Only Murders in the Building Official Podcast

S1 E7: The Boy From 6B

Date: September 29, 2021
Host: Elizabeth Keener & Kevin Lance (KK)
Guests: Writers Ben Philippe & Stephen Markley, Actor James Caverly

Episode Overview

Episode 7 dives deep behind the scenes of Only Murders in the Building’s standout "The Boy From 6B." The hosts unravel the emotionally charged and stylistically daring installment, which pivots the show’s point of view to Theo—a deaf character—and reveals what happened to Zoe ten years ago. Alongside lively banter, the hosts and guests reflect on the unique production, writing process, and layered performances—especially that of James Caverly who plays Theo.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

The Big Revelations of Episode 7

• The episode unfolds the events of New Year's Eve a decade earlier, focusing on the tragedy involving Zoe, and how her fatal fall was a harrowing accident during a confrontation with Theo.
• Theo’s crush on Zoe and his role in the inadvertent fall are explored, with added depth given to his complex feelings and the consequences that ripple through the other characters’ lives.
• It’s revealed that Teddy and Theo are running a grave-robbing jewelry scheme, stealing from bodies at the funeral home.
  • Elizabeth: "The grave robbers. And there was a jar of teeth." (02:39)
  • Kevin: "Huge pearls...take it off of a dead body." (02:57)
• Teddy’s threats are highlighted—notably his intimidation of Tim Kono and Mabel to keep Theo’s secret safe.
• The episode culminates with Mabel and Oliver being kidnapped by Theo (04:10), escalating the tension heading into the season’s final episodes.

On Writing the Episode: Ben Philippe & Stephen Markley

Entering the Writers Room

• Both Ben and Steve were first-time TV writers, recruited for their strong narrative skills.
  • Ben: "The pitch had the words Steve Martin and murder mystery in New York City. So that felt like a pretty, you know, dreamy job..." (05:03)
  • Steve: "It was sort of a similar...like this is both Ben and I's first TV writing jobs ever. So we were both just sort of like thrown into the deep end..." (05:44)
• Their collaboration was likened to a child's playdate and an "odd couple" comedic dynamic.
  • Steve: "We're basically two kindergarteners who love playing in our own sandbox..." (07:57)
  • Ben: "...like that scene from Stepbrothers where they're just like, did we just become best friends?" (08:12)

Crafting a "High-Concept" Silent Episode

• The showrunner tasked them with writing a “high-concept” episode centered on a new POV (Theo—the show’s deaf character).
• Early drafts were wild and over-stuffed ("At some point we killed a horse" - Ben, 07:02), requiring much to be cut for tightness and tone.
• Writers leaned into "Hardy Boys" influences—lots of secret passageways, spying, and youthful intrigue.
  • Ben: "The Hardy Boys feeling was something we wanted to preserve..." (09:00)

Silence and Perspective: The Theo Episode

Visual and Narrative Choices

• The episode foregrounds Theo’s silence, using near-total absence of audible dialogue to immerse viewers.
• The decision to break the show’s usual narration style:
  • Steve: "He's a character who's suddenly going to turn to you and he's gonna give us this new perspective..." (09:56)
• The episode’s storytelling demands focus; viewers can’t "half-watch."
  • Ben: "...can we make this story interesting without sound? Especially since...we consume media, I think sometimes...like Mabel, like doing something else while something is playing in the background. And this episode sort of demands your attention." (12:04)

Casting & Authenticity

• James Caverly, who is deaf, describes his audition and authentic experience on set:
  • James: "I had interpreters there the whole time. On the set, the communication was not an issue. It was really wonderful...the director was wonderful. The writers were both so attentive and open minded and listened to me and wanted my opinions as a deaf actor..." (13:21)
• Nathan Lane and Olivia Rice (Teddy and Zoe) learned ASL for the show, coached by an ASL "dazzle" (Director of Artistic Sign Language).
  • James: "So if there was a mistake or just a slight adjustment...I was happy to give my input and help support the other two actors..." (23:03)

Lip Reading Realities

• James Caverly demystifies lip reading:
  • James: "...you really only catch possibly 30% of what the message really is through lip reading. It's really, really very hard. It's guesswork..." (20:55)

Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes

• On the emotional complexity of the rooftop scene:
  • Steve: "It is an unfortunate accident, but one which can definitely be interpreted as a crime." (16:59)
  • James: "Theo...he can't forget it. He becomes too burdened with it. You know, I am the person who is at fault." (17:30)
• On working with Nathan Lane:
  • James: "Oh, my, oh, my. I grew up watching Nathan...He is such a professional. He is such a wonderful man. And our father, son, rapport and relationship felt that we were really bouncing off of real energy." (27:32)
• On making Theo seem suspicious:
  • James: "Yes, of course...someone who carries that secret with you in oneself for 10 years...that does give off the persona, then I have a secret. Nobody needs to know. Right?" (30:10)

Crafting the Episode’s Unique Sound and Vision

• Director Shirin De Abbas aimed for tighter, more intimate shots to reflect a visually oriented deaf perspective.
  • James: "...all of the camera angles, I think, are tighter, are more intimate...to enhance the sense of vision in the moment." (31:21)
  • Steve: "All credit, really, to Shireen, the director of the episode. She did an amazing job. It just looks incredible..." (32:20)

Musical Motif: "Soliloquy" from Carousel

• The episode uses Rodgers and Hammerstein’s "Soliloquy" to underscore the fraught father-son relationship.
  • Ben: "...Teddy Demas loves the arts, no matter how sinister of a character he is...And John Hoffman knew the perfect song right away..." (25:28)
  • Lyrics highlighted as reflecting both hope and looming menace in Teddy’s relationship with Theo.

The Scrabble Scene: Silent Flirtation

• Charles and Jan’s wordplay transitions into sexual tension—with words like "hard" and "wet."
  • Ben: "I was channeling the characters...when it came time to pick those words...make things a little more romantic." (32:53)
  • Steve: "We toned it down a little." (33:22)

Behind-the-Scenes Fun

• "Vomit" in the emotional scene was mostly carrot juice and "it smelled really pretty good. Didn't smell bad at all." – James (19:03)
• Ben and Steve joke about their collaborative process, sometimes heated, always passionate.
  • Ben: "I remember viscerally hating this man..." (34:14)
  • Steve: "We're one of those couples we don't argue about anything serious. But it's like, if, you know, the milk was left out for 30 minutes too long, then we're gonna have at it for the rest of the day." (34:56)

Important Timestamps

• 00:13 – 02:58: Recap of Episode 7’s events and key reveals
• 05:03 – 08:48: Ben Philippe & Stephen Markley on joining the writers room, process, and partnership
• 09:00 – 12:46: Creating the high-concept "deaf perspective" episode, inspiration, and execution
• 13:21 – 20:09: James Caverly discusses his experience as Theo, audition stories, and set anecdotes
• 22:48 – 23:55: Actors learning ASL, coaching, and authenticity on set
• 25:28 – 26:40: Integrating "Soliloquy" from Carousel as the episode's musical backbone
• 31:21 – 32:40: Visual approach and directing choices to capture deaf experience
• 32:53 – 33:52: The Scrabble scene's creation and subtext

Theories, Clues & Listener Engagement

• The writers drop a cryptic clue: "There's a line of dialogue in the first seven episodes, which is an anagram for the childhood hometown of the actor who plays the killer." (35:51)
• Listener theories are shared—a fun summing up of fan engagement and speculation, covering suspects from Teddy and Oscar’s dad to Mabel’s mother.
• On air, Keener and KK make their own whodunit guesses—with Teddy and Oscar’s dad as current picks. (37:00)

Notable Quotes

• James Caverly: "Lip reading is just a small part of communication and has so much to do with guesswork. It's like a murder mystery, right? You're looking for all the clues, you're trying to fill in all the gaps." (20:55)
• Ben Philippe: "I am very likely to spoil this season, next season, and even, like, future seasons, actually. So I’m gonna be very careful and say that Mabel is not a ghost." (35:13)
• Stephen Markley: "Ben hates when I get all high-minded and novelisty about things..." (11:13)
• Elizabeth Keener: "It really felt like we were in a Hardy Boy story. There are two secret doors, a lot of spying, binoculars, breaking and entering..." (08:48)

Final Thoughts

This episode of the podcast offers a fascinating and heartful look at one of Only Murders in the Building’s most innovative episodes. With candid writing room stories, an honest account of on-set experiences for a deaf actor, and an appreciation for silence and perspective, fans are treated to both behind-the-scenes delight and a deeper understanding of what makes "The Boy From 6B" so exceptional.