Only Murders in the Building Official Podcast

Episode S1 E10: "Open and Shut" (October 20, 2021)

Overview

The season finale episode of the "Only Murders in the Pod" podcast dives into the making of Season 1's final revelations, including the unmasking of the killer and the on-set magic. Hosts Elizabeth Keener and Kevin Lawn lead lively and humorous conversations with executive producer Jess Rosenthal, writer Rachel Berger, and the ever-entertaining Martin Short. This behind-the-scenes look covers everything from story conception and writing secrets, to on-set camaraderie and creative improvisation, all capped by a celebration of fan theories and some playful speculation about what's next.

Major Discussion Points & Insights

The Big Reveal: Jan is the Murderer

• Summary: The hosts immediately address the season-defining twist: Jan, the enigmatic bassoonist, was Tim Kono’s killer all along.
• Notable Quote: “We learned that Jan was the murderer this whole time. It was a sexy bassoonist. Oh, man, I can't even believe it.” – Elizabeth Keener (02:00)
• Fan reactions: Many listeners were misled by red herrings, but a select few guessed right (41:31).

The Genesis of the Show

• Origin Story: Jess Rosenthal recounts Steve Martin pitching the initial concept over lunch, inspired by his fascination with true crime. Martin Short's involvement was pivotal to Steve Martin agreeing to star.
  • “Steve just kind of blurted it out. Do you want an idea?...And by the check. We had all kind of had a handshake agreement that we were going to go do this.” – Jess Rosenthal (02:27)
• Casting Selena Gomez: The cast wanted someone “alien” to their dynamic, which led to Selena Gomez, whose “magnetic” Carpool Karaoke appearance lingered in their minds (34:00).

Writers’ Room Dynamics & The "Document of Reveals"

• Adaptation to COVID/Evolving Processes: Most writers couldn't be on set due to COVID, instead using the Qtake Monitor app to witness shoots remotely and contribute in real-time.
  • “It was like watching with wine on my phone...trying to be in real time with them.” – Rachel Berger (12:30)
• Organization: With no physical whiteboards, a “document of reveals” tracked mystery developments, suspect lists, and episode clues (20:20, 21:00).
  • “What is going to be revealed in this episode? ... That's what I called the document of reveals.” – Rachel Berger (21:01)

Plot Crafting, Red Herrings & Clues

• Building Mysteries Backwards: The writers brainstormed memorable characters—like the bassoonist—early, working backward to make Jan’s reveal satisfying (22:04).
• Playful Red Herrings: Details like “gut milk” became fan-obsessed clues, although sometimes just inside jokes among writers (24:39).
  • “I feel like Reddit's picking up on so much stuff...like, everybody is, like, looking into gut milk.” – Rachel Berger (23:49)
• Scripting vs. Improvisation: Martin Short highlights the collaborative process, where actors deliver written lines first, then improvise with writers’ blessing (13:08).

The Chemistry of the Core Cast

• Steve Martin & Martin Short’s Friendship: Their off-screen bond is legendary, forged over decades and maintained by genuine camaraderie.
  • “We really bonded and had. We knew that this was going to be, you know, we both wanted it to continue the friendship.” – Martin Short (09:35)
• Cast Life On Set: Frequent car rides, (illicit) wine drinking, and playful code-words ("Diet Pepsi" = wine) underpin a creatively loose, joyous work environment (11:10).
  • “Steve would say, do you want more of that Diet Pepsi? Or would you like Diet Coke? Which meant red wine.” – Martin Short (11:11)

Navigating Production During COVID

• Set Challenges: With masks and shields, even directors struggled to see details. With no crew laughter, comic timing suffered, but a spirit of resilience prevailed (31:10).
  • “Comedy is such a tough thing to nail. And so Stephen, Marty in particular would say...just to hear muffled humps was not something that they were used to.” – Jess Rosenthal (30:09)

