors could have seen the finale as they break into the Perfect Strangers theme. They realize they are connected to the ham radio and the number 445. Mabel thinks they are connected to a doomsday cult, while Charles says the picture had a person with the face crossed out.

They realize 445 is a radio frequency and are told that the last person to contact her was killed so they must drop it. The pig oinks and the person on the radio says she hears her…Hammy Fay Baker. Charles says that solves that mystery as they are left confused about the radio….