DISCLAIMER: This recap of the Only Murders in the Building season finale episode, “I Know Who Did It,” has spoilers. Prepare to send the investigation into a whole new direction and proceed at your peril.
Welcome back, Arconiacs! It’s the dazzling season finale of Only Murders in the Building and, in the words of Mrs. Gambolini, “I know who did it.” This outing plays impressive tricks on the mind, taking us on a twisted, mystery-tinged journey chock full of laughs and gasps. Hands down, it’s the show’s best episode thus far.
Ready to delve into “I Know Who Did It”? Let’s get to it.
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Becky Butler
We open with a voiceover from Poppy, a.k.a. Becky Butler (Adina Verson), setting the stage for the grand finale. Poppy narrates in a Southern accent as we see a drastically different-looking Becky go about her day in Chickasha, Oklahoma. She takes care of her sick father, who verbally abuses her. Then, we see Becky work for the Chickasha mayor, who hurls disgustingly sexist remarks her way.
While listening to Cinda Canning’s podcasts, Becky Googles “how to disappear.” What transpires next is her missing persons case as folks search for her. Later, Becky arrives in NYC with bangs, dark brown hair and glasses. She changes her name to Poppy White and speaks sans Southern dialect. Poppy proposes a podcast idea to Cinda Canning (Tina Fey): All Is Not OK in Oklahoma, about a woman named Becky Butler who’s missing.
Cinda runs with this idea, claiming it’s hers alone to the press. She gives Poppy a job as her assistant. Then, we see Poppy suggest the disappearance of artist Rose Cooper as an intriguing podcast series subject, which Cinda rejects.
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Cinda Canning?
Later, in the present, Mabel (Selena Gomez), Charles (Steve Martin) and Oliver (Martin Short) try to assess Cinda’s motives for murdering Bunny Folger. Perhaps she needed a juicy story for her next hard-hitting podcast. Regardless, they need to elicit a confession from her sooner rather than later. Welcome to the season finale! Oliver’s not feeling it yet, but we’ll get there.
Next, Poppy meets with our sleuthing trio at The Pickle Diner. Oliver must sit quietly while Mabel and Charles do the talking. Poppy has second thoughts about assisting our crew. She’s terrified of Cinda. All Poppy offers is that Cinda’s afraid of “slow motion” and the inside of tomatoes.
Then, Poppy flees the scene, informing the group the finale of Only Murderers in the Building will release that day. Poppy asks for her #14 to go, which Ivan (Ariel Shafir) tells our crew is the owner’s favorite.
Suddenly, the lightbulb switches on in Mabel’s head. She knows what “14 Savage,” Bunny’s last words to her, means.
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Later, our sleuthing trio assembles a Killer Reveal Party (which has multiple meanings, FYI) in Bunny’s apartment, including Uma (Jackie Hoffman), Ursula (Vanessa Aspillaga), Howard (Michael Cyril Creighton), Jonathan (Jason Veasey), Lester (Teddy Coluca), Marv (Daniel Oreskes) and Liam (Damani Varnado). Even Mrs. Gambolini is present. Everyone wonders what’s happening and why there’s no cake to greet them.
Killer Reveal
Next, Charles, Oliver and Mabel arrive to get our partygoers up to speed. They plan to catch Bunny’s killer shortly, with a verbal confession seen by millions on Instagram Live. Naturally, Oliver will assume the role of director. Cinda and Poppy barge in, and Poppy sets up equipment to record our sleuthing trio’s murderous confession. Our crew lays the foundation for Cinda’s crime, featuring her well-researched motives for killing Bunny.
However, Cinda claims she won’t confess to anything. So, our gang pulls out the big guns — the party walks toward her in slow motion. Admittedly, this scene made me giggle. Then, Charles whips out an even larger gun by showing Cinda the inside of a tomato. Deadly!
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When that doesn’t work, Mabel realizes that Cinda’s innocent. At this point, Alice (Cara Delevingne) enters the fray, and Mabel turns her attention to her ex-girlfriend. Mabel paints a vivid picture of guilt, framing Alice’s motives for murdering Bunny over the latter’s “Savage” painting. Alice admits to it all, but before the gang can subdue her, she stabs Charles in the gut. Not enough Gut Milk in the world can heal such a wound. Unfortunately, he dies, with Mabel and Oliver sobbing over his body. They cover Charles with a sheet. Something seems … amiss.
Uma calls 911 while Howard faints. Thankfully, he has his cute boyfriend there to revive him. Cinda apologizes to Mabel and Oliver. She also expresses how impressed she is by Mabel’s powers of deduction. She offers Mabel the opportunity to oversee her podcast.
A Confession
Now, this moment gets Poppy’s goat. Infuriated, she demands to know why Mabel gets a podcast without seemingly exerting any effort. Meanwhile, Poppy tirelessly busts her ass for Cinda every day. Oliver and Mabel question Poppy’s interest in Rose Cooper while the latter sneezes incessantly. Could she be allergic to Mrs. Gambolini? If you recall, Lucy noted the killer sneezed in the tunnels.
