Only Murders in the Building Official Podcast

Season 2 Episode 1: "Persons of Interest & Framed"

Release Date: June 29, 2022
Host: Michael Cyril Creighton (Howard), with Elizabeth Keener, Kevin Lan
Guests: John Hoffman (co-creator, showrunner), Noah Levine (co-writer), Jackie Hoffman (Uma Heller)

Episode Overview

This premiere episode of the official "Only Murders in the Building" podcast dives into the first two episodes of season two, unpacking the latest mysteries, character developments, and behind-the-scenes moments. Hosts Elizabeth Keener and Kevin Lan are joined by showrunner John Hoffman, co-writer Noah Levine, and Jackie Hoffman (who plays Uma Heller), offering wit, warmth, and revealing details about how the Arconia’s murder-mystery podcast-within-a-podcast continues to surprise and delight.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Opening Recap: Where Season 2 Begins

[01:44 – 03:37]

• The trio (Charles, Oliver, and Mabel) are now "persons of interest" after Bunny’s murder and are forbidden from podcasting.
• Notable new characters: Alice (artist, potential new love interest for Mabel), Amy Schumer (as herself, moves into Sting’s old apartment), and Leonora (Bunny’s mother, played by Shirley MacLaine).
• The missing Rose Cooper painting becomes a central mystery; its subject links to Charles’ family history.
• Mabel receives a social media message that opens a new chapter for her character.

Memorable quote:
"Charles, Oliver and Mabel are being interrogated by the police...And Bunny was stabbed eight times with a knife, but the murder weapon was replaced by Mabel's knitting needle." — Elizabeth Keener [01:44]

2. Season 2 Structure: Fame vs. Infamy

[04:45 – 10:58]

• Major Theme: The intersection of being "famous" and "infamous" in New York.
• John Hoffman describes intentionally starting season two "on the hot seat," so the trio faces public suspicion and scrutiny.
• The decision to have them instantly become New York "talk of the town" – for all the wrong reasons.

Quote:
"You can be the talk of the town in New York...And what happens when the good side and the bad side come together is what was really intriguing to me for our trio." — John Hoffman [04:58]

• Writing a half-hour comedy mystery is a challenge; each detail is tightly plotted, clues meticulously planted for future episodes.

Quote:
"You don't really get to start the first episode until you’ve figured out the whole damn thing. So everything that's in each episode is very specifically chosen." — John Hoffman [08:38]

3. Meta Moments & New Faces

[03:18 – 14:00]

• Amy Schumer and Shirley MacLaine join the cast as themselves (Amy) or as new characters (Leonora), with their own quirks and connections to old mysteries.
• Amy approaches Oliver about adapting the podcast for TV; the show plays with meta-humor regarding podcast adaptations and the business of true crime.
• Charles’ acting comeback is tinged with the negative—a running joke is that he's referenced as "not dead" in casting sheets.
• Mabel becomes the viral "Bloody Mabel", creating both anxiety and unexpected opportunities.

Quote:
"The fame or infamy is pretty complicated for all three of them." — Kevin Lan [14:14]

4. Mabel’s New Arc: Art and Romance

[14:31 – 18:14]

• Exploration of Mabel’s response to trauma; rather than focusing on death, she’s drawn into the world of Alice and the art collective.
• Mabel’s social media-driven notoriety leads her into the art world—show as mechanism for connection amidst chaos.
• Themes of modern romance and self-discovery tied to New York’s ability to open new social and creative doors.

Notable exchange:
“She says, you know, I've had enough. I need to get away from death...And for this bizarre circumstance to put her sort of square in the center of a social media storm in a small way in New York, with our own hashtag that's unflattering, but then draws...connection as well.” — John Hoffman [15:33–16:03]

5. The Arconia and the Painting: Setting as Character

[24:33 – 27:08]

• The building’s history grows richer: Arconia’s secrets (peepholes, secret passages) created by Bunny’s grandfather, new power struggles post-murder.
• The Rose Cooper painting is both a symbol and a clue—its provocative content and mysterious disappearance anchor much of the evolving mystery.

Quote:
"It’s the cliche… to say, oh, the building is a character in the story ... but I genuinely wanted it to be." — John Hoffman [24:41]

6. Shirley MacLaine, the Cocotini, and On Set Surprises

[22:02 – 24:09]

• Shirley MacLaine’s casting as Leonora Folger is both a coup and a source of amusement; the creation of the “cocotini” drink is rooted in John Hoffman & Shirley’s real-life friendship.
• A cocotini (coconut-based martini) appears in the show as a knowing wink.