Character Insight - Oliver Putnam

• Complex Motives: Martin Short describes Oliver as “narcissistic, but not in a horrible way”, with regrets but also immense charm (26:39).
  • “It’s like making a perfect stew. How much narcissism do you put in?” – Martin Short (26:39)

Approach, Joy, and "The Hang"

• Work Philosophy: For Martin Short, happiness on set matters even more than end results. He values projects for the enjoyable process, not just the product (35:33).
  • “Often more important, because when you make a movie...you don't know if it's going to be any good. So you can't control the end result, but you can control the journey...And I think that Steve and I and Selena, we found out, share a similar approach.” – Martin Short (35:33)

Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes

• “If we didn't love doing [live shows], we wouldn't do them. It's about the joy of doing it.” – Martin Short (35:33)
• “He saw it more like, I'm broke. This could be a way to make money, monetize it. And on that, I relate to all.” – Martin Short on Oliver’s motivations (16:55)
• “We could not have asked for a better person to play her, like, truly. It was like watching it...having the right amount of I like you, and then pulling you in and then being like, oh, my God. Wait, but did you actually do it?” – Rachel Berger on Amy Ryan portraying Jan (23:17)
• “You must always deliver initially their words.” – Martin Short, on respecting the script but leaving room for improvisation (13:58)
• “What is going to be revealed in this episode?...That's what I called the document of reveals.” – Rachel Berger (21:01)
• “I think his charm has won him a lot of what he wanted...but he's lost his marriage, and he has a strained relationship with his son, so it's not ideal.” – Martin Short, on Oliver Putnam (27:03)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|--------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:00 | The big reveal: Jan as Tim Kono’s murderer | | 02:27 | Jess Rosenthal shares how the show idea originated | | 05:54 | Martin Short’s original career ambitions | | 08:06 | The beginnings of Steve Martin & Martin Short’s friendship | | 11:57 | Rachel Berger on remote writing & using the Qtake Monitor | | 13:08 | Martin Short on actor improvisation and collaboration | | 16:01 | Martin Short explains not listening to true crime podcasts | | 20:20 | Rachel Berger on organizing clues via “document of reveals” | | 22:04 | How Jan’s bassoonist character came to be | | 26:39 | Martin Short’s character deep-dive: Oliver’s personality | | 31:10 | COVID-19’s impact on filming (masks, laughter, crew) | | 34:00 | Casting Selena Gomez | | 35:33 | Martin Short’s focus on enjoying the creative journey | | 41:32 | Shout-out to fans who guessed Jan |

Fan Engagement & Theories

• The hosts affectionately give shout-outs to listeners who guessed Jan, and celebrate the voluminous (often wrong) theories, highlighting the community-driven nature of the show (41:32).
• Listener engagement is encouraged even for wild guesses, reinforcing the fun and communal spirit (42:22).
• Nicknames for fans and hosts (“Keener Cats,” “Lawn Ponds”) help create a bond between show and audience (42:40).

Looking Ahead: Season 2 (Non-Spoilers)

• No hints or spoilers for Season 2 are provided, with both Martin Short and Rachel Berger playfully dodging the hosts’ attempts to get teasers (37:59, 38:12).
• Writers promise it will be “even more awesome than it is” (38:29).

Tone and Language

The episode bursts with wit, warmth, and reverence for comedy and the craft of collaborative storytelling. Martin Short is particularly dry and playful, while the hosts keep the energy light, peppered with humor and affection for fans. The tone consistently balances reverence for the show's stars with a self-aware, lightly meta commentary on both the mystery genre and podcasting itself.

Summary Takeaway

The finale episode is as much a celebration of the first season’s creative triumphs as it is a tribute to the collaborative spirit—on set, in the writers’ rooms (virtual or otherwise), and among the fans themselves. It reveals the show’s inner workings without diminishing its charm, highlights the unique chemistry of the main cast, and leaves listeners eagerly awaiting the next Arconia mystery.