Only Murders in the Building: Flipping the Pieces
August 2, 2022 7:40 PM - Season 2, Episode 7 - Subscribe
Following her incident on the subway, Mabel receives help from an unlikely ally who takes her to a legendary amusement park full of terror. Back at the Arconia, Charles and Oliver find amusement of their own - and new evidence.
A series of flashbacks details Mabel's relationship with her father before his death from cancer. Following the subway incident, Mabel wakes up in Theo's apartment with no memory of the attack and her bag is missing. Theo explains to her through writing that he was in the subway car too, saw what happened, and brought Mabel home after she passed out. He shows Mabel an employee badge from Coney Island that her assailant had dropped, so the pair go there to investigate. Mabel recovers her bag before her assailant discovers her, but finds the matchbook gone. Meanwhile, Detective Williams visits Charles and Oliver, who reveal that they have the murder knife, which they give her for analysis. After fleeing from Coney Island, Mabel forgives Theo for Zoe's death and remembers the night of Bunny's murder, realizing she saw someone escaping from her apartment. Reuniting with Charles and Oliver, Mabel shows Charles a picture of Lucy that she found in her bag. Fearing Lucy is the killer's next target, Charles tries to call her, but the call is cut off when a blackout hits the city.
A series of flashbacks details Mabel's relationship with her father before his death from cancer. Following the subway incident, Mabel wakes up in Theo's apartment with no memory of the attack and her bag is missing. Theo explains to her through writing that he was in the subway car too, saw what happened, and brought Mabel home after she passed out. He shows Mabel an employee badge from Coney Island that her assailant had dropped, so the pair go there to investigate. Mabel recovers her bag before her assailant discovers her, but finds the matchbook gone. Meanwhile, Detective Williams visits Charles and Oliver, who reveal that they have the murder knife, which they give her for analysis. After fleeing from Coney Island, Mabel forgives Theo for Zoe's death and remembers the night of Bunny's murder, realizing she saw someone escaping from her apartment. Reuniting with Charles and Oliver, Mabel shows Charles a picture of Lucy that she found in her bag. Fearing Lucy is the killer's next target, Charles tries to call her, but the call is cut off when a blackout hits the city.
I think what this episode proves to me is that even when it's kinda meh, it's also still funny and touching. I guess we have 3 episodes left and we've completely lost the thread of what happened with that painting and Charles's father -- which seemed so important back at episodes 1 and 2 -- but...I'm not overly concerned? I'm just kinda enjoying it.
posted by BlahLaLa at 8:04 AM on August 3, 2022 [7 favorites]
posted by BlahLaLa at 8:04 AM on August 3, 2022 [7 favorites]
Yeah, this season has twice as many plots as it really needs, especially for a half-hour show. You'd think they'd save some for season 3! It's still a pleasure to watch, but the plotting feels a little frantic.
posted by dfan at 8:19 AM on August 3, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by dfan at 8:19 AM on August 3, 2022 [3 favorites]
I wish there had been a little less hand-waving (so to speak) about how well Theo could read Mabel's lips, especially while he was driving.
posted by Etrigan at 9:52 AM on August 3, 2022 [10 favorites]
posted by Etrigan at 9:52 AM on August 3, 2022 [10 favorites]
Yeah. She kept complaining that she didn't know ASL, but at least he was trying to communicate in a way she could perceive!
'oh, you only catch 1/3 of what I say when you can see my lips? Let me just talk continuously while you drive; turn away from you; make no facial expressions; never offer to write anything... Should work out, right?'
posted by Acari at 10:36 AM on August 3, 2022 [12 favorites]
'oh, you only catch 1/3 of what I say when you can see my lips? Let me just talk continuously while you drive; turn away from you; make no facial expressions; never offer to write anything... Should work out, right?'
posted by Acari at 10:36 AM on August 3, 2022 [12 favorites]
I’m lost in the swirl of people and plots this season. Where is Amy Schumer in my Sting’s apartment? Why did we meet Bunny’s mom? Why was Brazzos rebooted? Why is cinda canning important this season? Why is or isn’t Lucy in danger?
Last season was so tightly written, it paid off. This season needed more time in the editing room. It is still such a fabulous show, and I’m enjoying it, but because there are so many threads, when the show attempts to assign importance to something it falls flat. I’m never sure where to look, either by figuring the show out OR just looking where the show is telling me to look, which feels like a million directions and characters.
posted by missmary6 at 3:36 PM on August 3, 2022 [3 favorites]
Last season was so tightly written, it paid off. This season needed more time in the editing room. It is still such a fabulous show, and I’m enjoying it, but because there are so many threads, when the show attempts to assign importance to something it falls flat. I’m never sure where to look, either by figuring the show out OR just looking where the show is telling me to look, which feels like a million directions and characters.
posted by missmary6 at 3:36 PM on August 3, 2022 [3 favorites]
I am definitely going to need to see how this all plays out to know if I thought this season was great but I am still enjoying it every step of the way.
posted by crossoverman at 4:14 PM on August 4, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by crossoverman at 4:14 PM on August 4, 2022 [3 favorites]
I agree that plotting wise this has been pretty messy, but I just love all the character work so much that I'm along for the ride. Consider why Mabel and Theo even hid from the (assumed) murderer... couldn't they have taken him together? I understand why Mabel hid by herself, but earlier the entire point was to actually catch him, not the bag he stole from her!