Quote:
"Literally. A cocotini is what we drink every time we get together." — John Hoffman [22:44]
“Shirley called me after reading it and she said, oh, you clever thing. Of course I’m doing this… The cocatini was the reason why.” — John Hoffman [23:57]

7. The Colorful Residents: Jackie Hoffman’s Uma

[29:06 – 33:34]

• Jackie Hoffman’s Uma is discussed as embodying “quintessential New York.”
• Jackie originally auditioned for Ursula (“gut milk lady”), bringing her signature abrasive style to Uma instead.
• Uma’s dislike of the main trio is partly rooted in imagined long-standing feuds and classic NY resentment.

Memorable exchange:
“She does seem to seethe with hatred around them. I almost feel like... she auditioned for Oliver and he rejected her. Or...she met Brazos in the street and he dissed her…And Selena, you have to hate on principle because she’s young and pretty and she got everything going for her.” — Jackie Hoffman [31:08]

8. Behind-the-Scenes Cast Chemistry

[30:11 – 34:01]

• Shirley MacLaine’s performance, including in the cheese-cutting scene, is called out for its brilliance.
• Every Arconia group scene becomes a showcase for the roster of NY stage veterans and scene-stealers.

Quote:
“Everybody in the building too. Brought it on every take…Everyone’s like, you know, this is my 4 second moment. I’m not gonna let this get away from me. They did.” — Jackie Hoffman [30:13]

9. Clues, Red Herrings, and Anagrams

[37:16 – 38:20]

• Noah Levine offers a cryptic hint for armchair detectives: “We really had our fun with the anagrams.”
• The showrunners deliberately “plant” lots of clues and red herrings early in the season.

Quote:
“We did a lot of planting. We were farmers.” — Noah Levine [37:40]

10. Whodunit Summit: Fan Theories

[38:22 – 41:24]

• Elizabeth Keener and Kevin Lan lock in their predictions for Bunny’s killer: K.K. suspects Cinda Canning (Tina Fey), citing jealousy and branding clues; Keener picks Poppy, Cinda’s assistant, pointing to underdog ambition.
• Playful banter sets the stage for viewers/listeners to submit their own theories.

Quote:
"I think she's jealous of our trio stealing the spotlight from her...When Bunny was found dead, she's wearing a tie dye hoodie. But it's the merchandise from the fans show..." — Kevin Lan [39:06]
“She wants to be famous. She wants to get some accolades from Cinda, who’s always so mean to her” — Elizabeth Keener [40:17]

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• “You can be the talk of the town in New York...and what happens when the good side and the bad side come together is what was really intriguing to me for our trio.” — John Hoffman [04:58]
• "You don't really get to start the first episode until you’ve figured out the whole damn thing." — John Hoffman [08:38]
• “Murder can open a door.” — Kevin Lan & Elizabeth Keener [18:14–18:16]
• “Literally. A cocotini is what we drink every time we get together.” — John Hoffman [22:44]
• “She does seem to seethe with hatred around them...she auditioned for Oliver and he rejected her...Selena, you have to hate on principle...” — Jackie Hoffman [31:08]
• “We really had our fun with the anagrams.” — Noah Levine [37:21]

Segment Timestamps

| Time | Segment/Topic | |----------|------------------------------------------------| | 00:01 | Cold Open Banter | | 01:44 | S2 Episodes 1 & 2 Recap | | 03:51 | John Hoffman Introduction | | 04:45 | Showrunner on Season 2's Opening Structure | | 07:04 | Writing Process with Noah Levine | | 14:31 | Mabel’s Romantic Arc and Artistic Identity | | 18:18 | Charles & The Brazos Reboot | | 22:08 | Shirley MacLaine, the Cocotini, Cast Stories | | 24:33 | Arconia as Character—Production Design | | 27:59 | Bunny’s Memorial and Group Scenes | | 29:06 | Jackie Hoffman on Uma & NY Identity | | 33:34 | Uma & Howard’s Friendship | | 37:16 | Planting Clues, Anagrams in Season 2 | | 38:22 | Whodunit Summit – Host Theories |

Closing Thoughts

This episode delivers the wit and layered intrigue that "Only Murders in the Building" is known for, blending fan-favorite characters with new mysteries and playful meta-commentary. Rich with cast insights and Easter eggs (“anagrams,” cocotinis, real-life friendships), it sets the tone for a season in which fame, infamy, and suspicion swirl around the Arconia like never before.

For superfans and newcomers alike, the hosts’ banter, behind-the-scenes anecdotes, and mystery meta-gaming make this recap as rewarding as the show itself.

For further clues and listener theories, tune in next episode—and don't forget to try a Shirley MacLaine Cocotini!