Only Murders in the Building Official Podcast

S1 E4: The Sting

Release Date: September 8, 2021
Host: Elizabeth Keener & Kevin Lon
Guests: Kristen Newman (Writer, S1E4), Amy Ryan (Jan)

Episode Overview

This episode of the Only Murders in the Building Official Podcast dives behind the scenes of Episode 4, “The Sting,” with writer Kristen Newman and actor Amy Ryan (Jan). Hosted by Elizabeth Keener and Kevin Lon, the episode unpacks the “celebrity suspect” twist, creative storytelling, on-set stories, and how personal experiences of the writers influence the show’s charm and authenticity. The episode is especially rich in stories from the writers’ room, character insights, and the intersection of comedy, mystery, and romance.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Recapping the Mystery So Far

[01:15 - 03:56]

• The hosts debate the shifting pool of suspects: Sting has moved to the "back burner," but red herrings abound.
  • Quote: “Well, I think it’s those red herring things, you know... is he not [a suspect]?” — Kevin Lon (01:30)
• Renewed focus on the mysterious “tie dye guy,” whose hoodie-wearing presence is confirmed as he follows Mabel; speculation intensifies.
• Tina Fey’s Cinda Canning is now hosting "Only Murderers in the Building" in the timeline, hinting at meta-layers and future narrative twists.

Guest Introductions & Writing Process

[04:03 - 12:07]

• Kristen Newman shares her TV background, including writing for “The Muppets” and working with Dan Fogelman.
  • Quote: “I got to operate a Muppet under Jack White for 12 hours, which I would do forever.” — Kristen Newman (05:48)
• Describes the “Zoom Room” dynamic—most writers had not met in person due to the pandemic.
• The writers' room as an “escape hatch” during dark times (June 2020, George Floyd protests, pandemic isolation).
  • Quote: “We would come together... and laugh for five or six hours a day. We all thought of it as such a respite... to escape.” — Kristen Newman (07:41)
• Amy Ryan reflects on the surreal joy of joining a New York comedy with Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez.
  • Quote: “The fact that... it's with Steve Martin and Martin short and the luminous Selena Gomez... was all beyond my wildest dreams.” — Amy Ryan (07:12)

How Episodes—and Sting—Came Together

[12:07 - 17:09]

• Episode titles often relate directly to special guests—“The Sting” was originally titled “Beyoncé” before landing the musician Sting as a guest.
  • Quote: “You may be surprised to hear that it was not a coincidence... the episode was originally called Beyoncé.” — Kristen Newman (13:11, 13:19)
• Kristen had the surreal experience of writing lyrics for Sting to sing—on purpose, “bad on purpose.”
• Tina Fey’s portrayal of Cinda Canning affectionately lampoons true crime podcast hosts (à la Sarah Koenig of Serial).
  • Fun fact: Steve Martin’s wife plays an assistant in the episode (15:19).

Character & Plot: Weaving Heart and Mystery

[17:09 - 18:36]

• Kristen explains the balance between emotional story and the mechanics of the mystery, focusing on giving each character personal stakes and obstacles.
  • Quote: “It always comes back to: what do we want to see for these characters emotionally?” — Kristen Newman (17:09)
• The show leans into the awkwardness of Charles’ (Steve Martin) social anxiety—directly inspired by Kristen’s own husband’s “anxiety nosebleeds.”
  • Quote: “That is very inspired by Rob Wright, my husband.” — Kristen Newman (18:28)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Real-Life Influences on the Script

[19:16 - 20:24]

• The generational comedy of outdated flirting—Marty’s “slacks” remark—was taken wholesale from Kristen Newman’s actual father-in-law.
  • Quote: “If I told a secretary she looked pretty in a pair of slacks, would that be OK? That literally came out of my darling father-in-law’s mouth.” — Kristen Newman (20:24)

The Sharing of Stories: A Theme

[20:38 - 21:03]

• Jan (Amy Ryan) tells Charles, “When someone gives you a story, you owe them one of equal or greater value in return.”
  • Quote: “I think Jan is right on the money, but I would never have the guts to say that to somebody.” — Amy Ryan (20:50)

Character Choices: The Bassoon

[22:43 - 23:25]