But the actual episode, getting more of Theo and his interactions with Mabel? Really great.
posted by Cannon Fodder at 6:52 AM on August 5, 2022 [3 favorites]
But the actual episode, getting more of Theo and his interactions with Mabel? Really great.
posted by Cannon Fodder at 6:52 AM on August 5, 2022 [3 favorites]
The scene where Mabel wanders into Alice’s gallery (apartment?) where it’s been redone as Mabel’s apartment and they’re recreating Bunny’s murder as an art piece was so disorienting and dreamlike. Really well done.
Unless she ends up being Bunny’s killer, I’m not really seeing any good reason for Tina Fey’s character to exist. Seriously. She’s just a distraction and an unnecessary/unproductive complication.
I agree that it seems like there’s about fifty different balls in the air right now. It doesn’t seem to matter somehow, though.
posted by Thorzdad at 8:42 PM on August 7, 2022
Unless she ends up being Bunny’s killer, I’m not really seeing any good reason for Tina Fey’s character to exist. Seriously. She’s just a distraction and an unnecessary/unproductive complication.
I agree that it seems like there’s about fifty different balls in the air right now. It doesn’t seem to matter somehow, though.
posted by Thorzdad at 8:42 PM on August 7, 2022
The scene where Mabel wanders into Alice’s gallery (apartment?) where it’s been redone as Mabel’s apartment and they’re recreating Bunny’s murder as an art piece was so disorienting and dreamlike.
Wasn't it Mabel's apartment Alice was using? She just didn't expect Mabel to walk in at that moment? (I'm just catching up on S2 now.)
posted by oh yeah! at 8:03 AM on August 21, 2022
Wasn't it Mabel's apartment Alice was using? She just didn't expect Mabel to walk in at that moment? (I'm just catching up on S2 now.)
posted by oh yeah! at 8:03 AM on August 21, 2022
oh yeah I was also confused, but it's a film set recreation of Mabel's apartment. This is only really apparent when she arrives and leaves through a bit with just stage flats and lighting.
posted by Zumbador at 9:10 PM on September 10, 2022
posted by Zumbador at 9:10 PM on September 10, 2022
She kept complaining that she didn't know ASL, but at least he was trying to communicate in a way she could perceive! 'oh, you only catch 1/3 of what I say when you can see my lips? Let me just talk continuously while you drive; turn away from you; make no facial expressions; never offer to write anything... Should work out, right?'
Exactly. I am not a fan of Mabel (on a previous thread someone suggested the character is just stoic, but no, even in the emotional reveal about her dad's cancer death, Selena Gomez delivered those lines with all the oomph of paying property tax). But her interactions with Theo in this episode is what made me actively dislike her. If I were Theo I would just shove the pen and paper at her and walk away until she was ready to use them.
posted by basalganglia at 4:36 PM on October 16, 2022
Exactly. I am not a fan of Mabel (on a previous thread someone suggested the character is just stoic, but no, even in the emotional reveal about her dad's cancer death, Selena Gomez delivered those lines with all the oomph of paying property tax). But her interactions with Theo in this episode is what made me actively dislike her. If I were Theo I would just shove the pen and paper at her and walk away until she was ready to use them.
posted by basalganglia at 4:36 PM on October 16, 2022
If I were Theo I would just shove the pen and paper at her and walk away until she was ready to use them.
Yes! I like Mabel a lot though, so I blame this whole thing on screenwriters/producers/whoever decides they have to keep the pacing through spoken word. If you're going to make his being deaf an element of the show, YOU HAVE TO KEEP HONORING IT. You can't just suddenly pretend he's not there. geez
James Caverly, who plays Theo, definitely looks like he could be Nathan Lane's son. Also, he is deaf in real life.
posted by Emmy Rae at 8:22 PM on February 8, 2023 [1 favorite]
Yes! I like Mabel a lot though, so I blame this whole thing on screenwriters/producers/whoever decides they have to keep the pacing through spoken word. If you're going to make his being deaf an element of the show, YOU HAVE TO KEEP HONORING IT. You can't just suddenly pretend he's not there. geez
James Caverly, who plays Theo, definitely looks like he could be Nathan Lane's son. Also, he is deaf in real life.
posted by Emmy Rae at 8:22 PM on February 8, 2023 [1 favorite]
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posted by synecdoche at 3:59 AM on August 3, 2022 [9 favorites]