Shocking Twist Unveiled: Only Murders In The Building Season 3's Epic Killer Reveal, Revealed by Co-Creator

Warning: The article contains spoilers for Only Murders in the Building season 3

Summary

Only Murders in the Building season 3 focused on the death of actor Ben Glenroy.

However, the finale revealed that the killer was actually Cliff, aided by his mother Donna.

The co-creator of Only Murders in the Building, John Hoffman, made a deliberate choice early on to incorporate clues that would allow viewers to piece together a surprising and captivating conclusion.

John Hoffman, the co-creator of Only Murders in the Building, sheds light on the season 3 finale, which unveiled the identity of the killer. This installment, featuring an impressive cast, primarily focused on the mysterious death of actor Ben Glenroy (Paul Rudd). Throughout the ten-episode season 3, the evidence appeared to implicate Loretta Durkin (Meryl Streep), but the finale revealed that Cliff (Wesley Taylor) was Ben's killer. The fatal incident occurred when Cliff accidentally pushed Ben in the elevator during a heated altercation spurred by Ben's discovery that Cliff's mother, Donna (Linda Emond), had attempted to poison him during the play.

In an interview with Variety, Hoffman discussed the revealing of Ben's killer in the Only Murders season 3 ending. When asked about the decision to make Cliff and Linda the culprits, Hoffman shared that it was an early call. Hoffman explained that sometimes the decision comes quickly, while other times it doesn't. He also mentioned that in Season 2, there were hidden elements that were challenging for the audience to decipher.

So in this case, I wanted to provide more substance to the clues so that they could be pieced together by people. The approach this time was to present three options, allowing you to choose one and experience a small triumph of "I knew that!" However, the surprise lies in the unexpected manner in which something unfolds. Ben Glenroy talking to a cookie — perhaps you pondered this early on and correctly guessed it, which made you feel satisfied. But hopefully, the subsequent scene that unraveled was more profound, unsettling, yet also humorous, and kept you on edge.

Only Murders Moves Forward After A Lackluster Finale

While Only Murders in the Building season 3 received mostly positive reviews, feedback regarding the finale and the revelation of the killer has been lackluster. The third season made a significant effort to emphasize the importance of mother and son relationships and the lengths mothers would go to protect their sons. Despite Emond's consistently captivating performance, the reveal of Cliff and Donna lacked surprise. Many reviews, as well as comments from viewers who have seen the finale, noted that the twist was evident even before the central trio of Charles (Steve Martin), Oliver (Martin Short), and Mabel (Selena Gomez) realized it.

The finale lacked excitement and felt dull, except for the dynamic ending scene where the recurring character Sazz (played by Jane Lynch) is unexpectedly killed by a sniper. This raises the question of whether the intended target was actually Charles, the stunt double played by Sazz. This twist adds a thrilling element of danger to the upcoming season 4 of Only Murders, surpassing previous seasons and creating a sense of urgency.

The decision to make Sazz the latest victim is intriguing, particularly considering how well Only Murders in the Building develops its victims after their demise. While the performances by Streep and Rudd were commendable, a potential improvement for future episodes might be to decrease reliance on celebrity guest appearances and instead focus more on the original core cast that initially captivated audiences.

Source: Variety