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Poppy mentions “a girl in the tunnels,” leading Mabel and Oliver to wonder how she could know Lucy was situated there. A-ha! Charles sits up, having risen from the dead, causing Howard to faint again. As it turns out, our sleuthing trio partnered with Cinda after Mabel pieced together the puzzle at the diner. Bunny didn’t say “14 Savage” before she died — she muttered, “14 Sandwich,” a.k.a. Poppy’s sandwich order at The Pickle Diner. Bunny loathed it. Poppy claims she texted Charles, Mabel and Oliver to leave the Arconia the night she and Kreps killed Bunny.
In a flashback, we see Mabel receive a phone call from Detective Williams (Da’Vine Joy Randolph), who reveals the results of the fingerprints on the murderer’s knife. They belong to a dead woman: Becky Butler.
A Lovers’ Arrest
Suddenly, Detective Williams and her team arrive at the scene, arresting Poppy. We see Kreps (Michael Rapaport) in handcuffs, too. Then, more flashbacks play out, chronicling the rise and fall of Poppy and Kreps. We learn Kreps wasn’t making googly eyes Cinda Canning that night at The Chicken Chug; it was Poppy.
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Poppy and Kreps embarked on a revenge-fueled romance as they sought to make names for themselves. They planned to murder Bunny to put Kreps on the map as a detective and for Poppy to get the attention she craves from Cinda. Of course, it all blows up spectacularly in their faces.
Then, Charles, Mabel and Oliver record their final podcast episode of the season, closing another true-crime chapter behind them. Now, they must learn to talk to each other without mentioning murder.
Good News
Charles learns on the set of the Brazzos reboot that the studio execs want his character out of the wheelchair and his dementia cured. He’s testing well with audiences. Charles finally works the courage to ask Joy (Andrea Martin) out on a date. Well, he blubbers his way through it, anyway. Meanwhile, Mabel repaints her apartment and covers the Arconia mural alongside Alice. It seems Mabel has forgiven Alice for turning the latter’s trauma into art.
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Oliver calls Will (Ryan Broussard) over for a house call to examine Mrs. Gambolini, who he decided to keep. Oliver tries to confess that he might not be Will’s biological father, but Will stops him. “If you’re not my father, then I don’t know what that is,” he asserts. The pair hug it out. I’m not crying; you are.
Oliver receives a call about a new Broadway show needing a director, which opens in a year. He eagerly accepts it.
One year later, we see Oliver backstage attempting to coax his star, Ben Glenroy (Paul Rudd), out of his dressing room. Paul freakin’ Rudd, y’all! Anyway, Oliver prepares his actor for the show’s big debut. While waiting on stage for the curtain to rise, Ben trades insults with Charles, who’s also in the production. These two aren’t friends. Charles orders Ben to “stay away from her.” “I know what you did,” he claims.
A Closing on Opening Night
We see Mabel, Lucy (Zoe Colletti), Howard, Joy, Lester and Ursula in the audience. Oliver sits with them. As the curtain rises, Ben enters the scene. He addresses the crowd at the start of his monologue. Unfortunately, he doesn’t make it past a few lines.
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Suddenly, Ben calls out for help before collapsing onstage. Mabel and Oliver stand, shocked, while Charles and a handful of backstage employees check on Ben, whose face is covered in blood. It’s too late. He’s dead.
“You’ve got to be f*cking kidding me,” Mabel says.
Holy moly, Batman! Only Murders in the Building brings out the big guns at the end with the appearance of Paul Rudd. And talk about another massive cliffhanger! While our crew doesn’t walk away in handcuffs like last season’s finale, there’s another murder mystery afoot, this time, one witnessed by a theater full of people outside the Arconia.
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“I Know Who Did It” brilliantly connects the dots between past revelations while tying loose ends and presenting new threads ripe for exploration in Season 3. It’s hilarious and satisfying. I love the Becky Butler connection, especially since this is how our sleuthing trio bonds in the pilot episode over her supposed disappearance. Everyone fires on all cylinders performance-wise, with Steve Martin and Martin Short proving they’re still the kings of physical comedy.
Overall, Season 2 proves Only Murders in the Building is still a hot ticket, presenting a tale brimming with heart, whimsy, biting humor and twists aplenty. I’m sad it’s over, but I can’t wait to see what Season 3 has in store for us. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have two seasons to binge repeatedly until I get to reunite with my crime-obsessed weirdos again.
Only Murders in the Building Seasons 1-2 are now streaming on Hulu.
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What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events.
Who I am: Before moving to Los Angeles after studying theater in college, I was born and raised in Amish country, Ohio. No, I am not Amish, even if I sometimes sport a modest bonnet.
Bylines in: Tell-Tale TV, Culturess, Sideshow Collectibles, and inkMend on Medium.
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