• The selection of the bassoon for Jan’s instrument is “mysterious” for now, but will be explained by writer Madeline George in Episode 6.
• Inside joke: There’s extensive “sexy bassoon” merchandise online, some of which ended up as wardrobe (“the only thing sexier than a bassoon is me with a bassoon”).
  • Quote: “There’s a particular weird thing that goes on with sexuality and bassoon players.” — Kristen Newman (24:43)

Behind-the-Scenes & Production Tidbits

Shooting Logistics During Covid

[14:06 - 14:47]

• Writers couldn’t be on set; Kristen watched live feeds on her phone in her car, juggling real life and TV magic remotely.
  • Quote: “I could just sit there in my car... and watch Tina Fey and Steve Martin and Martin Short and Selena Gomez just chat.” — Kristen Newman (14:06)

Filming the Courtyard Duet

[29:30 - 30:53]

• Amy Ryan learned to mimic the bassoon with help from a real music teacher; Steve Martin actually played concertina.
• The serenade scene was shot separately—Amy looked out at a green screen, not at Steve directly.

The Surreal and the Meta

[31:30 - 32:08]

• Bugs Bunny and Porky Pig costumes are background characters haunting Charles—a result of licensing changes (originally Chip & Dale).
  • Quote: “It turned into Bugs and Pork... Warner Brothers is like, yeah, sure.” — Kristen Newman (32:02)

Crafting Tone: Comedy, Mystery, Heart

[33:10 - 33:55]

• Internal “friendly battle” constantly rages over balancing the show’s comedic, emotional, and mystery elements.
  • Quote: “There’s always the people going, ‘no, make it funnier’... ‘let’s make it twistier’... the people who love the emotional moments. It’s always a little bit of an internal, friendly battle.” — Kristen Newman (33:54)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:15] – Recap of episode 4 and emerging suspects
• [04:03] – Kristen Newman's background & writing process
• [07:41] – Making art for escape during dark times (Covid, protests)
• [13:11] – How the episode went from “Beyoncé” to “The Sting”
• [14:47] – Tina Fey’s casting and performance
• [20:38] – The transactional nature of sharing stories (“you owe them one in return,” Amy Ryan)
• [24:43] – Sexy bassoonist in-joke and merchandise
• [29:30] – Behind filming the musical courtyard scene
• [31:30] – The evolution of surreal background characters
• [33:10] – Balancing tone: Comedy, mystery, and heart
• [34:13] – Advice for aspiring writers
• [35:11] – Teaser: Tie dye guy “will be dangerous in more ways than one”
• [37:05] – Hosts’ murder predictions (“who done it” segment)

Notable Quotes with Attributions

• “I’m so sorry. It would not have been like, so [a coincidence]. This was preplanned.” — Kristen Newman [13:16]
• “I think Jan is right on the money, but I would never have the guts to say that to somebody.” — Amy Ryan [20:50]
• “There’s a particular weird thing that goes on with sexuality and bassoon players. I don’t know what’s going on with them.” — Kristen Newman [24:43]
• “We all thought of [the writers' room] as such a respite and a place to escape.” — Kristen Newman [07:41]
• “Red herrings... just sit patiently.” — Amy Ryan [35:48]
• “There’s always a little bit of an internal, friendly battle over those different moments.” — Kristen Newman [33:54]

Who-Done-It Theories

[36:54 - End]

• The hosts’ murder predictions are sealed and revealed:
  • Kevin: Teddy’s son (Nathan Lane’s son)
  • Elizabeth: Poppy, Cinda Canning’s assistant (“dark horse”)

Final Takeaways

This episode beautifully illustrates how Only Murders in the Building blends comedy, drama, and mystery, borrowing poignancy and awkwardness from real life. Creative constraints (like Covid) fueled innovation, while a love of character and attention to emotional nuance elevated the “whodunnit” beyond mere genre.

The highlight—whether it’s “sexy” bassoon swag, Tina Fey’s deadpan meta-jokes, or personal vignettes about courtside serenades—lies in the warmth, wit, and camaraderie of everyone behind the show.

Cliffhanger for Next Week:
Kristen teases, “Tie dye guy will be dangerous in more ways than one.”
Amy Ryan cryptically adds that some clues might be deliberate misdirection—red herrings abound.

Useful for:
Fans of the show craving Easter eggs, behind-the-scenes lore, and aspiring writers seeking insight on collaborative, heartfelt TV writing.